Best foods to include when in a calorie deficit

The number 1 reason that people are so inconsistent in their diets is because of the mental struggles of hunger. Calorie deficits are supposed to be hard, but they are not impossible. Eating the right nutrients like high protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs will increase your since of satiety and reduce cravings. However, there are some key foods that I have found that helped me, as well as my clients through their times of calorie restriction, by providing more volume for the macro count.

This is my top 5 foods to include during a calorie deficit:

#1 - Oatmeal

Yes, the holy grail oatmeal. Oatmeal is a good source of carbohydrates, fiber, and antioxidants. Beta- glucan is a soluble fiber found in oatmeal that regulates daily bowel movement, which can be a cause of concern for some while dieting. Oatmeal is a long digesting carbohydrate and can keep you feeling full for many hours and is also an easy meal prep option. I prefer to swap out any sort of bread, or grains, for oatmeal in my diet when I am in a calorie deficit to promote satiety.

#2 - Red meat

Lean red meat, in particular, helps tremendously during weight loss. As it is a slow digesting meat, taking your body 3-4 hours to digest. Compared to chicken, which takes 2-3 hours to digest, which would lead you to feel more hunger pains sooner. Red meat is full of antioxidants, iron, and protein, which all help in times of dieting to reduce nutrient deficiencies. However, be on the side of caution when ingesting too much, as it digests so slow, especially during times of dieting, many people have digestion issues when consuming more than 1-2 servings throughout the day.

#3 - Berries

Fiber rich berries are going to be your best friend! This includes strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. These berries are high in fiber that promote satiety, and full of antioxidants and vitamins to meet your daily needs. Also being small in size, they are awesome for more "volume", meaning you can eat more of them for the macros, compared to something like a banana or pineapple. During periods of dieting, you have to trick your mind into thinking you are eating more than what you really are, to remain fuller longer.

#4 - Sugar free Jello

Yes, you heard that right, sugar free Jello. The best midnight snack or late-night sweet treat when you're having cravings. For only 10 calories, and 2g of carbs, for a cup of sugar free Jello, this will leave you satisfied, when feeling intense hunger that may wake you up, or keep you from falling back asleep at night. These are a cheat code, and I encourage my clients to purchase these when dieting for weight loss to cure cravings.

#5 - Iceberg lettuce

When it comes to increasing food volume, iceberg lettuce is the #1. Iceberg lettuce is made up of 95% of water, which therefore means that there are practically no calories in it, making it a great addition to any meal you would like. Adding this in makes you feel like you are more satiated from more food consumption, even though it is less caloric intake. However, do not rely on your body's daily nutrients to come from this, as it contains the least amount of nutrients than any other lettuce/ vegetable.

Conclusion:

If you are absolutely struggling with hunger levels during your time of calorie restriction, try some of my top 5 foods. More volume is going to increase satiety, along with complex carbs, healthy fats, and a high protein consumption. As I am an online fitness/ nutrition coach I will help any of you guys out with your struggles during times of dieting, all you have to do is just fill out the application under the "join the team" tab!