How To Stay Full In A Calorie Deficit

Intro 

Being hungry sucks. That is why being able to stay full in a calorie deficit is so important to long term adherence and results. 

There is nothing worse than scavenging through the pantry and fridge to come up empty handed. As a result, you become a hangry beast that no one wants to get in the way of. The only antidote is to fill yourself up with food so you can be full on a calorie deficit.

It is like turning into a werewolf when the moon comes out except food is your trigger. Not only does it affect you, but your family and friends as well. You become known as the “dieter”. No one wants to deal with your hunger rage and nit picking over food.

So, what now? How do you go about staying full in a calorie deficit?

Maybe you have enough willpower to fight through it. But, how long does that last? And most importantly, is it worth it?

Maybe you can trick your mind into eating one small scoop or handful of nuts or nut butter. (Yeah ok… highly unlikely)

Or, maybe you say fuck it and eat the whole tub of ice cream.

I don’t know where you land on this list, but I can say I have been in all 3 spots, and it is not fun.

This is the reality of dieting. No matter what, you are going to have to make sacrifices. There will be times during your weight loss journey that sucks and you will be hungry. 

No one ever said it was going to be easy. 

That said, dieting doesn’t have to suck all of the time. In this article, I am going to show you how to make dieting suck a lot less by eating foods that keep you full on a calorie deficit. 

What is a Calorie Deficit? 

I am assuming you know that to lose weight you have to be in a calorie deficit. I have a whole guide that tells you all about fat loss and what it is. If you want a more in depth view of that, I would strongly encourage (and appreciate) if you went ahead and read it.

If there is one take away from this article it is this – A calorie deficit is the only way to lose fat. It is not the only thing that matters, but without it, you cannot lose fat. There’s no crazy magic spells, pills, powders, potions are available to lose weight. If they were, I think (almost) everyone would jump on bored. Unfortunately, this means you have to put in the work. 

Nothing in life comes easy so get used to it. 

Ok, now that we got that out of the way, you probably hear this everywhere and think, “ok, what the hell is a calorie deficit”?

A calorie deficit is simply eating less calories from food than your body burns for energy. It is not a magic diet. It is science and basic human physiology. Every single diet that any one has ever been on while losing fat, was because they were in a calorie deficit. 

Period.

Calculating Your Calorie Deficit 

There are many ways to calculate a calorie deficit. All of them are estimates though, as there is no way to know for sure how many calories you need to eat to lose fat. A simple google search of “how to calculate my calorie deficit” will work. 

While there is no right or wrong way to calculate your calorie deficit, I prefer a simple trial and error method. Simply take your goal body weight in pounds and multiply it by 12. This is a pretty accurate estimate of how much you should be eating per day.

Here is an example of how to calculate how much you should eat: If you have someone that wants to weigh 155 pounds: 155 x 12 = 1860 calories per day.

Before you argue about how many calories this is, here me out. The goal is to not starve yourself so you can lose a shit ton of weight in the shortest amount of time. 

Rather, you want to eat the most amount of calories you can while still losing weight. This not only allows you to lose the fat, but also keep it off when it’s gone. Plus, it’s going to allow you to keep more muscle on your body for better looks, and will be a hell of a lot more enjoyable since you’ll be more likely to stay full on a calorie deficit.

That said, rather than focusing on the “end goal” of how many pounds you need to lose, focus on how you are actually going to keep the weight off when it is gone. After all, if you can’t keep the weight off that you lose, then what is the point?  

Here is your take away: You are going to eat this many calories consistently for a month.  If you lose weight, you are in a calorie deficit. On the other hand, if you don’t lose weight over a month, you aren’t in a calorie deficit and either need to lower your calories more, add in more daily activity, or objectively look at what and how much you are eating.

Aim for an average of .5-1.5 pounds a week or 2-4 pounds a month. The higher end is more likely the more weight you have to lose while the lower end is realistic the leaner you are.

Who’s a Calorie Deficit For?

A calorie deficit is not for everyone. Being in a calorie deficit for too long or if your body is not ready for the stress of a calorie deficit, can wreck your metabolism, hormones, and health. The more you lower your calories, the hungrier and less full you will be.

• You are already lean, then you should not be trying to get leaner unless you are in a competition. 
• If you have been chronically yo-yo dieting, eat at maintenance or higher to reset your body and give it a break. 
• You compete or just came off of a long cut, then it is time to increase your calories.

It is important to keep in mind that you can’t be in a calorie deficit forever. The end goal is to always be at maintenance once you reach your preferred goal body weight. 

With that out of the way, a weightloss plan is for you if: 

• If you are overweight and want to lose fat.
• If you are an athlete who needs to cut weight for their sport.
• Need to lose a few pounds to get in shape quick for an event. 

It is OK to Be Hungry In a Calorie Deficit:

Keep in mind, even though this is a guide on how to stay full in a calorie deficit, it is normal to be hungry. Think about it. You are eating less food, so that when your body burns through all of the energy from the food you eat, it has to start using the stored fat on your body and wallah! Weight loss.

Then again, it is not normal to be starving or hungry 24/7. If this is you, increase your calories. 

Therefore, when you experience that first feeling of hunger while in a calorie deficit, do not think you are doing something wrong.  The reason why you get hungry is that it is in our DNA to not lose fat. It is your body’s survival mechanism to not starve to death by creating the feeling of hunger to tell you it needs to eat, damnit. Therefore, it is not possible to be full all of the time. 

In that case, the more fat you lose and the less you have on your body, the hungrier you will be. As you can imagine and probably have or will experience, it gets old real quick. 

Here is a helpful dieting tip: 

If you are not full after you reach your daily calorie limit, you have the option to eat more because there are no rules. This isn’t grade school – you are a grown up and can make your own decisions.

Make sure to give yourself a limit, though. Usually, I recommend a limit of an extra 250-500 calories. That way, you can eat a bit more food to satisfy yourself while not going overboard at the same time. 

Tips To Stay Full in a Calorie Deficit 

Ok, you finally made it. It is time to put that hangry beast to sleep. Here, you will find out how to make dieting suck a lot less and actually stay full in a calorie deficit. 

1. No Food Is Off Limits

This is one of the most important things to consider as this is where most people mess up. If you restrict yourself too much by eliminating your favorite foods, you will fail. You have to eat foods you like or else this will not be sustainable.  Here is what will happen –  You will run off of willpower, until you can’t take it anymore, causing you to binge and give up. 

It has been shown that the more restrictive you are, the less likely you will be to succeed. Again, no food is off limits. But, that also doesn’t mean you can or should eat as much processed food as you want. 

For example, instead of having a burger every day for lunch, limit it to 1-2 days a week. This is something you will have to workout for yourself and figure out as time goes on. Don’t get frustrated because it’s going to take a long time which is ok because there is no rush, right? You are allowed to enjoy your favorite foods in moderation.

2. Control Your Environment

Your surroundings control your outcomes. In other words, the types of foods you have around the house, will have a big influence on your dieting success and ability to stay full in a calorie deficit.

One simple way to control your environment is to make healthier foods more available for you to see. Place these foods in places that force you to eat healthier. For example, place bananas, apples, and oranges on the counter.

With this in mind, it may be in your best interest to get rid of the trigger foods. If you want the ice cream, make it harder to eat by having to actually get up, get ready, and drive to the store to get it rather than being able to shuffle over to the freezer to grab the container. 

On the other hand, if you decide to eat a treat that is in a bag or jar (because you are human and allowed to enjoy yourself), make sure to measure it out on a plate with a food scale. Don’t eat out of a bag or jar because it never ends well.

3. Plan Out Your Meals Ahead of Time

You should be planning your meals ahead of time to prepare yourself for how much and when you are going to eat. Without a plan, you are setting yourself up for failure. It’s much easier to make the quick decision to pick up fast food than it is to take the time to cook a healthy meal when deciding what to eat.

That said, planning out your meals does not mean you have to meal prep them in advance if you do not want to. Usually, the less of a variety of meals you have, the easier it will be. It doesn’t have to be crazy. Keep it simple by sticking to the same meal routine.

Furthermore, by planning and tracking your meals, you will learn how about the calories,  protein, and serving sizes of different foods. As a result, you will be able to create your own meal plan unique to you. Not to mention, you will always have this meal plan to go off of. When you get sick of a food, simply replace it. 

4. Sustainability

Something that I royally screwed up in the beginning and have learned is that a straight deficit does not always work so well. What I mean by this is being on a deficit for a prolonged period of time every day. This can become daunting and boring. Plus, it may lead to inferior results. 

Instead, to make the process more enjoyable, take mini diet breaks to give you something to look forward to. If you have a lot of weight to lose, your body has more fat to run off of. Therefore, being in a net deficit for a longer period of time won’t be as big if a deal. In this case, calorie cycle by having high and low calorie days. 

The net amount of calories at the end of the week would remain the same, but instead of eating the same amount of calories day to day, you would cycle high and low calorie days. 

On the other hand, if you are already somewhat lean, adding in a mini break up to maintenance every once in a while may be a good idea. This looks like being in a strict deficit for 3 weeks, and then boosting your calories to maintenance for a week. 

This could give you something to look forward too and improve your adherence. 

5. Eat Low Calorie Dense Foods

This is the meat of the article and how you will stay full in a calorie deficit. These are foods that are relatively low in calories for the amount of space they take up and stretch your stomach. In other words, they trick your brain into thinking you are more full by filling up your stomach.

Use strawberries for an example. You could eat a whole pound of strawberries for only 140 calories and I can guarantee that you would be filled up. This is a low calorie dense food.

Now, take one pound of peanut butter. That would be 2,660 calories. (Holy Shit) Keep in mind, that’s still not the whole jar. This would be considered a high calorie dense food because it is high in calories and does not take up as much space. 

Eat More Foods That Are High in Fiber 

Fiber is super important when it comes to staying full in a calorie deficit. This is because high fiber foods are low in calories (4 calories per gram), fill you up, and contain healthy nutrients. Plus, they give some gnarly poops. 

Some of the best foods you can eat are a  variety of fruits and vegetables throughout the day. I have listed of few of my and my clients favorites below:

• Spinach, lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers,celery, red and green peppers, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, pickles.
• Berries (The frozen ones are cheaper and last longer), watermelon (1 whole watermelon is only 230 calories), apple (80 calories), orange (80 calories), bananas (105 calories), grapes (1 cup is 62 calories)
• Really any kind of fruit or vegetable works. These are the most common. 

You can also fill up on other sources of high fiber carbohydrates that aren’t fruits and vegetables:

• Oatmeal, potatoes, orville redenbacher’s smart pop popcorn (only 100 calories for a snack sized bag), beans 

Limit the bread, rice, pasta, and sugary processed foods. I am not saying to not eat these things. I still eat them all of the time. 

What I am saying is don’t make them the main source of your meal. Instead, supplement with them and use them as fillers. These foods tend to be higher in calories and aren’t as filling because they quite honestly taste amazing which makes them easy to overeat.

Emphasize Protein

Just like fruits and vegetables, protein is very filling and low in calories (4 calories per gram). Protein is the most filling macronutrient. Try eating a whole plain chicken breast and tell me how you feel afterwards. 

I recommend eating protein at every meal so that you remain full throughout the day. As an added bonus, eating enough protein is going to help you build and keep muscle. I recommend .8-1g per pound of goal body weight. 

For a 150 lb person that would look like: .8 x 150 =  120 grams / 1 x 150 = 150 grams. So, your daily range would be between 120-150 grams 

Here are a few great sources of lean protein:

• Meat: Chicken breast, fish, extra lean ground beef, turkey, ham, pork tenderloin, egg whites and/or egg beaters,
• Dairy: low fat greek yogurt, cottage cheese (personally I hate it but if you like it, more power to you),  low fat cheese.
• Supplements: Protein powder, Protein bars (make for a great filling snack like Quest Bars)

Drink More Liquids

Drinking more liquids is not only important for keeping you hydrated, but it is also important for 

Water is great for your health and can help bring down your hunger/cravings. A good indicator is that if your pee is clear, you are hydrated. If it is yellow, drink some more fluids. 

Water First 

You can also add in water flavorings to make your water taste better which will help you drink more water throughout the day. Aim for at least 3 bottles per day.

Carbonated Water, Drink Diet Drinks, and Sodas

Not only does the carbonation add a nice little sensation in your mouth of bubbliness, it also tastes great and can fill you up for a short period of time.These drinks are just like the real things except almost 0 calories. 

I would not recommend going overboard on them though. Stick to 1-2 at most a day.

Drink Coffee and/or Tea

While tea is great, coffee is my go to since it is my weakness. Luckily, both contain caffeine which has been shown to reduce hunger and automatically put you in a better mood. Well, at least it puts me in a better mood.

Anyways, I can drink coffee black, with cream, milk, or whatever you decide to put in it. Call me weird but like I said, I like coffee.  If you like flavored creamers, I recommend substituting sugar free creamers for the regular ones or using zero sugar/calorie syrups. 

A regular flavored creamer has 35 calories per 1 tbsp, while the sugar free creamer has 15 calories per tbsp. On the service that may not look like a lot, but if you’re using 3-5 servings per day, that can save you a hundred calories. It’s minimal but depending on how much you drink, that does add up over time. 

Another thing you can do is replace the cream in your coffee with almond milk as an alternative to creamer.

Be Careful With Fats

Your body needs fat from outside sources because it can’t make it itself. You have to be careful with this as fat has 9 calories per gram. This means it has more than double the calories compared to fat and protein, which makes it harder to stay full in a calorie deficit. That said, here are a few options: 

• Fish oil: super healthy for you.
• Fish, fattier cuts of meat, fattier dairy, whole eggs.
• Nuts and nut butters are a terrible option in my opinion. Very calorie dense meaning they are high in calories for barely anything. Doesn’t mean you can’t have them. Just be careful.

Use Zero/Low Calorie Condiments

These are game changers and hundreds of calorie savors! (Keep this handy by taking notes or screenshotting this for the next time you go to the grocery store.)

• Bolthouse dressings (tastes just like regular dressing, have a bunch of flavors, for only 45 calories for 2 tbsps)
• G Hughes sauces (Tastes identical to regular BBQ sauce for only 5 calories for 2 tbsp. I do not know what kind of wizardry they do, but wow that have gotten it down)
• Hot sauce
• Mustard 
• Low sugar ketchup
• Walden farms syrups (All of their products are labeled 0 calories so there is very minimal in them. That said, some of their products taste like zero calories if you know what I mean) 
• Mrs. Butterworth sugar free syrup (by far the best one in my opinion)
• Salsa
• Zero calorie sweeteners 
• Low fat sour cream and cheese. 

6. Don’t Starve Yourself. Eat More Frequently

If you wait to eat at the end of the day, you are most likely going to be starving by the time that first meal comes. Trust me, it is not a place you want to be in. When you are starving, the flood gates open and you end up overeating. 

BEAT YOUR HUNGER. Eat before you are starving when the slightest bit of hunger comes. The best way to do this is split your day into 3 meals with a snack or two thrown in there. If you do this, it will make staying full on a calorie deficit so much easier. 

Lower your calories the least amount you can while still being able to lose weight. 

Don’t forget, the goal is to lose weight in the slowest amount of time as possible. By allowing yourself to eat more, you can be more flexible, it will be more enjoyable, and sustainable. The progress will be slower but who cares because you will actually be able to keep the fat off this time rather than losing it quickly and gaining it all back. 

7. One Big Ass Salad a Day

I love this one and it has become quite popular among coaches. This idea came from the great Jordan Syatt and it is brilliant. Lettuce is super low in calories, meaning you can eat a shit load of it. 

Grab a big ass bowl and fill that bad boy up with veggies, protein, and whatever else  you enjoy in your salad. If this thing does not fill you up, then I don’t know what will. 

Oh, one more thing. Please, measure out your dressing or use a low calorie alternative. If you pour the whole bottle on it then you are defeating the whole purpose by adding on hundreds of calories. 

8. Try Intermittent Fasting

You can try intermittent fasting if you notice that your smaller meals do not fill you up. This is done by eating bigger meals in a smaller eating window to help you fill up.

Typically, you wouldn’t eat (fast) for a period of time (usually 16-18 hours), and then you would eat all of your daily calories in a short window (usually 6-8 hours).

Usually, I try to have my clients stay away from intermittent fasting because I feel like it has the potential to hurt more people than helps out. That said, it still can be useful to some people. 

If you are someone who is hungry all of the time, restricting your eating window to a certain amount of hours can help. 

Here is Some of My Favorite Low Calorie Recipes to Keep You Full in a Calorie Deficit:

Anabolic French Toast 

This is an absolute game changer and it will keep you full for hours. I got this recipe from Greg Doucette. 

Basically, you can buy either low calorie bread or regular bread, mix it with egg whites, cinnamon, and vanilla. If you want, add in a protein powder for extra protein and flavor. It comes out just as delicious as regular french toast especially if you top it off with sugar free syrup.

Low Calorie Wraps

Personally, I love wraps. The tortillas I buy are the low carb La Banderita brand that are 50 calories each and are packed with fiber that fills you up. Layer the bottom with lettuce or spinach, throw some lunch meat in there with some sauce and boom. 

To demonstrate, I am a Chipotle finatic. So I love to use these wraps when I pick up from there. Here is what to do: Get a bowl and use your own 50 calorie wraps instead of their 300 calorie wraps. That way, you can eat more mini burritos and be more satisfied for fewer calories afterwards. If you like chipotle and burritos, definitely give this a try.

Protein Oats, Greek Yogurt, Berries

My oh my. Talk about a tasty and healthy orgasim in your mouth. This is a quick and easy breakfast that you can make in under 5 minutes. On top of that, it is so freaking filling it is not even funny. You can also prepare it the night before and place it in the fridge for the next morning.

I use the Quaker brand instant oats. When you add more water to your oats, and microwave it long enough, it expands 3-4 times its previous size. Make sure you put this in a big enough bowl or else you will be cleaning up the microwave and the bowl. 

Once the oats are done in the microwave, take them out and add in protein powder and PB2. While you are stirring these two things in, be sure to microwave the frozen berries if that is what you are using. Then, add in the berries and top it off with a scoop or two of greek yogurt and boom. You have the most filling high protein breakfast you can think of that is made in under 5 minutes. 

Low Calorie Breakfast Sandwiches

These are great too. I buy the 100 calorie english muffins, but any other ones will do as I think they are only 50 more calories each. 

Place 1-2 english muffins in the toaster. While those are toasting, cook 1 egg with egg whites in a pan with a choice of meat (i prefer honey smoked turkey lunch meat or turkey bacon). Add in a piece of low fat cheese and you have a low calorie high protein breakfast sandwich that is low calorie and filling. 

As a bonus, you won’t be feeling like garbage like you do after eating a McDonalds McMuffin (even though they are super delicious).

Greek Yogurt, Protein, PB2 Powder, Frozen Berries.

I love this as a snack or dessert. 

Simply mix protein powder and PB2 with greek yogurt and you have a thick pudding like consistency. Place it in the freezer for 20 minutes to make it more like ice cream. 

Be sure to top it off with berries for extra flavor and health. Oh, did I mention it will keep you full and help you hit your daily protein goals?

Other Tasty Low Calorie Treats:

Here are a few of my other favorite low calorie treats that will keep you satisfied and full in a calorie deficit:

• Sugar free Jello and Pudding 
• Low calorie ice cream (Halo Top and Enlightened)
  • Usually 280-400 calories for a whole pint
  • They sell bars as well that are about 80-120 calories each and taste amazing.
• Greek yogurt bars 
• PB2 powder. Substitute this for nut butter and you will save hundreds of calories and thank me later. 
• Low calorie breads
• Smart Pop Popcorn 
• Cooking spray

Dieting is a long process that will have its ups and downs. But, if you find a consistent routine that works for you, then you will be fine and the process will be more enjoyable.

Keep in mind, when you eat more or go off track, you are all good. You didn’t do anything wrong because it is going to happen. If someone tells you otherwise, punch them in the privates and never talk to them again. 

You got this. You will make mistakes. But, if you learn from your mistakes and continue to to work on a plan that fits into your lifestyle best, you will be ok.

If you enjoyed this article and found it helpful, please consider sharing. 

And if you have any questions, I am always here to help.

-Bob