Morning! (Afternoon….)
It’s Simon, Leicester’s most experienced personal training (40,000+ hours and counting!). And today I wanted to talk a bit about how to keep hunger under control when eating for weight loss.
When most people think about losing weight, the first thought is usually: “I’ll just eat less.” Smaller portions, skipping snacks and cutting back on the foods you love.
And sure, that might work for a little while. But if you’ve tried this approach before, you’ve probably already experience the issues of such an approach: constant hunger, frustration, and eventually slipping back to old habits.
But what if there’s another way? What if you could actually eat more food, feel fuller, and still lose weight?
Sounds too good to be true, right? Let’s break it down.
Why Eating Less Makes You Hungrier
The standard “dieting” approach usually looks something like this: smaller portions, fewer treats, maybe cutting out crisps at lunch or halving your dinner plate.
At first, it works—you lose some weight. But then the hunger kicks in. And not just a little hunger—instead it’s the kind of gnawing, all-consuming hunger that makes it feel impossible to stay on track.
Why? Because your body doesn’t measure fullness by counting calories—it measures volume.
Here’s how it works:
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Your stomach has stretch receptors that activate when food expands inside it.
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When stretched, these receptors signal your brain to reduce ghrelin (the “hunger hormone”) and boost leptin (the hormone that makes you feel satisfied).
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If you eat less food overall, your stomach isn’t stretched as much, meaning ghrelin kicks back in sooner.
In short: eating less makes you hungrier, faster. Which is why most diets feel like torture.
The Magic of Low-Calorie Density Foods
Here’s the good news: you don’t need to eat less food—you just need to eat foods that give you more volume for fewer calories.
This is where calorie density comes in.
Take this example:
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A small chocolate bar = ~100 calories.
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A big bowl of cherry tomatoes = also ~100 calories.
One is gone in two bites, the other will take you a while to finish. The difference? Calorie density.
Calorie density is the number of calories in a given weight of food (usually measured per 100 grams).
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Chocolate: ~535 calories per 100g.
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Tomatoes: ~20 calories per 100g.
That means you could eat 2.7 kilograms of tomatoes for the same calories as one chocolate bar. Now, nobody’s eating that many tomatoes—but it shows how much food volume you can get when you choose wisely.
The best low-calorie density foods include:
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Vegetables (especially leafy greens, peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots)
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Salad items
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Most fruits (berries, apples, oranges, melon, etc.)
These foods bulk up your meals without loading on calories.
But What About Foods I Actually Enjoy?
At this point, you might be thinking: “That’s nice, but I don’t want to live on salads forever. I like burgers, chips, and pizza.”
And that’s fair! A sustainable lifestyle change shouldn’t mean giving up everything you enjoy. At Body Development Centre, I teach my personal training clients to focus on balance—not restriction.
The trick is to mix high- and low-calorie-density foods so your meals stay enjoyable and filling.
Here are some easy swaps:
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Jacket Potato: Instead of piling it high with just beans and cheese, halve those toppings and bulk it up with sautéed onions, peppers, or mushrooms. You get more food, fewer calories, and often a tastier meal.
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Cheese Sandwich: Instead of a plain cheese sandwich, add rocket, cucumber, and tomato. Bigger sandwich, more crunch, fewer calories.
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Pasta Dish: Reduce the pasta slightly, but throw in loads of courgette, mushrooms, or spinach. Same comfort, but much more filling for fewer calories.
The goal isn’t to remove the foods you enjoy, but to stretch them out with high-volume, low-calorie ingredients.
Fuller for Longer: The Power of Fiber
Low-calorie foods aren’t just great for eating bigger portions—they also keep you feeling satisfied for longer. That’s thanks to fiber.
Fiber is the indigestible part of plants. Unlike simple carbs (like crisps, chocolate, or white bread) that break down quickly, fiber takes much longer to work it’s way though your digestion. That means:
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Energy is released slowly into your bloodstream.
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Your body doesn’t trigger hunger signals as quickly.
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You stay fuller for longer after eating.
Think of it like this: if you put bread or chocolate into warm water, it quickly turns soggy and dissolves. But put a tomato in water? The skin and seeds hold out for much longer. That’s what happens in your digestion—fiber slows everything down, keeping hunger at bay.
Putting This Into Action: Your “Eat More to Lose Weight” Plan
Alright, let’s turn this into simple steps you can start using today:
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Focus on Volume, Not Just Calories
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Add more vegetables, fruits, and salads to your meals.
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Think “bigger plate, fewer calories.”
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Mix, Don’t Restrict
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Keep your favorite foods, but balance them with high-volume, low-calorie ingredients.
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Example: half cheese + half veg in a potato = satisfying and lighter.
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Prioritize Fiber
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Choose whole fruits over juices, whole grains over refined, and vegetables with skins wherever possible.
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This keeps you fuller for longer and reduces snacking urges.
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Plan Smart “Offsets”
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If you know you want pizza or a burger, balance it with lower-calorie meals earlier in the day.
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This way, nothing is “off limits,” but you stay in control.
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Listen to Satisfaction, Not Just Numbers
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Notice how full and energized you feel after meals with more fiber and volume compared to calorie-dense snacks.
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Use that feedback to make better choices naturally.
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Final Thoughts
The old “just eat less” approach to weight loss sets you up for failure. Hunger always wins in the long run. But by focusing on low-calorie density foods, balancing them with the meals you love, and using fiber to stay satisfied, you can actually eat more food while still shedding fat.
Weight loss doesn’t have to be about restriction—it can be about abundance. Bigger meals, better balance, and a plan you can stick to for life.
So next time the “diet mindset” kicks in and tells you to eat less, remember: sometimes, the real trick is to eat more.
📌 And if you want more support on your weight loss journey?
If you’re located in and around Leicester or Leicestershire, I provide one-to-one and couples personal training sessions.
You can find out more here:
One-To-One Personal Training: https://bodydevelopmentcentre.co.uk/personal-training-plans/
Couples Personal Training: https://bodydevelopmentcentre.co.uk/couples-personal-coaching-fitness-training/
And if you aren’t near Leicester then you can check out my wife (Demi) and I’s online personal training system here:
👉 https://lifestyler.coach/
And finally follow me on social media for tips and tricks:
📷 Instagram | 👍 Facebook
Best wishes,
Simon
Personal Trainer
Body Development Centre
Leicester