You may be surprised to find out that some of those âhealthyâ foods youâve always heard about, or the ones that advertise themselves as healthy, are actually sabotaging your efforts. It can be frustrating to make the decision to change your eating habits and lifestyle only to see no budge whatsoever on the scales or in the way your clothes fit. Here are some of the most surprising foods to avoid when losing weight.
You donât have to count calories or fat grams to lose weight, nor do you have to eliminate carbs. Just steer clear of these eight foods:
Plenty of people know to stay away from the half and half and the whole milk when theyâre trying to lose weight (they blame it on the calories and the fat grams), and most will probably even steer clear of the sugar-filled yogurt options. The surprising part? Even so-called healthy dairy optionsâskim milk and Greek yogurt, for exampleâcan hinder your weight loss attempts.
Did you know that all dairy is bad for you? People try to keep in in because it âhas calcium,â but dairy is actually so acidic, it actually leaches calcium from your bones as part of your bodyâs way of reaching a slightly alkaline state again. On a weight loss front, an acidic body holds on to excess weight because fat cells store that acidic waste in order to keep it away from the vital organs. In addition, dairy is clogging to the body, creates excess mucus and slows down digestion and removal of toxins, all of which lead to trouble losing weight.
One of the most recent health myths has to do with replacing white flour in baking, choosing whole wheat bread over white in restaurants, and then calling it good. Itâs as if making this simple change should be the magic bullet to weight loss, and whole wheat is generally touted as being âhealthy,â at least for those who donât suffer from celiac disease.
The reality is far, far different. While trading in white breads for whole wheat ones may lead to an initial weight loss (think of whole wheat as the lesser of two evils, but still no good), the ongoing effects of wheat (gluten, specifically) consumption can make it difficult to lose weight. Weight gain or trouble losing weight could occur because youâre bloating terribly or because you just feel hungry for carbs all the time.
Did you know you can be addicted to wheat? Consuming wheat products leads you to crave more and more of them, which in turn can lead to overeating and weight gain. In addition, wheat encourages your body to store fat on your belly, a trouble zone for a lot of people, and can cause low energy levels, which donât exactly encourage you to move around much.
The first problem? Itâs packaged. A packaged food boasting that itâs âlightâ or âlow-fatâ almost always has to get replacement flavor from somewhere, and itâs often sugar and sodium. Refined sugar is extremely acidic and, like dairy, encourages your body to hang on to extra weight. If itâs high-fructose corn syrup lurking in that package (you may be surprised!), it can contribute to even more weight gain than regular sugar.
As for foods loaded with sodium, bloating can make you feel heavy and contribute to extra pounds. Table salt can cause you to look almost 10 lbs heavier than you actually are. Sodium obviously isnât always the enemy, but the salt added to a lot of packaged, processed foods is often excessive and not the best quality.
Just like smoothies, salads are often presented as the ultimate healthy mealâand they can be. Croutons, fried chicken, bacon, and cheese are easy enough to avoid, but what about that healthy salad dressing? A look at the ingredients list may surprise you. Even âhealthyâ options probably contain oils.
The best oils for salad dressings are unrefined olive, coconut, sunflower, flaxseed, and hemp seed, but even those should only be used very sparingly. You may also see dairy- or soy-based ingredients. If you can, try using fresh lemon or lime juice, salsa, or mash an avocado as salad dressing.
Society seems to have an obsession with getting enough protein even though itâs not that difficult to do while committed to eating healthy, wholesome foods (even for vegans and vegetarians). Protein bars are viewed as healthy, even though theyâre glorified candy bars with whey and/or soy protein isolates thrown in. So you get a chalky, unsatisfying taste and texture paired with a lot of the bad things you can find in candy bars, like high-fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, and agave nectar. Thereâs no winning there!
Have you noticed a theme lately? Hidden sugars are everywhere, and with the dried fruit, thatâs no exception. Trail mixes with dried fruit and nuts would be okay as an afternoon snack, but thereâs often a lot of sugar added. Try making your own with unsweetened dried fruit and raw nuts. Nifty Nuthouse has a selection of unsweetened fruit, or you may also be able to find some in your local health food store. Not all dried fruit is bad for you, but you do have to remember to read the ingredients list!
Remember to only eat even unsweetened fruit on occasion. The best way to enjoy fruit is still raw. Even unsweetened fruit is more concentrated and higher in sugar than its raw counterpart.
There are a lot of people out there who look at tofu as a healthy replacement to meat, but what they donât realize is:
I didnât mention tempeh or miso because these are fermented and safe to eat as long as theyâre organic. They donât have the same negative effects on your health and your weight as tofu and most other soy products.
Thereâs this misconception that all smoothies are healthy. Unfortunately, thatâs not the case at all and you have to meticulously read the ingredients lists in smoothie shops, too. Hereâs what could be hiding in your smoothie:
Take a look at that list! Sweeteners abound (artificial ones are no better for you!), and the likelihood of getting something with dairy or soy in it is pretty high.
Smoothies can be incredibly good for you and assist you in your weight loss goals. Theyâre one of the easiest ways to fill your body with vitamins and mineralsânothing but the good stuff. However, itâs best to make them at home or do your research and find a smoothie shop near you that serves legitimately healthy drinks. The ones Kimberly has designed at Glow Bio are aligned with Beauty Detox principles and can now be ordered online.
As long as youâre diligent about avoiding dairy, wheat, and soy and check the labels for hidden sugar, sodium, and other mystery ingredients, you should be able to avoid most of the foods youâd be surprised to find are making it difficult for you to lose weight.
When you focus on whole foods, youâre unlikely to consume too many diet-sabotaging ingredients. The best foods donât come with labels and theyâre very straightforward about what they are (how many times has the produce section felt confusing?). Stick with those and youâll be your happiest, most beautiful self in no time.
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