7 Foods you can eat and not gain weight

It sounds impossible, but there are actually certain foods that can satisfy hunger cravings without packing on the pounds. 

The key is to indulge in a meal that has a high satiety value, which describes how filling the food is compared to its calorie content.

1. Boiled Potatoes

Many people avoid potatoes due to their high carbohydrate content, but there is no need for this. Potatoes are very nutritious as long as they aren’t fried. More than that, potatoes contain resistant starch that acts like soluble fiber in the digestive system. This helps you feel full with fewer calories.

2. Whole Eggs

Eggs, and especially egg yolks, have been unfairly characterized as heart attack-inducing cholesterol bombs. But while they do contain a fair amount of cholesterol, studies have shown that eating eggs does not raise bad cholesterol levels. On the contrary, eggs represent a complete protein, which means that they contain all nine essential amino acids.

Protein is a lot more filling than simple carbohydrates, so eating eggs in the morning can keep you on a good track all day. One particular study found that people who ate eggs for breakfast were able to lose more weight and trim their BMI (body mass index) further than people who had a bagel.

3. Oatmeal

Oatmeal is a super filling dish because it contains a ton of fiber and soaks up a lot of water when cooked. Yeah, it’s pretty bland, but it can be flavored up so many different ways. Fruit, nuts, and brown sugar are all great choices.

4. Broth-Based Soups

No one really thinks of soup as filling, but it can be. In fact, studies show that some soup can be more filling than a solid-food meal with the same ingredients. Eating soup as an appetizer could increase your satiety to the point that you eat about 20% fewer calories overall in that meal.

Make soup a habit and you’ll lose weight without even trying. We recommend broth-based soups because they are lower calorie than cream-based soups.

5. Apples

Apples also score highly on the satiety index because they contain a soluble fiber called pectin that regulates digestion. They also contain a great deal of water – up to 85% per piece – which provides volume to make you feel full but not a lot of calories.

6. Fish & Lean Meat

Higher protein diets are more filling and satisfying than carb-heavy ones. Therefore, it’s okay to eat your meat. Leaner cuts are recommended, as some meats are high in saturated fat and won’t do you any favors. But fish, for example, is low fat yet high in protein and omega-3 fatty acids, which increases satiety as well as supports a healthy cardiovascular system.

7. Popcorn

Heck, yeah! It’s snack time. When you get the craving for a salty treat, popcorn should be your go-to choice. It is a whole grain that’s high in fiber but low in calories. There is also a lot of air in popcorn which actually helps to fill you up faster than potato chips or crackers.

Whether you are trying to lose weight or want to maintain your current weight, making these 7 filling foods a priority can really help. Diets don’t often work because they ask people to completely change the way they eat. But simply focusing on eating more of the right foods will begin to crowd out some of your least healthy indulgences.