The foods you eat regularly can significantly aid or prohibit your efforts to manage your weight. Some might not strike you as harmful, but they could add many empty calories and pounds to your waistline. The key to influencing and resisting the above common culprits is awareness—seeing where they might be holding sway is the first step in maintaining power over your posing.
We eat quite a few of these foods without thinking about them — because they are the top daily food items in our lifestyles. But cut them or make healthier choices instead, and you will soon see those pounds shift. Here are twelve commonplace foods that might be quietly scuppering your weight loss.
Fruit Juice
Fruit juice is often highly processed, sweetened with sugar, and served in large proportions… And yeah, it isn’t as good for you as many high-sugar sodas. The end of “100% fruit juice” can always be misleading. As we all know, it usually adds sugars, but after removing that fiber from the whole fruit, the sugar and protein are rapidly absorbed in the blood, only to release plenty of insulin, which equals weight gain.
Granola
Granola seems like an innocent breakfast option, but it contains added sugars and less-than-healthy fats. Granola, for instance, can top 400 calories in a serving, but its undesirable protein-to-fiber ratio will leave you hungry. For a kick-start, have a healthier breakfast, such as oatmeal with fruits and nuts.
Salads
Salads are great, but if you load them up with a creamy dressing, cheese, croutons, and other high-calorie add-ons, you get more than 1,000 calories. This includes ordering light dressings or lean protein options (like grilled chicken or tofu) when possible, even if you’re getting a salad as your healthier pick.
Processed Meats
As for bacon, deli meats, and hot dogs, that wraps up the list of nasties that find ways to weasel into everything we eat daily. But deli meats are full of sodium, unhealthy fats, and preservatives that will make it hard to keep off the weight. But instead of grabbing a loaded processed meal, pack some easy-to-digest protein like chicken, fish, or plant-based options.
Energy Bars
Energy bars may appear to be a convenient, nutritionally sound source of calories. Still, they are commonly filled with added sugars and other things for taste. A bar has the same calories and sugar as a candy bar. Go for fresh fruit or nuts the next time you need a snack on the go.
Flavored Yogurt
Although yogurt is often promoted as a healthier breakfast or snack option, many flavored and fruit varieties contain significant added sugars and artificial sweetening substances. Instead, buy plain Greek yogurt and top it with fresh fruit, or use a little honey to sweeten it.
Smoothies
Like fruit juice, smoothies can be a sneaky source of sugar when filled with sweetened elements such as fruit juices or syrups. When making a smoothie at home, choose whole fruits and veggies rather than sugar additives. And if you are ordering a smoothie at a cafe, ask them to make it with water or unsweetened almond milk rather than juice or dairy.
Olive Oil
Even though olive oil is a better option than most other oils, it is still packed with calories and fat. Thus, while it does have some health benefits, using a lot of it in cooking or salad dressings can lead to weight gain.
Whole Wheat Bread
Although whole wheat bread is a better alternative to white bread, even it provides carbs and calories. It is easy to consume bread in excess, whether via sandwiches or toast, so try to be conscious of your portion sizes and pick a whole-grain option like quinoa or brown rice instead.
Dried Fruit
Even though dried fruits appear to be healthy, many people consume them. Dried produce is high in sugar and doesn’t contain the water or fiber content found in fresh fruits. If you’re not paying close attention, it’s easy to mindlessly snack on dried fruit and start stacking up the calories. Instead, choose fresh or frozen fruit rather than syrup-packed canned varieties.
Frozen Meals
Many are marketed as ‘convenient’ and ‘healthy,’ but a frozen meal can contain just as many hidden calories, not to mention all the salt and unhealthy fats that most of these items contain. On the surface, pre-made meals may seem like a time shortcut, but they significantly impede fat loss over the long haul. Meal prep or even make healthier versions of your favorite frozen meals.
Diet Soda
You might reach for a diet soda over a regular soda because it seems you’re better off drinking it because it has no calories. Still, artificial sweeteners and other ingredients can also cause you to want more sugar throughout the day. Artificially sweetened beverages are associated with weight gain and other health problems, so drinking water or unsweetened tea is helpful.
Disclaimer – This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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