Fitness coach reveals 10 ‘foods you practically can’t overeat’: Mushrooms to cucumber
In an age of calorie counting and restrictive dieting, health and fitness coach Nikita Bardia is offering a refreshing perspective on appetite control. In an Instagram post shared on January 12, Nikita shifted the focus from ‘willpower’ to physiology, identifying a list of foods that are naturally ‘self-limiting’. Also read | 20 foods with ‘almost zero calories’: Can they lead to ‘incredible weight loss’? Here’s what you need to know
Nikita shared: “Let’s clear the confusion: no food is magically calorie-free. But some foods are physiologically self-limiting — meaning your body stops you before damage is done.”
It’s not lack of discipline; it’s biology
According to Nikita, the common struggle with overeating often has less to do with a lack of self-control and more to do with the types of food being consumed. While highly-processed snacks are designed to bypass fullness signals, certain whole foods do the exact opposite. She explained: “You don’t overeat because you lack discipline. You overeat because some foods bypass fullness signals; these don’t.”
10 foods that trigger natural satiety
Nikita pointed out 10 foods and drinks that help you feel full without loading up on calories:
1. Leafy greens and fibrous veg – spinach, lettuce, methi, cabbage. Lots of volume, few calories, so your stomach fills up fast.
2. Cucumber and celery – mostly water and fibre; chewing tires your jaw, which cuts down on extra bites.
3. Mushrooms – low‑calorie, high umami flavor that makes you feel satisfied without the dopamine rush of richer foods.
4. Spices – ginger, chilli, turmeric, pepper. Very few calories but strong taste that quickly tires your palate, so you stop eating sooner.
5. Black coffee (or with minimal add‑ons) – can curb appetite for a short while; it’s a tool, not a meal.
6. Tea and herbal infusions – warm, water‑rich drinks that fill space in your stomach without spiking hunger hormones.
7. Broths and clear soups – liquid volume triggers stretch receptors early, sending fullness signals quickly.
8. Shirataki noodles – mostly water plus glucomannan fibre, giving bulk without digestible calories.
9. Low‑calorie sauces – salsa, tomato‑based dips etc. Lots of flavor, little energy, so you reach satiety faster.
10. Sugar‑free gum – strong chewing stimulation; jaw fatigue naturally limits how much you keep chewing.
Nikita concluded that these foods: “Reduce overeating risk, improve appetite control and help meals end naturally; however, they do not replace meals, fix nutrient deficiencies and cancel poor eating patterns.”
Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice.
