Losing weight may seem simple, eat less and exercise more. But what happens when we start dropping calories? We immediately become hungrier.
The hungrier you are, the more likely you are to overeat, make poor food choices and fail in your weight loss efforts.
Not all foods are equal and choosing the wrong foods can put the weight back on faster than you lost it. Some foods are better at filling up your stomach and signalling your brain that you’re full. Others like sweet foods, can often leave you wanting more.
Some recommend filling up on high volume, low calorie foods like:
- Soups
- Salads
- Lean proteins
- Vegetables
- Some fruits
Skipping all of those foods that you really enjoy eating can make it hard to stick to a diet.
There is a better way to predict which foods will make you feel fuller for longer, without piling on the calories.
The Fullness Factor
Two factors that help determine how highly a food ranks on the Satiety Index are the amount of:
- Fibre
- Protein
- Water content
- Bulk of the food
Beans and lentils, which are both packed with fibre, score well. So do high volume foods such as potatoes, popcorn, whole wheat bread and oatmeal.
The more satisfying a food is, the less you will snack between meals. Fatty foods, even though they are caloric dense, are not the most satisfying if you can only have one bite.
Foods with high water content can leave you hungry because they leave your stomach relatively quickly. Having soup and salad at lunch will leave you wanting something in an hour or so. You’re better off eating a lean protein like chicken or fish, some complex carbs like potatoes or rice and a side of veggies for lunch.
This kind of meal can keep hunger at bay for a very long time, without breaking the calorie bank.
Here are five foods that keep you fuller for longer.
1. Eggs
Start your day with a two egg breakfast. Eggs are full of high quality protein, fats and vitamins.
2. Avocados
Add some flavor to your next meal by dicing up an avocado and adding it to your lunchtime salad. Adding half an avocado to a meal can increase your satisfaction and make you less hungry.
3. Chilli Peppers
Not only can a little spice fire up your metabolism, but capsaicin, the compound found in hot peppers, can also help control your appetite.
4. Oatmeal
It’s not the appealing of foods, but a serving of warm oatmeal in the morning can help keep you fuller for longer. Oatmeal is higher in fibre and protein than most breakfast cereals and also contains more beta-glucan, the sugar that gives oatmeal its hydration and thickness.
5. Dark Chocolate
If you crave sweets morning, noon and night. One trick is to reach for dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate the next time a craving rolls around. Dark chocolate lowers your desire to consume any form of calories for longer than milk chocolate.
