Filling Up on Low-Fat Food

Does losing weight seem like pie in the sky? Not so, if you make low-fat food your friend. Luckily, many naturally low-fat foods, (fruits, veggies, whole grains, legumes), are fully loaded with fiber and nutrients, which makes them great diet foods.

It’s the fiber that fills you up, and keeps you from pigging out. “Studies show that if you start a meal with a big salad, you’ll end up eating less at that meal,” says Kathleen Zelman, WebMD’s director of nutrition. It’s why these foods help with healthy weight loss.

Here are some high-fiber food ideas to use in your own kitchen:

* Make your own crunchy granola. Bake three cups of oats at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Stir occasionally, then cool and mix in a variety of chopped dried fruit, nuts, and seeds.

* Trick your stomach with soup. Soup is a great filler-upper. You’ll eat 20% fewer calories when you start a meal with soup, research shows. Read canned soup labels carefully. Stick to low-calorie, low-fat, high-fiber broth-based soups like vegetable bean or minestrone. Forget the creamy or other high-fat soups! Or, get out the crock pot and make your own, loaded with high-fiber whole grains, beans, vegetables, and vegetable broth. Lean meat is optional. Soup is super!

* Experiment with whole grains. Mix an assortment of grains with sauteed veggies. “It makes a very interesting side dish,” says Zelman. “Each grain has a slightly different flavor and color. And the great thing is, these dishes can be served hot, cold, or room temperature.”

* Grill or roast veggies. Portobello mushrooms, red peppers, zucchini, onions are great for this. Toss with olive oil, sherry vinegar, salt, and pepper (or your favorite vinaigrette). Eat them as a side dish, as a topping on grilled chicken sandwiches, or alone on a bun as a “veggie burger.”

To keep things interesting, stay open to new food products, Zelman advises. “Broccoli slaw is awesome! I throw craisins, raisins, nuts into it. Mix it with low-calorie dressing. One recipe calls for grilled chicken breast served over broccoli slaw, with Asian dressing over it. It’s to die for!”

Visit my website, “Weight Loss Secrets Revealed“, where you can find detailed documentation on how to lose weight naturally with no diet. Sign up for my newsletter and you will receive a lot of tips and gifts related on how to lose weight naturally.