Carolyn O'Neil's Healthy Eating: Beach Body Belly Pleasers

Want a better beach body this summer? Think of your belly first.

Dietitians and nutrition researchers call it “satiety” and you might call it “feeling full.” Whatever the term, one of the most frequent complaints from folks who are trying to eat less to lose weight is that they are constantly hungry and their bellies are never satisfied. Those hunger pangs often lead to loss of will power and diving into second helpings and giving in to greasy or sugary snacks. So, the search for foods to shape a healthy diet while providing satiety really is kind of like seeking a Holy Grail of nutrition.

The first step in that journey is learning that a successful weight management diet doesn’t have to mean eating less food. It is possible to eat a greater volume of food if you know what to choose and what to avoid.

Some foods are more “energy dense,” which means they pack a lot more waist-widening calorie punches per bite. These are generally the high fat foods like full fat dairy, cheeses, oils, butter, cream sauces and high fat meats like salami or marbled steak. You don't have to ban energy dense foods from your diet, but you should learn to limit portions.

Fats provide a feeling of fullness, so they rank pretty high on the satiety scale. It was once thought that the healthier fats such as olive oil provided more satiety, but a recent study conducted by researchers in New Zealand and published in Nutrition & Metabolism reported that all fats provide the same staying power. (It’s your heart that thanks you for choosing healthy monounsaturated fats such as olive oil or canola oil.)

Eating more can help you reach your weight loss goals -- if you eat more of the right stuff. Fruits and vegetables contain water and fiber so are lower in calories per serving by volume. Other foods on the list of those that are filling but lower in calories: legumes such as peas and beans, brown rice and whole grain breads, crackers and cereals. Eat more of these foods more often and you'll feel full while cutting back on total calories. They will also help deliver your daily fiber and nutrient needs.

Protein in foods also provides staying power by helping keep blood sugar levels from spiking too high or falling too low between meals. That’s why lean protein choices such as grilled chicken, hard boiled eggs, fish, lean roast beef, nonfat milk and soy foods such as tofu and edamame beans are good choices.

Don’t overlook the clout of crunch in satiety. It turns out that foods we can really sink our teeth into provide emotional satisfaction while eating. Of course, grabbing a bag of baby carrots would be a better choice than a bag of potato chips.

Here are some tips for filling up without filling out.

- Add summer berries to breakfast cereal to help fill up the bowl and your stomach. 1/2 cup of blueberries has only 40 calories.

- Make a nonfat yogurt parfait with low fat granola and 1/2 cup berries for a snack. Choose Greek yogurt, which has higher protein content for more satiety.

- Pump up the volume when ordering a three egg omelet by requesting a mix of one whole egg with two egg whites and add plenty of low-calorie, high-volume vegetables such as spinach, mushrooms, onions and tomatoes.