Choosing the right diet plan is one of the best ways to shed unwanted pounds.
Some foods that cause weight gain may surprise you. Others are well-known problem foods, but they’re so popular that it seems impossible to give them up. But if you’re trying to lose weight, you should pay attention to everything that crosses your plate, with no exceptions.
Foods to Avoid When Trying to Lose Weight
High-calorie foods may already be on your list of foods to avoid. But some of the worst foods for weight loss may have missed your initial screening:
1. Potato Chips
There’s a reason why potato chips are a regular feature on this kind of list. According to one study, this could be the worst offender in keeping people from reaching their weight loss goals.
2. Juice
Juicing may be a trendy practice. However, you should know that it decreases the fiber content in the fruit you consume. This can lead to spikes in your blood sugar and it also leaves you more hungry afterward.
3. White Bread
If you’re battling belly fat, you should avoid refined white bread at all costs. Eating whole grains can lower the visceral fat deposits in the belly. But eating highly-refined grains does the opposite.
4. Alcohol
Do you like to unwind with a cocktail? The occasional glass is still okay, don’t worry. But overdoing it can trick your body into eating more than normal.
5. Diet Soda
Too many people believe that anything labeled “diet” must be okay to consume. But low-calorie doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s low in sugar. In this case, diet sodas are loaded with artificial sweeteners that are linked to excessive weight gain in the long-term.
6. Pretzels
Pretzels may be a healthier alternative to chips, but not by much. One study revealed that the salt content confuses your body’s hunger signals, which means that you end up eating more than you meant to. Plus, all that salt causes horrible water retention.
7. Pancake Syrup
Some popular pancake syrup brands contain high fructose corn syrup. This ingredient is linked with overeating, impaired insulin sensitivity, belly fat, and overall weight gain.
8. Dried Fruit
Is dried fruit off limits, too? It is when it has added sugar. Dried fruit may seem like a healthy snack, but commercially dried fruit contains an average of 16 grams of sugar per ounce.
9. Refined Pasta
Refined pasta is stripped of fiber and nutrients, which means it goes straight to your gut. Consider whole-grain alternatives instead.
10. Traditional Yogurt
While it’s a popular health food, traditional yogurt has some major downsides. It contains a great deal of sugar without macronutrients to help you feel full.
The Bottom Line About High-Calorie Foods
Some high-calorie foods are obviously bad for you. But other foods can sneak into your diet under the guise of “healthy foods”. Yogurt with dried fruit is an excellent example.
Unfortunately, if you’re on a journey to lose weight, you’re going to have to read food labels. Ingredient labels tell the full story about what you’re buying. Don’t forget to cut out diet-sabotaging snack foods entirely.
