There is nothing wrong with being overweight. If you are comfortable with yourself, eat a balanced diet and are somewhat physically active, you might be healthier than many “slimmer” people. But it’s the things that are beyond your control that often make it less bearable to be above average in weight. It’s the odd comment, usually uttered without any ill intent, that hurts you to the core; or the photograph of you beside your rail-thin cousin; or the wavy, orange-peel appearance of cellulite on your butt and thighs that takes the wind out of your sails every time. So, even while you’re relatively comfortable in your skin, and the weight you carry isn’t necessarily bad for your health, your weight is almost constantly present in your life. You think about it many times a day. And even if you’re not thinking about it, you’re often unexpectedly reminded of it anyway, like when you catch your reflection in a store window.

Why You Don’t Do Anything About Your Weight

Aside from the fact that you’re OK with extra weight, despite the potential downsides, maybe you’ve tried to lose the weight, but haven’t had any long-term success. You’ve tried the diets, bought the gym memberships and embarrassing exercise outfits and generally made yourself miserable, only to have all the weight you managed to lose reappear not that long after you finish whatever program you tried. And you really enjoy your meals. When you have to eat certain things, and very few of them, you’re robbed of one of the great pleasures of life. It’s stressful when you’re on a diet and you never quite feel like yourself.

Filling Foods – Feel Satisfied Without the Calories

What if you were able to eat until you felt full and content all the way to your next meal? Really, feeling full and avoiding hunger pangs is a big part of the reason you enjoy eating, and also why you have a difficult time with diets. And imagine getting visible progress on weight loss, cellulite reduction and your overall health, without feeling like you’re making a huge sacrifice. Foods that are high in fiber and protein, and low in fat and calories, tend to make you feel fuller, and can increase your metabolism. Eating them in similar quantities of other, less filling foods, can help you stay satisfied with your diet, even while you reduce your calorie intake. 1. The Baked Potato – If baked potatoes were human, they would sue for slander considering how unfairly vilified they are in the weight loss diet community. Yes, they are high in carbohydrates, but they are also packed with lots of healthy nutrients, vitamins and fiber. And fiber is what makes them a filling food. Even though they are higher in carbs, potatoes fill you up to the point where it’s difficult to eat more than one at a meal. In one study of 38 satiating foods, the baked potato edged out all other competitors as the food that made participants feel fuller up to two hours after eating. 2. Pistachios – Nuts in general, particularly peanuts, almonds and walnuts, are all filling, deliver high levels of protein and are a great substitute for the unhealthy snacks that can defeat even the most ambitious weight-loss program. Pistachios deliver many of the usual benefits of nuts, but they also happen to be somewhat lower in calories. 48 pistachios contain the same number of calories as 28 peanuts and 22 almonds. 3. Bean Soup – Soup fills you up in more ways than one, especially when its bean soup. Soup has a high water content, which fills you up with relatively few calories. But beans, including lentils, lima beans, peas and black beans, are chock full of fibre, protein and resistant starch, which slows the release of sugar into the bloodstream. And beans have relatively few calories. Put it all together, and bean soup is one of the most filling dishes you can have with just 150 calories per cup. 4. Berries – if there is one taste sensation dieters miss more than others, it’s the occasional sweet treat. Berries, including raspberries, strawberries and blueberries, deliver your hit of delicious sweetness in a package that is also high in fibre, which helps make you feel satisfied. And they are full of healthy anti-oxidants. 5. Breakfast Cereal – Due to the high sugar content in many cereals, they are another oft-maligned food in many diets. But there are a number of healthier, filling breakfast cereals that are not excessively high in sugar. Look for wholegrain cereals and check the label for sugar content. It’s important to remember that there is no one simple answer to losing weight, reducing cellulite or keeping your weight at a certain level. But every adjustment you make, that you can sustain, is a step in the right direction.