Losing weight shouldn’t be about depriving yourself of all the things you love—it should be about finding new, healthier foods to love. Once you’ve figured out which healthy foods you enjoy most creating a diet you can follow will be incredibly simple.

Start with these weight loss wonder foods:

1. Full-fat yogurt

It might seem counterintuitive but fat-free yogurt is actually terrible. When they take the fat out all the flavor goes with it, so companies use corn syrup or sugar to add new flavor, even in original-flavored yogurt.

Of course, most flavored yogurt contains about the same amount of sugar, but you can get used to original flavored yogurt fast if you add a little bit of fruit.

2. Darker green vegetables

Do you eat a lot of lettuce but ignore the other green vegetables at the grocery store? This is a huge mistake. Darker green vegetables such as spinach contain much higher concentrations of nutrients, allowing you to feel full after eating less.

3. Beans and legumes

Beans and legumes are great because they contain large amounts of protein and other nutrients and they fill you up faster than other vegetables. This is huge when you’re actively trying to lose weight since it makes it easier for you to adjust to smaller portion sizes.

You might not think beans and legumes are very exciting but a quick Google search will show you that this is potentially the most versatile item on the list. If you’re willing to experiment you’re sure to find a way that you enjoy them.

4. Soups

The high water content in soup allows you to feel full after eating a smaller portion, making this another great choice for weight loss. Make your own soup at home using homemade bone broth to get the largest nutritional boost from your soup.

Don’t know any good soup recipes? Take a look at this list.

5. Avocados

Avocados contain high concentrations of a huge variety of nutrients and are one of the only fruits to contain a large amount of protein. They can be eaten raw alone, sliced thinly onto toast or added to your salad.

6. Cottage cheese

Cottage cheese has an incredible amount of protein in every cup. It also contains lots of healthy fats which will help keep cravings for junk food away.

7. Salmon

Salmon is delicious cooked in a variety of ways and contains an incredibly large amount of nutrients including essential omega 3 fatty acids and protein. It also has fewer calories than other types of fish, making it one of the healthiest foods around.

8. Lean beef and chicken

Meat is one of the greatest protein sources out there but a lot of meat is also full of fat. Go for the lean, unprocessed option to get an even higher concentration of protein in your meals and fill up faster.

9. Oats

Oats are the most nutrient dense of all traditional grains. Just remember to go for raw oats instead of instant oatmeal packages—these packages usually contain a shocking amount of sugar.

These foods can all be prepared in a variety of ways, allowing you to make hundreds of new meals. Challenge yourself to explore different healthy foods each week and soon you won’t miss the junk food you used to eat at all.

Like it? Please share it.