Five Foods to Help You Not Feel Hungry

Despite what you might think from all of the miracle diet plans and no-lifestyle-change weight loss programs, the big secret to losing weight is to burn more calories than you take in. And there are two ways to do this: take in less or burn more. For most people a combination of both is the best approach.

One of the things that is probably going to doom your weight loss effort to eventual failure is to restrict your eating to the point where you are always hungry and can hardly think about anything else except for when you are allowed to have your next stick of celery. If you aren't feeling like you are getting enough to eat, your diet is not going to last. This is one reason why exercise is such an important part of successful weight loss, it lets you eat a bit more.

Here are five foods that will help you feel full longer and keep the hunger pangs at bay.

1. Avocados
    The oleic acid in an avocado is a fat contained in very few other
    foods. The body converts oleic acid into a compound that is
    believed to signal satiation (i.e., fullness) to the brain and a recent
    Italian study found that people who ate a breakfast high in oleic
    acid consumed about 250 fewer calories at lunch than those who
    did not. That adds up to about 1/2 pound lost per week, other
    things being equal.

2. Green Bananas
    Yes, green. Slightly unripened bananas contain a starch which is
    more resistant to digestion and acts to help stabilize blood sugar.
    If green is too hard for you, blend it into a smoothie and you won't
    be able to tell the difference.

3. Oatmeal
    No surprise here. Oatmeal's generous helping of both soluble and
    insoluble fiber slows digestion and will leave you feeling fuller for
    longer. I like to make it overnight in a slow cooker with eggnog
    and cranberries.

4. Soup
    The exact type doesn't matter all that much, just be careful of all
    of the sodium. A Penn State study found that people who start
    dinner with 150 calories of soup consumed fewer calories overall
    than those who went straight to the entree. Cream based soups
    are likely to surpass that 150 calorie threshold fast though.

5. Salmon
    Follow up that soup with with a serving of this healthy-fat rich
    fish. The combination of healthy Omega fats and high quality
    protein will make you feel fuller and more satisfied after your
    meal.

Don't starve yourself between meals either. Feel free to graze to keep the edge off any hunger pangs. Just be a little picky about what you snack on. Pretty much any fruits or vegetables are better than "snack food" (aka, crap) and there is plenty to choose from. Besides that celery stick, reach for cherry tomatoes, carrots, an apple or even a stick of mozzarella string cheese. Pick up some hummus as a dip. Vegetables are fiber rich and practically "free" from a calorie point of view.

Remember, if you are so hungry that all you can think about is food, your "diet" is doomed before you even get started.