9 Foods to Eat When You Want to Lose Fat

By Adrian| January 15th, 2023

The Struggles Us Dieters Go Through

When it comes to losing weight, toning up and trying to shred stubborn bodyfat, is there anything more frustrating than going to bed hungry?

Or have you ever really wanted to eat something but you had to use every ounce of your will power to stop you?

If this describes you, then you’re not alone. I have felt this way before when I was dieting and cutting weight.

But luckily, with the help of these 9 foods below, I have found that anytime I’ve been trying to get leaner, these have helped tremendously.

It’s important to remember that not all calories (and specifically the nutrients within these calories) are created equal - they can have vastly different effects on your hunger, hormones and the number of calories you burn.

I have strategically chosen nutrient dense foods which are low in calories, yet great for keeping you fuller for longer in between meals.

“I Can’t Believe I’m Eating More Food Yet Losing Weight."

I always say, when losing fat, your goal should be to eat as much food as possible without going over your calories.

I reinforce this concept in my Peak Performance Nutrition Manual – where I layout the strategies behind my nutrition philosophy to my clients.

So the million dollar question – how can I eat as much as possible without hunger?

Simple (not easy) – eat low-calorie, high-volume foods.

These foods typically have higher fibre & protein which keep you full & satiated while keeping your overall calorie count relatively low.

So let’s dive into what foods to eat when trying to burn fat:

1). Eggs/Egg Whites

Eggs are high in protein and fat and are very filling. They are nutrient dense and can be cooked in so many different ways – boiled, poached, scrambled, etc.

If you are on a very low-calorie diet, you could even go one step further and remove the egg yolk and this will save you hundreds of extra calories if you have them at breakfast.


The egg whites contain the majority of the protein while the egg yolks contain the majority of the nutrients but also most of the calories.

I also like to add spinach to my eggs when I scramble them to increase the micronutrient intake & most importantly, because I think it makes them nicer!

A large egg has about 70 calories while an egg white on it’s own contains about 17 calories.

2). Greek Yogurt

Greek Yogurt is without a doubt my favourite high-protein snack that I regularly eat. If you choose your brand correctly (I like Glenisk 0%, Liberte 0%, Skyr (Lidl), Brooklea 0% (Aldi) & Fage 0%), you’ll get an average of 10g of protein per 100g (about 2 heaped 2bsp).

Not only is it high in protein, it gives you a good serving of probiotics which will help you digest your food better and may even help reduce inflammation.

I like to have a Greek Yogurt with my Saturday & Sunday morning pancakes (a ritual!), with my overnight oats or even on its own with some berries and mixed nuts. Having it regularly will allow you to keep your calories low but overall nutritional value of your food high.

Per 100g, Greek Yogurt has approximately 55 calories.

3).Oats

Whole grain oats when cooked are very filling and contain a high amount of B vitamins. On top of this, they have lots of fibre which can help control your blood sugars.

They are very versatile how you choose to eat them.

My favourites include microwaving a bowl of porridge (in water) and once cooked, adding in a scoop of Whey Protein and top with some berries. It helps satisfy my cravings while at the same time providing me with a nutrient dense meal which I usually eat post-workout to help with my recovery.

Note: Don’t mistake whole-grain oats with flavoured or refined oats. There is a big difference in both.

50g of Oats which would give you a pretty decent serving contains about 178 calories.

4).Lean Meats & Fish

Unprocessed meat and fish is a weight-loss friendly food because they are so high in protein.

Your average sized 150g chicken breast contains about 170 calories. Some of my other favourite lean meats include turkey and pork loin which have a similar calorie count.

White fish – cod, pangasus and haddock are great sources of protein with an average of just 80-90 calories per 100g. They are also loaded with healthy fats and full of nutrients which can all help reduce inflammation.

My favourite way to have these lean meats and white fish is by making a big ass salad or stir fry and adding all my favourite veggies, spices and flavourings.

When you make these stir fry’s and flavour them as you please, it means losing weight does not suck and you actually enjoy your meals which is most important.

5). Berries

One of the things that annoys me most on the internet nowadays is people arguing over whether fruit is healthy or unhealthy. The claim is that fruit contains a lot of sugar and by eating a lot of fruit, your sugar intake drastically goes up and this contributes to weight gain.

Firstly, as Jordan Syatt would say – ‘Who ever got fat from eating fruit?’

Name me one person who is overweight solely by eating too much fruit! Like everything, moderation is key but don’t be afraid to eat fruit just because of it’s sugar count. If you just focus on the fructose (fruit sugar), you are ignoring all of the other vitamins, minerals and fibre found in fruit.

My favourite sources are berries – strawberries, raspberries and blueberries because they calorie count in them is low, they are full of anti-oxidants and they taste delicious. Watermelon is another super low-calorie fruit which you can eat a lot of with minimal calories.

These fruits have between 30-60 calories per 100g.

6). Beans & Legumes

Beans and legumes can be very beneficial if you’re trying to lose weight.

Sources include lentils, black beans, kidney beans or even mixed beans. They are high in protein and fibre and I always add them to my stir-fry’s.

If you have difficulty digesting them, soak them in water overnight. If you’re a vegan or vegetarian, beans & legumes are a great way to increase your protein and carbohydrate count.

100g of cooked beans contains about 100-110 calories.

7). Soups

Soups are a classic example of a high volume, low calorie food which I really enjoy having around lunch time. They are super quick & convenient to have to tie you over between meals.

However, not all soups are created equal. Some contains lots of cream for instance and usually are much thicker in texture.

I like the Avonmore vegetable (100 calorie) option the most and I like to add some chopped up chicken breasts for a protein hit to it.

In general, per 100g there should be no more than about 40-50 calories.

8). Boiled Potatoes

Potatoes – and specifically white potatoes seem to be getting a bad rap for some reason. The reason being is because they’re usually modified and cooked as fries or mashed with lots of added butter, milk and cream and therefore automatically branded as a food you should avoid.

However, boiled potatoes are one of the most filling foods you can eat and can perfectly fit into a healthy diet. There are only 80 calories per 100g of potatoes.

Adding 1-2 cupped handfuls to your meals is a great way of providing your body with some good complex carbohydrates (especially if you’re active) and will help you feel psychologically satisfied.

Sweet Potatoes are my favourite carbohydrate source and I love to make homemade fries with them. 100g of sweet potatoes has about 86 calories.

Either way, don’t be afraid to add white or sweet potatoes to your plate.

9). Leafy Greens & Cruciferous Vegetables

Leafy greens are one of the best foods for fat loss. Jam packed with minerals and vitamins, they’ll help regulate your blood sugars and drastically increase the volume of your meals without majorly increasing the calories.

Leafy greens include kale, spinach and lettuce. I love adding them to stir fry’s, to my scrambled eggs or loading them into my omelettes.

Cruciferous veggies include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and brussels sprouts.

Like the leafy greens, they contain powerful anti-oxidants, help with your immune-function and even have some protein in them.

I preferably like eating them as whole foods if I’m having them as part of my dinner but for stir fry’s & omelettes, I like to go for the frozen vegetables. Either way – fresh or frozen these are a great addition for fat loss.

The Takeaway

When eating in a calorie deficit, the goal should be to eat as much food as possible without going to bed hungry.

A great way of achieving this is eating high volume, low calorie foods as listed below.

1. Eggs

2. Greek Yogurt

3. Oats

4. Lean Meats & Fish

5. Berries

6. Beans & Legumes

7. Soups

8. Potatoes

9. Leafy Greens & Cruciferous Vegetables


Free 3-Day Transformation Training Program, Recipe Cookbook & 7 Day Fat Loss Accelerator

Depending on your goal, I have some free resources which might be of benefit to you.

If you’d like a copy of my free, 3-day “Mc-Lean Lifestyle Transformation” Program click HERE. (Enjoy the core finisher!).If you’d like a copy of my Free Living Lean Cookbook to prove to you that it’s possible to eat foods you enjoy and get results, click HERE.


(Try out some EPIC protein pancakes!).And if you’d like access to my Free 7 Day Fat Loss Accelerator (which has helped some members drop up to 7lbs inside 7 days), click HERE and it will be sent straight to your email.I hope these free resources help you!

1:1 Online Coaching Application

If you’d like a coach to help get you out of a routine that isn’t currently working for you and into one that will, then book your free consultation call today to see if you’d be a good fit for my Online Coaching.

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make your journey much easier and quicker than doing it on your own.

What’s the purpose of the consultation call?

To deep dive into your lifestyle, goals and current challenges and from there decide if we’d be able to work together.

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About Adrian McDonnell & McLifestyle Fitness:

Adrian McDonnell is a highly specialised Personal Trainer & Online Fitness Coach from outside of Tuam, Co.Galway, Ireland.

Previously a primary school teacher for almost 5 years, Adrian followed his passion and pursued a career in fitness after seeing first hands the results he could achieve with himself.

Although Adrian is a Personal Trainer & now Full-Time Online Transformation Fitness Coach from outside of Tuam, Co.Galway –

he not only coaches clients locally, but also nationally and internationally.

Adrian specialises in helping working professionals:

• Be confident in themselves

• Feel more comfortable in their clothes

• Look better in the mirror.

• Increase their energy and go for more promotions at work

• Get fitter, leaner, stronger, faster & more athletic without following rigid meal plans.

• Go on more dates (this is a common one).

• And feel proud of themselves for doing something they never thought was possible!

To date he has helped Transform over 500 Clients into fitter, more toned & confident individuals.

Transforming people’s lives through proper fitness, sustainable & enjoyable nutrition practices & mindset mentoring is something Adrian is truly passionate about and this is his mission in life.

Want to find out more?

Contact me today & I’ll answer any questions you have.

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