When many people think about dieting, they picture having all their food taken away, being given a small portion to eat then feeling hunger pains while waiting for the next meal they're allowed to have. In the minds of many who want to get on the track to losing weight, weight loss programs are about as appealing as a prison sentence.

It doesn't have to be that way. Instead, you can take on a plan of healthy dieting, using better nutrition to acheieve weight loss without feeling hungry. It's not necessarily about how much you eat, but what you are eating in those large quantities.

The next time you prepare for a meal, look at the items you are eating. Is your plate full of items that are high in calories? That's where the problem is.

Author Brenda Watson, who wrote the book, The Fiber35 Diet says the secret is to have a plate full of low-energy-density, or lower calorie foods such as vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole grains that are high in fiber. Avoid high-energy-density foods which are higher calorie foods that have a lot of processed sugars or fat.

For example, on one plate you have one candy bar, on another plate, a complete fruit salad. Which one would make you feel fuller? The fruit salad will be tasty as well as more satisfying to your stomach, and still have about the same amount of calories as one candy bar.

The key to losing weight without feeling hungry is being able to eat comfortably sized meals while still taking in fewer calories. High-fiber foods are the solution to the puzzle these foods are lower in calories, so you can eat more of them, and they take more work for your body to break down. That means you're using more calories in the digestive process.

When you add low-energy-density foods, rich in fiber, into your diet, they help your body feel fuller. Studies have shown that the fiber you eat will actually trigger the hormone called cholecystokinin (CCK) in your body. That is the hormone that tells your body that it is full, and takes away feelings of hunger. Consider it a natural appetite supressent. Without those urges to eat coming from your body, you will be able to make it meal to meal without feeling like you are being punished on your weight management plan.

Those who are eating a high fiber diet are getting other bonuses they may not have known about. As the fiber makes its way through you digestive system it will absorb toxins and cholesterol and carry those unneeded items out of your body. In addition, because of the time it takes for high-fiber items to break down into sugars, you do not experience a 'sugar spike'. Instead, your body gets a consistant, slow supply of sugar into the blood, keping blood sugar levels stable.