Skipping meals isn't the trick to losing weight. In fact, researchers from Pennsylvania State University state that if you pick the right foods you can eat more satisfying portions and still lose weight. If you're trying to shed a few pounds, choose low-calorie-dense foods like fruits and vegetables. These tend to be high in water content and low fat. Researchers also included lean meats, low-fat dairy, and soups in their recommendations. (Choose low-sodium, broth-based soups, though. Cream-based soups can be quite high in calories.)

The research team compared 71 obese women, half of whom ate a reduced-fat diet and the other half ate a reduced-fat diet that included a larger amount of water-rich foods. After one year, both groups had lost weight, but the water-rich food group averaged a higher weight loss (19.6 pounds vs. 14.7 pounds). In addition the women on the reduced-fat/water-rich food diet ate approximately 25% more than the other group and they reported fewer feelings of hunger.

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