A big killer of weight loss is snacking!
One of my favorite things to eat for breakfast is oatmeal! It is a great way to start the day because in just a half a cup of rolled oats there are five grams of fiber! Oat meal also has an appetite regulating hormone called cholecystokinin. Both of these will help you to feel fuller longer. (You can put an entire tablespoon of raw sugar on your bowl of oatmeal for only an additional 45 calories! Or a tablespoon of real maple syrup is only 52 calories!)
Chia seeds are a great source of omega-3s, protein, and fiber. I love to put the seeds into hot water so that they swell up. Then I brew some chai tea and add the “bloomed” seeds to the chai. Does that make it a chia chai? I don’t know if the swollen seeds actually fill your stomach to make you feel less hungry, but I still really love them. They are great in yogurt and smoothies. Just be careful because they can easily get stuck in your teeth, (not pretty, haha!)
Avocados are full of healthy monounsaturated fats, which help keep you full.For breakfast, I love to add half an avocado to a slice of toast with one egg scrambled and a little bit of Frank’s hot sauce (so good!).It is a great way to start the day that will also keep you full until lunch. That leads me to my next food…
Studies have shown that Eggs are a protein packed food that can help you control your appetite for up to 36 hours. Not really sure if they will keep you full for 36 hours, but hey, if studies say it, I like it!
Nuts are a great sources of fiber. They digest slowly so you feel fuller longer. My favorite nuts are Almonds! There are so many different types of nuts that just because you don’t like one doesn’t mean that another won’t be your favorite! Just be sure that you are eating raw nuts and not processed or sugar coated ones!
An apple a day keeps the doctor away, right?! Apples have pectin (a soluble gelatinous polysaccharide that is present in ripe fruits and is extracted for use as a setting agent in jams and jellies) which helps to prevent spikes in the blood sugar. Apples have a high water content and are also are a great source of fiber giving a feeling of fullness.
Another food that is high in both water content and fiber is dark leafy vegetables: kale, spinach, Romaine lettuce, broccoli, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts. I love to eat salads with all kinds of dark leafy greens. Adding a tablespoon of your favorite oil and vinegar salad dressing will only add between 50-80 additional calories. Stay away from cream based dressings they cause the calories to really add up making your “healthy salad” into a diet destroyer!
I love to add lemon juice to my water. Just like apples, lemon juice also contains pectin, that can help slow digestion. Eating something sour can help you feel satisfied after a meal by curbing cravings. Speaking of water….sometimes a craving can be quelled with just a glass of water, and it can also keep you hydrated as well. (I wrote a whole post just about water. Read it by clicking HERE.)
One of my favorite things to eat is sushi! While sushi isn’t necessarily the thing that helps me lose weight, one of the things I also love to get when I eat sushi is edamame. Half a cup of edamame has over eight grams of protein but is less than 100 calories. Making it a great way to keep you feeling full!
Ever since I have been eating more healthy, I have been loving beans. All kinds of beans! Black bean, garbanzo beans, kidney, and navy! Beans are a low-calorie source of fiber and protein, so if you’re wanting to stay full longer, eat some beans.
Looking Joli Good 
Very helpful!! I’m looking at changing my diet and go from eating carbs, carbs and more carbs to eating a more vege friendly diet. Not gunna lie it’s tough going 😛 But one of my fave things to snack on are Sugar Snap peas, I just love them! 🙂 xo
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Oh, I love sugar snap peas too! Yum! Good luck with the healthy changes! I had a really tough time at first, but it definitely gets easier if you stick with it!
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