I feel empty inside.
Not emotionally, I just feel like I could eat a horse, or at least a baby elephant.
Is someone punching me in the stomach right now?
Why do I keep losing concentration every time I think about glorious, sumptuous food… Wait, what was I saying?
Right, that was it.
This was me a couple of years ago, attempting my first calorie deficit. And, you’ve stumbled upon this article, so I assume this is you now.
It was a pretty tough gig, trying to get in shape.
Eating a lot of fruit and veg, getting bored, feeling hungry, agitated, longing for the day when I can eat a sandwich.
What’s that saying again?
An apple a day can keep the fat away?
Something like that.
Well, it was taken a little bit too literally.
It was only after a couple of weeks of basically starving myself that I can’t keep it up, and quickly learned if I am going to train and work, then I’m going to need food in my belly so it isn’t all I think about.
Luckily, I found my answer.
There are some sneaky nutritional gems out there. These completely change the game and will improve how your diet.
Here are my 8 favorite low-calorie foods that help you create tasty but filling recipes for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Or even help you satisfy those in-between meal cravings as a snack.
My Top 8 Low-Calorie High Volume Foods
While these are my favorite foods, there are plenty of foods you can use to keep you full. Your main aim is to keep it nutritious, and high in macronutrients that take your body longer to digest, such as protein and fiber.
Walnuts
Nuts are such an interesting and underrated food when it comes to losing weight.
And I can understand why.
They are calorie-dense food.
That’s not the best thing if we are trying to lose weight.
Here comes the but…
They are far too healthy, and far too full of fiber and protein, to ignore.
Being packed with those sorts of nutrients can guarantee that just a serving will help you feel fuller, and reduce the cravings for a snack that would require a lot more calories to satisfy.
Some of my favorite parts of a walnut, other than being packed with natural protein and controlling your appetite, are how it can enhance and stabilize the health of your gut, while also reducing your blood pressure.
Not only that, but scientists have been testing on walnuts for years now, attempting to determine just how well the anti-oxidants can support the immune system, with some theorizing that it may help reduce the risk of certain cancers, such as prostate cancer.
Nutritional Value
Per 28.35g serving, according to USDA:
- Calories: 185 kcal
- Protein: 4.31g
- Carbohydrates: 3.88g
- Fats: 18.5g
- Fiber: 1.9g
Egg Whites
Alright. I get it.
The yolk of the egg is the best bit.
A yellow soul of goodness that truly brings together a breakfast.
Unfortunately, like most things in this cruel, cruel world, the best bit is usually the worst for us.
The egg yolk is the most calorie-dense section while also providing us with very little in terms of healthy nutrition.
The yolk is filled with saturated fatty acids and cholesterol, which works to clog your arteries and increase blood pressure, making you more susceptible to heart diseases.
Egg whites are the complete opposite.
They are low in calories and fatty acids, whilst being high in protein, making them an excellent food in your diet.
This is particularly great for those of us who want to maintain muscle mass.
We know why egg whites are good for losing weight, but why are they high volume?
Well, with food that has such a low amount of calories, we can afford to throw an extra few eggs into our omelets.
Increasing the volume of our meals is going to fill us up.
Factoring in the extraordinary amount of protein is only helping, guaranteeing that your stomach has to work overtime to digest it, leaving you fuller for longer.
Nutritional Value
Per 100g of Grade A egg whites, according to USDA:
- Calories: 86.3 kcal
- Protein: 10.7g
- Carbohydrates: 2.36g
- Fats: Less than 0.08g
- Fiber: N/A
Related Post: Can You Eat Carbs After 3pm?
Spinach
Good ol’ Spinach.
The only bit of green veg that has made it onto this list.
From watching Popeye as a kid, I always presumed that Spinach was a kind of superfood.
A magical leaf you can consume, giving you strength and enhancing your body.
And I was kind of right.
Although it doesn’t give you huge forearms or allow you to bend metal (and don’t get me started on eating it raw out of a tin – disgusting!), it is a nutritious vegetable with a ton of health benefits and adds volume to any meal.
When cooked, spinach is virtually tasteless, so I like to throw it in with my meals, or even my smoothie, to try and bulk up the meal and leave myself fuller for longer.
It’s a well-known diabetes control food, due to the effect it can have on your blood glucose, as well as reducing the risk of cancer and heart diseases.
If you think about it, the protein intake relative to the calories is surprisingly good.
Most of us will write off veg as a source of protein, because of the sheer amount you would have to eat.
But adding protein to your meal without adding many calories is always a bonus.
Nutritional Value
Per 100g of Baby Spinach, according to USDA:
- Calories: 27 kcal
- Protein: 2.85g
- Carbohydrates: 2.41g
- Fats: 0.62g
- Fiber: 1.6g
Low-Fat Greek Yoghurt
Not too long ago, I hated Greek-style yogurt.
Despised the stuff.
Especially low-fat yogurt.
This really bugged me, as the nutritional values and health benefits of the yogurt were just so good.
It has a higher protein content than other yogurts, is beneficial for muscle recovery and bone structure, and more importantly, keeps you full.
I couldn’t take it.
I had to force-feed myself this creamy macro superpower.
Well, consuming something you don’t like is enough to make anyone ill, but a whole tub’s worth.
I can assure you it did not end well.
Fortunately, I did find a few methods in order to make this food manageable, and it is actually a staple in my diet even now.
I invested in 0-calorie vanilla syrup and top it with watermelon and strawberries.
Actually, that’s the only method I found. I thought I had tried more, but apparently not.
Anywho it’s now a delicious, protein-filled, high-volume breakfast and/or dessert.
Nutritional Value
Per 100g of Mountain High Fat-Free Greek Yoghurt:
- Calories: 60 kcal
- Protein: 9.33g
- Carbohydrates: 4.67g
- Fats: 0g
- Fiber: 0g
Related Post: Does Drinking Coffee Cause Weight Gain?
Oats
Oats are arguably one of the most versatile I have ever come across.
Whether it be oatmeal or the new overnight oats trend, it’s a well-known health icon.
At first glance, oats can seem relatively calorie-dense, but we need to look at it a bit deeper.
You can’t eat a lot of oatmeal at once.
It’s got so much substance to it, so much fiber, that it will feel like the oats are filling what was once a hole in your stomach, with cement.
Like a lot of foods on this list, oats aren’t just filling.
It has nutritious qualities that aid with lowering blood sugar levels, relieving constipation, and getting more antioxidants into your body.
Nothing beats adding some protein powder to your oatmeal.
If you are looking for some extra flavor and raising the protein count, I definitely recommend it.
Nutritional Value
Per 100g of Good And Gather Plain Oatmeal, according to USDA:
- Calories: 389 kcal
- Protein: 13g
- Carbohydrates: 68.5g
- Fats: 7.41g
- Fiber: 9.3g
White Meats (Lean Cuts)
Did you notice here how I didn’t just say chicken?
When a lot of people tend to only add chicken to their diet, and completely overlook one meat, which, I may be a little controversial here, is a lot better.
Turkey.
When trying to lose weight and stay full, both chicken and turkey are great options for a high protein source, forcing the body to digest it over a longer period of time.
However, turkey is the better option for a lower-calorie food.
It has lower calories, fewer fats, and a few more vitamins and minerals.
This isn’t me saying choose turkey over chicken, just that turkey is the better option in the case of slightly lower calories and keeping you full.
I would say keep changing it up to keep your meals interesting.
Chicken one day, turkey the other.
The differences are basically negligible, hence being categorized as white meats.
Nutritional Value
Per 100g of roasted turkey breast, according to USDA:
- Calories: 147 kcal
- Protein: 30.1g
- Carbohydrates: 0g
- Fats: 2.08g
- Fiber: 0g
Related Post: Will I Lose Muscle If I Go Vegan
Rice Cakes
Rice cakes used to be so bland and dry, and there was no chance I was eating them.
Even if they were low calories, it wasn’t enough to put my throat through torture.
But then I started discovering different flavors.
From chocolate to cheese, I could have a low-calorie savory snack that tasted good and filled me up.
Just yesterday, I had a salted caramel rice cake and it was incredible.
They were still a little bit dry but the taste was worth it.
These flavored rice cakes have a few extra calories in them, making the plain ones the best option for a high-volume, low-calorie food.
If you wanted to use this type of rice cake, plenty of people add low-calorie cottage cheese, or salmon, for flavor.
Rice cakes are filled with carbohydrates, fiber, and a good amount of protein, making them harder to break down in the stomach, keeping you full for longer.
They also help with constipation and are filled with nutrients and minerals that help with your immune system and bone structure.
Nutritional Value
Per plain brown rice cake, according to USDA:
- Calories: 34.2 kcal
- Protein: 0.82g
- Carbohydrates: 7.21g
- Fats: 0.315g
- Fiber: 0.342g
Tuna
Nothing beats a bit of this saltwater fish.
Tuna in a salad? Done.
Tuna in pasta? Yes, please.
Smoked Tuna with some potatoes? Any day of the week.
Some people can’t stand the food, with it seemingly too smelly or tastes “rotten” but I can’t get enough of it.
It’s perfect for losing weight, and being low in calories while keeping you full for longer due to it being packed with protein.
Tuna, as with many fish, is filled with Omega 3, which is extraordinary at boosting brain health and lowering cholesterol.
No matter which you choose, tinned or fresh, you can expect the full benefits of high-protein food, with your digestive system holding it in your stomach longer while it digests, ultimately leaving you full for longer.
Note – Be careful how much tuna you do consume, as they contain some Mercury, which is a dangerous substance in large doses.
Nutritional Values
Per 100g tinned tuna in water, drained, according to USDA:
- Calories: 85 kcal
- Protein: 19g
- Carbohydrates: 0.08g
- Fats: 0.94g
- Fiber: 0g
Are There Any 0 Calorie Foods?
There’s an incredible phenomenon out there that you can, in fact, lose weight by eating.
It blew my mind at first, something, where we consume calories, can be used to lose calories. It’s insane.
The food isn’t as interesting, though.
You aren’t going to be able to make a three-course meal where you are burning calories by eating it, but there are a few healthy snacks you can eat, rather than a chocolate bar.
These are:
- Celery
- Cucumber
- Lettuce
As you can probably tell, the reason these foods are technically “0” calories, is because they are mainly water-based.
Strictly speaking, though, no food has a calorie value of net 0.
Check out this video where I went on a 48 hour water fast.
Thats right! No food, just water for 48 hours!
Final Words
These 8 foods are some of the best options to help you with your diet.
Being high in fiber, high in protein, or low in calories can help you stay full and eat a higher volume.
Plus, all of these foods have the added bonus of being nutritionally valuable, by helping to either reduce your cholesterol, help with your immune system, or just aiding with constipation.
Have I missed your favorite low-calorie high-volume food?
What are your go-to diet meals?
Let me know in the comments below and before you go make sure you get your FREE copy of my Ebook – Train Wherever The Fuck You Want