Mark's Big Legs Plan

if you’re cutting to get shredded, hunger can seem inevitable…and it sucks! So let me you minimize the suckiness of dieting with 7 low-calorie – but filling – foods that I swear by when cutting.

So here are my 7 must-have low-calorie foods that will help prevent hunger big time when dieting down.

(1) BROCCOLI

For me, broccoli is the king of vegetables. It’s big, it’s bulky, and it’s filling. However, since it’s mostly water and fiber, there aren’t a lot of calories (or carbs) there. I eat broccoli virtually every day!

There is also what is called ‘The Negative Calorie Effect’. This means that it takes more energy for your body to actually process a certain food than the food itself contains. You therefore create more of a caloric deficit just by eating.

I’m always skeptical about actual numbers when it comes to this issue, but one estimate states that it takes up to 80 Calories for your body to burn 1 cup of broccoli, which contains only 25 Calories. Take the figures with a pinch of salt, but it’s still good to know 😉

See my post – The top 10 reasons you need broccoli in your diet for more on the awesomeness of this vegetable.

(2) CAULIFLOWER

If you don’t like broccoli, or just want more of these type of “negative calorie” foods, consume the following:

• Cauliflower
• Asparagus
• Celery
• Zucchini/Courgette

(3) BERRIES

When cutting, berries are your source of fruit. You can reap all the benefits of fruit without the higher sugar content found in fruits such as bananas or oranges for example.

Berries are low-carb and low-calorie. My favs are strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries.

See my post ‘What fruit can I eat on a low-carb diet?‘ for more.

(4) QUARK

My American readers are usually a little puzzled by this word lol. But Quark is available in the US.

Quark is officially is fat-free soft cheese – but to me it’s more like yogurt. It’s very high in protein, very low in carbs, and virtually fat-free.

I make it number (4) on the list as it goes really well with number 3 – berries. Add some water to thin it a little, add berries and sweetener, and you’ve a delicious guilt-free dessert perfect for cutting.

Since it packs about 30g protein per tub, you’ll see why I love it so much!

In the US you can buy Quark in Whole Foods and Quality Food Centers. I’m sure there are more – let me know in a comment below if you are aware to buy Quark in the US.

My Buff Baking cookbook contains a Quark recipe that will blow your mind 😉

(5) WHEY

With its superior amino acid profile and bio-availability, whey protein does actually help you feel full while promoting muscle growth. Combine whey with free THT training for the best gains of your life. (See below this article for my whey recommendations and a 10% off discount code for all supplements).

(5) CHICKEN & TURKEY

Calorie-for-calorie, chicken and turkey are 2 of the most filling foods on the planet. Not to mention being high in “complete” protein with a high “bio-availability” score.

(6) EGGS

Eggs contain conjugated linoleic acid. CLA has been shown to aid the fat-loss process without the need of stimulants like caffeine or ephedrine.

At only 70-80 Calories, an egg is also only second to whey protein when it comes to the best protein sources for building muscle. More on eggs here.

(7) ROLLED OATS

As a carbohydrate source when cutting, oats provide a more filling, more slow-releasing energy – this is very valuable to stave off hunger on a calorie-reduced diet. Why not add some berries and sweetener, too? A sugar and calorie-free syrup like Davinci works wonders also!

So that’s my 7 low-calorie recommendations that will help you feel full when dieting. If you have any more, please share them with me and other readers below.

Now, it’s Monday, so I’m off to get my first THT training session of the week hammered out!

Train With Intensity!

Mark McManus