Filling half of your plate with vegetables is one of simplest and most effective things you can do to lose weight.In order to lose weight, you need to be in a calorie deficit—but not feel restricted, deprived or hungry, otherwise you won't be able to stick with it.Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that is key for weight loss because it moves through the digestive tract slowly, keeping you full longer.This helps to suppress your appetite throughout the day, making it easier to eat fewer calories.Fiber passes mostly intact into the large intestine, where gut bacteria feed on it and produce beneficial compounds like short-chain fatty acids (SCFA).It's filling and versatile, says Elysia Cartlidge, M.A.N., RD, a registered dietitian at Haute & Healthy Living."My favorite way to prepare cauliflower is to chop it up, drizzle it with some olive oil and a generous sprinkle of garlic powder and nutritional yeast and then roast it in the oven until lightly browned and crispy along the edges.Roasting the cauliflower brings out so much flavor and makes it totally crave-worthy, so it's a great way to incorporate more vegetables and fiber, especially if you're not a veggie lover.".Make cauliflower rice, like registered dietitian Moushumi Mukherjee, M.S., RDN (or buy it pre-riced in the frozen section of your grocery store).Pulse chopped cauliflower in a food processor to achieve a rice-like texture.Spaghetti Squash with Herbs & Garlic Breadcrumbs Credit: Jacob Fox.But spaghetti squash is my personal favorite," says Cheryl Mussatto M.S., RD, LD, author of The Nourished Brain.And for those with diabetes and needing to limit their carbohydrate intake, it won't spike blood sugar the same way pasta might.So, not only is spaghetti squash a great go-to weight-loss food but you'll also still retain that 'spaghetti' mouthfeel we all love.".Remember to pair it with other colorful vegetables and protein for a balanced meal.However, they are high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, which keeps you full because it is digested slowly."According to a recent study, eating half [an] avocado helps reduce overall belly fat," says Christa Brown, M.S., RDN, a New Jersey-based dietitian.Avocados are versatile, making it easy to get them into your diet on a regular basis.One medium avocado has 240 calories, so it is possible to have too much of a good thing if your goal is to lose weight.Simple Cabbage Salad Credit: Photography / Greg DuPree, Styling / Ruth BlackBurn / Julia Bayless."Cabbage is low in calories and high in fiber," says registered dietitian Jinan Banna, Ph.D., RD."Consuming enough fiber is an important part of a diet for weight loss, as it helps you to stay full and provides little in the way of calories.".Cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable, along with broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and kale.Cruciferous vegetables contain potent phytonutrients that can help fight off cancer and reduce inflammation."It also can be used to make fermented dishes such as kimchi, which promote a healthy gut," says Banna."Zucchini is a great way to add fiber, volume and nutrients with very little calories," says Anya Rosen, M.S., RD, LD, CPT, a functional medicine practitioner based in New York City.Zucchini is also delicious roasted, and it cooks quickly on the stove, making it easy to add to stovetop dishes like pastas and stir-fries.You can also use romaine hearts for lettuce wraps and to add crunch to sandwiches.Romaine lettuce is a low-calorie food rich in a variety of nutrients, such as folate, and has a mild flavor.It's not fancy or flashy, but it's versatile, affordable and great for weight loss," she says.But green peas pack a punch of fiber and protein, something other vegetables can't boast about.Similar to fiber, protein promotes satiety and high-protein diets are associated with weight loss.The body burns twice as many calories digesting protein compared to carbs and fat.So don't be afraid of peas' 10 extra grams of carbohydrates compared to their nonstarchy counterparts.Peas can be enjoyed plain or mixed into a variety of dishes like fried rice, pasta or soup.Get the Recipe: Superfood Chopped Salad with Salmon & Creamy Garlic Dressing.Not only is it low in calories, but it also "has a rougher texture than other greens, so it takes a little longer to chew," says registered dietitian Lisa Andrews, M.Ed., RD, LD, owner of Sound Bites Nutrition, LLC.To reduce the roughness of raw kale, massage it with olive oil and lemon juice and let it stand for several minutes before tossing in your other salad ingredients.Or sauté it up with olive oil, salt and pepper for a savory side dish.If it's starting to wilt, add it to soup or toss the whole bag in the freezer to use for smoothies.Cumin Roasted Carrots with Dill Yogurt Credit: Victor Protasio.Lisa Young, Ph.D., RDN, author of Finally Full, Finally Slim, loves carrots because they are so versatile: "You can eat them raw, shredded in salads or you can roast them with different spices/sauces so you can enjoy them sweet or savory.With research linking those with lower vitamin C levels to higher amounts of body fat, this is a vegetable that should top your grocery list!".Red, orange and yellow peppers are sweet, making them easy to eat.Dip peppers in hummus or tzatziki, add to a turkey wrap or cook in a skillet alongside onions for some fiber-packed fajitas.Lemon-Garlic Dump Chicken Thighs with Broccoli Credit: Brie Passano.Broccoli also has the antioxidant quercetin, which may help lower blood pressure.Broccoli is delicious tossed in olive oil, salt and pepper and then roasted at 400-425°F for about 20 minutes.Turn on the broiler at the end for a couple of minutes to achieve that restaurant-style crispy texture