These filling foods are great for a weight loss plan

When you hear healthy, you don’t always think filling. In fact, you might have the opposite reaction and imagine a single leaf of lettuce staring at you from your “healthy” salad. But just because something’s healthy doesn’t mean it can’t be filling, too. In fact, many healthy foods can keep you feeling full longer and are good for our bodies to eat.

As a fitness nutrition specialist, I am always offering recommendations to my clients about what healthy foods to fill up on and which foods to limit. Three main categories come to mind when I think healthy, but filling.

They include:

• Lean protein. This type of protein does not contain as many calories as other types of proteins and provides fuel to help build and repair muscle tissue. Some great lean proteins to fill up on include:
  • Turkey
  • Chicken
  • Fish (preferably wild caught)
  • Lean cuts of pork (pork chops)
  • Lean cuts of beef (filet)
  • Eggs

• Vegetables should be a go-to! Feel free to load up on them, as they provide nutrients and energy with very minimal calories. Good staples that are filling include:
  • Broccoli
  • Peppers (green, red, yellow)
  • Beets
  • Asparagus
  • Spinach
  • Kale

• Fruit provides essential nutrients and fiber and can fill you up, as well. Some great additions to any diet include:
  • Berries (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries)
  • Grapefruit
  • Kiwi

In addition to these three food groups, I always remind clients that snacks are a necessary component of any diet, as they help you stay full between meals and keep the body’s metabolism going. Some great snacks to fill up on include:

• Hummus
• Nuts
• Beef jerky
• Pouch tuna
• Greek yogurt

If you have further questions about a personalized diet or detailed meal plan, I always advise my clients to consult with a registered dietitian.