How To Stay Full In A Calorie Deficit Without Being Hungry
The Calorie Deficit is an incredible tool when it comes to weight loss.
In fact…it’s the only tool.
So if you want to lose weight…you need to understand how to make a calorie deficit as easy as possible for you.
That being said…it isn’t an easy thing to do.
One of the quandaries that dieters are in is how to eat fewer calories overall….and not get stupendously hungry in the process.
And that is the aim of this article. To teach you how to figure out this conundrum - to keep hunger low and intake as high as possible - whilst still being in a Calorie Deficit.
Added to that I am going to share some recipes with you that are from the Recipe Manuals I give to, my clients on the Strong & Confident Program
The recipes are all:
As much food volume for as few calories as possible
Have MyFitness Pal Barcodes for you to track
Tasty as hell
For example…one thing that directly affects your caloric expenditure is indeed your caloric intake.
The simple adage: “Eat Less, Move More” is not only stupid but more and more it’s becoming clearer that you just can’t simplify the energy balance equation to something so base.
Firstly, let me say thank you to you for being here. What I am hoping by the end of this article is that you comprehend more about what a Calorie Deficit looks like in terms of the foods that will make it as easy as possible for you and help reduce your hunger.
Secondly, it would be awesome if we became friends by way of you joining my mailing list.
I will, of course, email you things. Sometimes they will be educational, sometimes they will be inappropriate, and sometimes I might just want to know how you are; either way…it would be delightful to connect with you more.
Just send me a friend request by filling out the form below…
Thirdly, please bear in mind that the body is clever…and it has what we call a “Set Point”. This Set Point in terms of your weight is where your body is happiest, and it’s very hard to change….but it can be changed.
Your body loves to be exactly where it is….and moving it away from that point, whether you want to gain weight or lose weight, the body will fight you.
Fight you every step of the way.
(Side Note: Sir Ian McKellen is actually one of the nicest actors I have ever met)
The body won’t fight you because it hates you, or because you are broken.
Your Metabolism is not broken (unless diagnosed by a Doctor and even then…it can still be affected to work for your Fat Loss in nearly all situations)
Don’t believe me? Read this:
Your body fights you, and everybody’s body fights them because of something called Homeostasis - which is your body being in balance hormonally. It likes who you are. Your body just loves being cosy and warm and loves to snuggle you exactly where you are.
Personally, I have been trying to gain weight for about six months now. My body is comfortable and really happy at 80kgs - it’s where I feel best. I feel strong, I feel happy in my clothes and my belly feels normal.
In February I weighed in at 83.5kg. I remember going to a Birthday Party for a 1-year-old and I felt so out of sorts. My body didn’t feel right, my belly felt bloated and although I was at 83.5kg it felt like I was a lot higher weight than that.
It was an abnormal spike, I weigh myself every day, and I knew it was a spike. But I personally felt very uncomfortable. I was bloated and I felt awful for the whole day.
But if I look at my average weight over the last 90 days it is 82kgs - and I feel exactly the same now as I did at 80kgs.
I don’t feel bloated and uncomfortable. I feel exactly the same. I have changed my Set-Point. My Metabolism, Muscle Mass and Diet have all fallen into line with where I am at the moment.
And this happens both in weight gain and weight loss.
It takes time.
It’s not easy.
And there are ups and downs.
BUT
You can change that set point.
This is why Dieting is hard. This is why you might feel incredibly hungry when you are in a Calorie Deficit.
And this is why I have written this article.
TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR: How To Stay Full In A Calorie Deficit Without Being Hungry
You can listen to the audio version of this Blog Post on my Podcast: The Fitness Solution
How Much Food Should You Eat In A Calorie Deficit?
This is a crucial question.
Now I am sure you are reading this because you have an understanding of a Calorie Deficit and you probably know the numbers you are trying to work towards.
However, if that isn’t you…before you read this article please head here:
Now. personally, I get all of my clients to set their Deficit into a Caloric Window.
This window is between their Basal Metabolic Rate (70% of their Metabolism) and Goal Body Weight in LBS x 12.
(Provided they have given me a realistic Goal Body Weight - that’s a WHOLE other topic)
Then I encourage them to EAT MORE FOOD.
Many of them, when they start working with me will go for the lowest number…their BMR, because they believe that will give them their results the quickest.
But what you must always remember is:
Therefore I encourage them wholeheartedly to eat more. Eat more food. Higher Volume food so that being in a deficit is as easy as possible for them.
If you want to learn how to lose weight and keep it off forever, then you need to do this too.
Sacrifice quick results.
For lasting results.
By eating more food than you ever have before.
The ultimate goal for your Calorie Deficit is to eat as much as you can within your numbers - that is the aim.
Not to eat as little to survive.
This comes down to the whole thrive or survive mindset - and like always I want you to be your absolute best….not just cling on for dear life.
What Foods should you eat to help with hunger?
Rather oddly.
Over the last couple of days, I have had a TikTok post go very viral.
All on this topic.
The aim of what you are going to eat should be quite clear to you now….
MORE FOOD!
But the question remains…how do you do that without increasing Calories outside your Window?
Don’t Forget To Follow Me On Instagram:
Protein - The Weight Loss SuperFood
The first place to look is here - under this Macro Nutrient.
I’m sure you are aware that Protein is a very important aspect of your diet.
I think the world is coming around to how advantageous Protein is when dieting. But many people do still underestimate how useful it really can be.
It can also be one of the hardest things to increase to adequate amounts. (about 1.8-2g/kg of Lean Body Mass)
It has only 4kcal/g and has a multitude of other benefits when dieting:
Helps maintain muscle when losing weight (i like to think of this as eating muscle to get muscle).
Keeps you fuller for longer - as it takes longer to digest.
Reduces Appetite and Hunger Levels - as it reduces the hunger hormone Grehlin in your body.
My Favourite Sources of Protein (PRO):
Meat per 100g serving:
Chicken Breast: ~30g Pro / 6g Fat / 0g Cho / 165kcal
Turkey Breast: ~28g Pro / 7g Fat / 0g Cho / 189kcal
Steak: ~26g Pro / 19g Fat / 0g Cho / 276kcal
Kangaroo: ~20g Pro / 1.3g Fat / 0g Cho / 102 kcal
Fish per 100g serving:
Tuna Steak: ~29g Pro / 1.3g Fat / 0g Cho / 132 kcal
Salmon: ~22g Pro / 13g Fat / 0g Cho / 208kcal
Dover Sole: ~18g Pro / 1g Fat / 0g Cho / 89kcal
Halibut: ~22g Pro / 2.5g Fat / 0g Cho / 115kcal
Dairy per 100g serving:
Eggs: ~12g Pro / 11g Fat / 1.1g Cho / 155kcal
Greek Yoghurt: ~10g Pro / 0.4.g Fat / 3.6g Cho / 59kcal
Whole Milk: ~3g Pro / 3.4g Fat / 4.8g Cho / 63kcal
Some people find Milk filling, and others don’t. I quite often when I am trying to lose weight am able to survive all morning on two medium Coffees.
YoPro Plain Yoghurt: ~10.6g / 0.3g Fat / 4.4g Cho / 64kcal
Cottage Cheese: ~11g Pro / 6g Fat / 1.9g Cho / 127kcal
Many of my clients really don’t like Cottage Cheese, so I tell them my strategy. Use it instead of Butter in your Sandwiches and Rolls and you won’t even notice it is in there.
Vegetarian Options per 100g:
Tofu: ~11.9g Pro / 7.5g Fat / 0g Cho / 127kcal
Tempeh: ~12.4g Pro / 5g Fat / 0.5g Cho / 112kcal
Seitan: ~25g Pro / 0.6g Fat / 5.3g Cho / 126kcal
Lentils: ~9g Pro / 0.4g Fat / 20g Cho / 116kcal
Supplementation of Protein per 100g:
Isolate Whey Protein: ~ 84g Pro / 3.9g Fat / 1.22g Cho / 380kcal
Quest Protein Bars ~ 35g Pro / 10g Fat / 7g Cho / 302kcal
My Favourite High Protein Meals:
Carbohydrates - The Demonised Food
Let me take a moment to be abundantly clear here.
Carbohydrates do not make you fat.
Sugar does not make you fat.
Carbs are literally a third of your diet and they are mightily important.
That being said some Carbohydrates have this annoying trifecta effect.
They are so damn tasty.
They are can be very high in calories
You don’t get to eat a lot of food for that calorie amount
And remember we are trying to make sure you feel full after eating - not empty. So your best Carbohydrate options will be the ones that are Lower Calorie, Higher Volume and will fill you up for longer as they contain more Fibre too.
I always advise the friends I coach online to lean into their Carbohydrate intake. If Calories are hard to keep down…then changing up your Carbohydrate source is the most powerful thing you can do.
Carbohydrates have exactly the same energy in them as Protein.
Please read that again.
Protein has 4kcal per gram and Carbohydrate has 4kcal per gram.
Irrespective of if you are eating sugar as your Carbohydrate or a Vegetable.
The issue arises when we eat sugar we normally eat an awful lot of it at once, and it makes us want more….which is why we begin to gain weight when we eat it.
My Favourite Sources of Carbohydrate (CHO):
Vegetables per 100g serving:
Sweet Potato: ~20g of Cho / 1.6g Pro / 0.1g Fat / 86kcal
Potato: ~17g of Cho / 2g Pro / 0.1g Fat / 77kcal
Carrots: ~9.6g of Cho / 0.9g Pro / 0.2g Fat / 41kcal
Broccoli: ~7g of Cho / 2.8g Pro / 0.4g Fat / 34kcal
Tomatoes: ~4g of Cho / 0.9g Pro / 0.2g Fat / 18kcal
Bell Pepper: ~6g of Cho / 1g Pro / 0.3g Fat / 31kcal
Interestingly Potatoes rank as the highest satiating food on the planet….according to the Satiety Index - and you can see the difference between Potato and Sweet Potato is negligible - both have their individual benefits.
My other fun fact about Vegetables is that this rule generally rings true: If it grows under the ground it will be slightly higher in calories than if it grows above the ground.
Fruits per 100g serving:
Strawberries: ~8g of Cho / 0.7g Pro / 0.3g Fat / 32kcal
Blueberries: ~15g of Cho / 0.7g Pro / 0.3g Fat / 57kcal
Blackberries: ~10g of Cho / 1.4g Pro / 0.5g Fat / 43kcal
Banana: ~23g of Cho / 1.1g Pro / 0.3g Fat / 89kcal
Apples: 14g of Cho / 0.3g Pro / 0.2g Fat / 52kcal
Watermelon: 8g of Cho / 0.6g Pro / 0.2g Fat / 30kcal
Fruits are incredibly powerful in filling you out and being able to fuel your workouts. I have a Banana before every strength session I do and start most days with fruit and a protein yogurt. Many fruits are so incredibly low in calories which means you can eat an awful lot of them if you need to cure hunger.
Whole Grains per 100g serving:
Oats: ~12g Cho / 2.4g Pro / 1.4g Fat / 68kcal
Brown Rice: ~23g Cho / 2.3g Pro / 0.9g Fat / 111kcal
White Rice: ~28g of Cho / 2.7g Pro / 0.3g Fat / 130kcal
Bulgur Wheat: ~76g Cho / 12g Pro / 1.3g Fat / 342kcal
Quinoa: ~21g Cho / 4.4g Pro / 1.9g / 120kcal
Cous Cous: ~23g Cho / 3.8g Pro / 0.2g Fat / 112kcal
Beans and Legumes per 100g serving:
Legumes: ~14g Cho / 5g Pro / 0.4 Fat / 81kcal
Tinned Mixed Beans: ~22.8g Cho / 8.7g Pro / 0.5g Fat / 127kcal
My Favourite High Carb/Low-Calorie Meals:
Dietary Fats
As we are here let me know touch on Fats.
Fats in and of themselves might not be the satiating for you. It’s quite a personal thing.
Some foods high in Fats like nuts, also contain Fibre just like many of the carbohydrates foods I have outlined above.
However, Fats carry a whopping 9kcal per gram and so when you start to increase these in your diet…you also increase your Calories.
Fats play an essential role in our health - they help the absorption of the ADEK Vitamins. Fats are also very useful for our cognitive function and helping to regulate our Hormones.
Don’t avoid them. But when focussing on Fat Loss make sure that you use them wisely.
I always like to add a portion of Nuts to my Salads and I usually have an Avocado with Salads and whenever I have Beans on Toast.
It seems to keep me going just fine.
Other Foods That Will Help You:
High Protein Bread per 100g:
My personal favourite is Burgen Soy and Linseed Bread: 15.2g protein/287kcal
Helga’s Soy and Toasted Sesame Bread: 15.8g protein/280kcal
These are both great options - as they rank high in the Fibre department too.
Many people believe that “bread is bad” and actually, come to think of it when I first started as a Personal Trainer nearly 7 years ago….I used to say this too.
But I got educated, and am happy to admit that I am on a journey of growth as much as anyone else.
I love these two loaves of bread because, well, it gives you an opportunity to make a more informed choice that will help you. You are always going to eat the bread…so how do you affect the quality of that bread? Well, I think these two do that just brilliantly.
Zero Calorie or Very Low-Calorie Sparkling Water per 100ml:
Plain and simple Carbonated Water is 0kcal per 100ml.
or
Mount Franklin Lightly Sparkling Raspberry Flavour: 2kcal/100ml
I use Sparkling Water all of the time. I use it late at night to help me avoid going for Beer when I am just sick of drinking water - and it’s really effective, it’s really refreshing and I can’t recommend it enough.
Low-Calorie Pasta Alternatives per 100g:
Slendier Spaghetti: 3.9g Fibre/8kcal
The whole Slendier Range is just simply magnificent. The amount of Volume of food you can eat for such little calories - I wouldn’t be surprised if they put conventional out of business very soon.
My fiancee and I use this whenever we make Spaghetti Bolognaise, and honestly…I notice no difference at all.
Low-Calorie Ice Cream per 100g:
Strawberry Cheesecake Halo Top: 5g protein, 15g carbohydrate/132kcal
My Favourite Desserts:
Other Tips and Tricks to Help with Hunger
Brush Your Teeth
It’s odd how brushing your teeth kills your appetite. But apparently, it’s because removing the small food particles in your mouth it stops them from playing tricks with your brain about how hungry you are.
I think there’s also something nice about it that prepares you for bed and you are aware you don’t want to be eating too close to when you sleep.
Mindful Eating
That rage. That rage you feel when you are hungry….
I know you know it well. Because we all experience it.
And then you eat something….
And the rage seems to still be there.
Oh.
Maybe you weren’t hungry, to begin with, hey? (sorry….Australia is starting to get to me).
Being truly mindful in these situations is really helpful. I do think Mindfulness and the whole chat around it at the moment is just vogue…and it’s not really a term I truly enjoy using. But it does seem to sum this up quite well.
When you feel hungry ask yourself: “Am I actually hungry or just a bit bored?”
Boredom eating is a form of emotional eating combined with stress eating - something which I think we all do in truth.
What is really going on here is your inability to work with and process the emotions you are feeling.
It might not be as cut and dry as “hungry vs bored”. You could be anxious, depressed, upset, feeling lonely, or vulnerable.
When you feel “hungry” it’s really important you begin to ask yourself what is truly going on. Have an important and difficult conversation with yourself and see if there are other emotions at play that you need to process.
Slow The F-Down
I’m terrible at this too. I eat far too quickly - and whenever I do I am always a touch more unsatisfied than when I just take my time.
There is also Science associated with taking your time when you eat.
There’s a hormone in your belly called Leptin - and this Hormone tells your brain when you are full.
But Leptin isn’t quick - it takes 20mins for that signal to be sent, and twenty minutes is more than enough time to absolutely eat many many more calories.
Some key strategies to slow you down would be:
Put your fork down between each mouthful.
Don’t watch TV or Sport when you are eating.
Engage in conversation with your family at the Dinner Table.
Don’t “work on your lunch break”
Try it. See how it feels.
Did You Find This Useful?
Thank you so much for reading my article - I really hope you found it helpful.
I work with clients all over the world in my One on One Coaching Program called The Strong & Confident Program.
A New Program Designed To Get You Stronger, Healthier & more confident than ever before.
My aim with the friends I work with is to give them so much more out of their fitness by focussing them on the process of getting stronger and therefore making them more confident.
Just like with this article - where I like to give as much help to you as I can
My approach to online training is no different. The whole program is about you - how best can I serve you, and therefore help you in the best way possible.
If you have enjoyed this article and want to see if a Free Month of Coaching would suit you then please click on the Learn More Button below:
I also have a couple of other articles that might help you navigate your Calorie Deficit:
Again, I hope you enjoy them.
Speak again soon,
Coach Adam