Feel Fuller on Fewer Calories #2

Your Best Food Choices

Changing lifestyle habits is never easy, and creating an eating plan using this concept is no exception. The first step is knowing which foods are best.

• Vegetables. Most vegetables--salad greens, asparagus, green beans, broccoli and zucchini, for example--are low in calories but high in volume.
• Fruits. Practically all types of fruit fit into a healthy diet. But some fruits are better than others. Whole fresh, frozen and canned fruits without added sugar are better options than fruit juices and dried fruits which are concentrated sources of natural sugar and therefore have a higher calorie content.
• Carbohydrates. Most carbohydrates are either grains or made from grains, such as cereal, rice, bread and pasta. The best type is whole grains because they're higher in fiber and other important nutrients. Examples include whole-wheat bread, whole-wheat pasta, oatmeal, brown rice and whole-grain cereal.
• Protein and dairy. These include food from both plant and animal sources. The best choices are foods that are high in protein but low in fat and calories, such as legumes (beans, peas and lentil, which are also good sources of fiber, fish, skinned white-meat poultry, fat-free dairy products and egg whites.

Eat sweets. and high-fat foods in moderation since many of these foods are high in calories but low in volume.

Feel Fuller on Fewer Calories

Choosing foods that are less calorie concentrated--means you get a larger portion size with fewer calories--can help you lose weight and control your hunger.

Feel full on fewer calories sounds like a diet gimmick. In reality, the concept of energy density can indeed help you feel satisfied with fewer calories. By consuming fewer calories, you can lose weight over time and keep it off long term.

Energy Density: Volume versus calories.

All foods have a certain number of calories within a given amount (volume). Some foods, such as desserts, candies and processed foods, are high in energy density. This means that a small volume of food has a large number of calories.

Alternatively, some foods--such as vegetables and fruits--have low energy density. These foods provide a larger portion size with a fewer number of calories.

Two factors play an important role in what makes food less calorie packed and more filling:

• Water. many fruits and vegetables are high in water, which provides volume but not calories. Grapefruit, for example, is about 90 percent water and has just 38 calories in a half-fruit serving. Carrots are about 88 percent water and have only 52 calories in 1 cup.

• Fiber. High-fiber foods--such as vegetables, fruits and whole grains--not only provide volume, but also take longer to digest, making you feel full longer.

Ten Secrets Of Thin People

#10 They Don't Skip Meals
There are two problems with skipping meals--and thin people are careful not to fall prey to them. Going more than 6 hours without food will slow down your metabolism, plus you'll likely get so desperately hungry that you'll grab anything to eat (as opposed to something healthy) and eat too much of it. "Thin people keep their "gas tanks" (stomachs) between one-quarter and three-quarters full all the time. The best way to do that is to eat frequent mini-meals every three to four hours.

Ten Secrets Of Thin People

#9 They Move, Stand and Fidget More

Thin people are rarely sitting. Beyond their regular fitness routines, they simply move around more--and consequently burn more calories--throughout the day. A study at the Mayo Clinic confirmed this: Researchers found that on average, a group of lean subjects sat for two hours a day less than the obese subjects, potentially burning up to 350 additional calories.

Get up and move. Stand while you eat, sway side to side, walk down the hall on a break, or walk the parking lot on your lunch if nothing else. Go to the furthest restroom or drinking fountain. Park in the farthest parking space. Power walk through the grocery store. (You'll spend less, helping both "bottom lines".