7 FOODS YOU CAN EAT WITHOUT GAINING WEIGHT

It may sound crazy, but there are types of food that can fill you up without putting on any weight. The trick is to eat meals that are very filling or have a high satiety value. This means that they fill you up without being too calorific.

Judging by this index of satiety, you can judge how filling various foods are to ensure that you feel full while reducing your calorie intake during the day.

Making these small adjustments to your diet will keep you from gaining weight. There are also some foodstuffs that will satisfy your hunger enough, so that you aren’t tempted to overeat.

Want the best part of it all? It doesn’t all have to be tasteless salads or healthy foods that don’t look appealing. You can still eat yummy food while staying healthy. If you read until the end of the article, you may be surprised by what food you can eat as much as you want!

1.  BROTH

You may think that soup isn’t filling enough, but it depends on the ingredients used to cook it. Research has shown that some soups can be even more filling than a full meal that uses the same ingredients! Having soup as a starter can boost your satiety, so that you can eat roughly 20% less calories in that meal.

If you add soup into your diet, you will see a change without even having to try too hard. We suggest that you try broth-based soups, rather than cream-based soups, as they are lower in calories.

2. LEAN MEAT AND FISH

Diets that are higher in protein are more satisfying and satiating than the ones that are too heavy in carbohydrates. So don’t cut meat out of your diet to lose weight! We recommend that you opt for leaner cuts of meat, as there are some meats that are full of saturated fat and won’t help you in your diet. However, fish is low in fat while being high in omega-3 fatty acids and protein. This builds satiety alongside keeping your cardiovascular system healthy and happy.

Although fish beats meat more often than not on the satiety index that we mentioned earlier, meats such as beef, pork and chicken are also high in protein. Research has shown that opting for a high-protein lunch can reduce your dinner calories by 12% in comparison to the high-carb lunch.

3. EGGS

Eggs, or more specifically, egg yolks have been branded with a bad reputation of causing heart problems such as heart attacks due to their high cholesterol. Yes, they do have a high amount of cholesterol, but recent research has proven that it’s not bad cholesterol that is increased when you eat eggs. They are a complete protein – meaning that they consist of all the nine essential amino acids.

Basic carbohydrates aren’t as filling as protein, so having eggs for your breakfast can set you off on a good start for the rest of your day. A recent study has shown that people who consume eggs for their breakfast find it easier to lower their BMI (body mass index) and lose weight in comparison to someone who has a bagel for their breakfast.

4. APPLES

Apples are also high on our satiety index, as they have a soluble fiber, which is called pectin – this regulates your digestion. They also contain 85% water per apple piece – this volume of water can make you feel that you’re full without having high calories.

An experiment showed people trying apple juice, applesauce and apple segments at their beginning of their meal. Those who had the apple segments, ate 91 less calories than those who ate the applesauce. The more impressive result was that in comparison to the apple juice group – they ate 150 fewer calories.

So, if you love apples, but you don’t love gaining weight, make sure that you eat the apple as it comes. If you’re not a fan, then try a citrus fruits, as they are also high in water and pectin.

5. OATMEAL

Oatmeal is perfect for filling you up, as it consists of lots of fiber – it also absorbs a high volume of water while being cooked. Even though it doesn’t have any taste itself, you can flavour it with non-fattening toppings such as nuts, fruits and brown sugar.

Oats themselves also contain a type of insoluble fiber, which is called beta glucan. This has been shown to slow the rate of absorption of carbohydrates while limiting your appetite during your day so you’re not craving any sugary snacks.

6. BOILED POTATOES

Similarly to eggs, people avoid potatoes due to their high carbohydrate ‘bad reputation’. However, this doesn’t need to happen. Potatoes are actually very healthy dependent on how they’re cooked – basically, don’t fry them! Potatoes have a resistant starch, which is similar to soluble fiber in your digestive system. This means that you’ll feel fuller quicker and gain less calories.

There’s also a little tip that can help – cooking your potatoes and then letting them cool increases this level of resistant starch. If you do this again and again, it continues to increase. This could also help you to spread your food costs, as you can make the most of your leftovers!

7. POPCORN

Last, but certainly not least, we have popcorn. If you’re craving something salty like chips then you should instead reach for some popcorn. The whole grain is low in calories and high in fiber. Popcorn is also mostly made up of air, so it will fill you up more quickly than chips.

However, opt for the air popped popcorn instead of the popcorn you can make in the microwave bag. These often contain fake butter, which is a toxic additive. The bags themselves are also lined with carcinogenic chemicals. But if you have a lovely bowl of air popped popcorn, then there are plenty of healthy ways that you can make it taste even better that you may not have thought of! You’re not just limited to salt or butter or sugar. You can instead opt for garlic, olive oil, avocado oil, oregano, tomato powder or even parmesan.

If you’re trying to lose weight or if you want to hold onto your current weight, adding the above foods into your diet could change your life. We hear of fad diets that don’t make any difference at all, as they make too drastic changes that aren’t healthy or tasty. But if you focus on eating foods that you like and are easy to make, it will make it a more bearable task.

Opt for foods that are high in fiber, volume (such as air-popped popcorn or the water in apple segments) and protein while also being low in calories and saturated fat and you’ll be slimming down in no time.