Low-Calorie Foods Guaranteed to Fill You Up

Whether you're looking to lose a few pounds or 100 or more, one thing that you need to be aware of is that there are certain foods that you should make sure to eat whenever you're on a diet. Not only are these foods tasty, but they're low in calories and quite filling. Actually, you may not want to limit these foods to just when you're dieting as they can help you maintain your weight loss after you're done dieting as well.

Whey protein smoothies - Not only is the protein in whey very filling, but it's very tasty, especially the flavored kinds. Vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, as well as some other exotic flavors are quite delicious. You can even add in a half of banana or a ½ cup of berries in the blender, along with water and a serving of whey protein, for additional flavor and nutrients without adding many more calories. Depending on the type of whey protein you choose, the average amount of calories per serving is between 70 and 100 calories.

Oatmeal - Unfortunately, this doesn't include the 1-minute oatmeal, but only the old-fashioned oats, which cooks slower and is also has a slower impact on blood glucose, keeping you fuller for a longer period of time. For those who don't feel like standing over a pot waiting for oatmeal to get ready, Quaker has a come out with an instant oatmeal geared toward those trying to reduce their weight. It's called Quaker Instant Oatmeal Weight Control, and it contains 7 grams of protein, 6 grams of fiber, and 160 calories per serving. And the main thing about this oatmeal is that it's quick and filling.

Eggs - According to Ann Louise Gittleman, author of "The Fat Flush Plan", eggs are one of the few "perfect" foods that provide antioxidants and other important nutrients to the diet. Since eggs are very high in protein, a couple of them prepared anyway you like, preferably without oil, can really fill you up, and 1 egg only contains about 80 calories, depending on its size.

Salad - Many diets suggest eating a salad containing various vegetables with a vinegar based dressing ½ hour before lunch and dinner. The reason for this is because the high fiber/high water content of the vegetables will fill you up, preventing you from overeating your lunch and/or dinner.

Potatoes - Although potatoes have been given a bad rap because of their high carbohydrate content, they're actually very tasty, nutritious and filling. The calories in one medium sized potato is between 80 and 100 calories. Of course French fries aren't going to help you lose weight, nor is a baked potato smothered in butter, cheese and sour cream, but if you keep the toppings on a potato sparse and smart, you can lose weight and become full without ingesting a great deal of calories. Drizzling fat free/low sodium chicken broth, low calorie ranch dressing or low fat cheese on a baked potato are great ways to add flavor without tons of extra calories.

Bananas - Bananas are another food that have been given a bad reputation because of their high sugar content, but eaten in moderation, bananas are very healthy, great-tasting and filling. You can add bananas to high fiber cereal or oatmeal in the morning, to smoothies, and you can even simply eat a banana for a snack. An averaged sized banana has about 86 calories.

Nuts - Although nuts can be high calorie because of their massive fat content if overeaten, eaten in moderation (a handful) can fill you up quickly, and they're a wonderful tasting snack as well.