10 Foods that Fill You Up While You Trim Down

Losing weight doesn’t have to mean hunger pangs and feeling half-dead at your desk all day. The trick to trimming down without feeling tortured: “Shift to a fiber-rich diet with ample sources of lean protein—it's the simplest way to reduce your caloric intake without eating less,” says Tanya Zuckerbrot, RD, author of The Miracle Carb Diet: Make Calories & Fat Disappear—with Fiber! Foods high in fiber or protein have fewer calories per gram, so you can pile up your plate without piling on the pudge.

Picking real food over gimmicky weight loss bars and shakes will also help you keep your head in the healthy-eating game. “Being balanced in the food you eat will make you feel balanced mentally,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, RD, a New York City-based nutrition expert and author of Read It Before You Eat It. “You’ll know that you’ve eaten something solid and can get on with your day.” We asked these two dietitians to weigh in on the healthiest feel-fuller foods. Here are their top 10 picks.

Zero-calorie foods are too good to be true, but veggies like cucumbers, carrots, zucchini, celery, broccoli, and cabbage come pretty close. Since they're made up of mostly water and fiber, they’re naturally very low in calories. “Fiber also adds bulk to foods, which gives you the satisfaction of chewing, plus the feeling of a full stomach,” notes Zuckerbrot. If you’re not a raw veggies type of guy, use produce to bulk up sandwiches, soups, and omelets.

When your sweet tooth rears its head, reach for raspberries. A one-cup serving provides 8 grams of filling fiber and sets you back only 60 calories. Eat them as-is or throw them into a smoothie or on top of a salad—you’ll do your entire body a favor. “Raspberries are also bursting with vitamin C, a cancer-fighting antioxidant that keeps free radicals from causing damage to cells,” says Zuckerbrot.

Returning to a childhood comfort food hardly seems like a weight loss tactic, but cereal can make for a healthy meal when you’re in a hurry—as long as you don’t pick a brand with a rabbit on the box. “High fiber whole-grain cereals not only provide ample fiber, but are also loaded in B vitamins, antioxidants, and trace minerals such as iron, zinc, copper, and magnesium,” says Zuckerbrot. Top your bowl with skim milk and a few sliced almonds and use a measuring cup to keep portions in check, advises Taub-Dix.

Be honest: chicken gets boring. But salmon is another excellent source of lean protein that comes with a fat-fighting advantage. “Salmon is a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids, which may help aid weight loss by improving glucose sensitivity, reducing insulin resistance, reducing inflammation, and speeding up the oxidation of fat,” says Zukerbrot. For a super satiating meal, serve the fish alongside roasted vegetables. Pick artichokes, spinach, or broccoli, which all provide at least 5 grams of fiber per serving.