Today I’ll start my greetings with a saying that has guided me through my entire life, both during the harshest of times and the greatest moments: Balance is the key to happiness.
Whatever health issue you might face (and being overweight is one of them), bear in mind that there is an instability somewhere that has caused it. All you need to do is to restore it through your diet and thoughts.
And eating healthy is not based on strict nutrition theory, starvation or avoiding foods you love but on balance.
Some foods, like beans, salad, eggs, green tea, soup, high-fiber cereals, tofu, lean beef, olive oil, pears, nuts, vinegar and red hot pepper help with weight loss. On the other hand, processed and refined products can make you gain weight.
Here are the foods to avoid when you’re trying to lose weight.
1. French Fries and Potato Chips
French fries drip with weight gain, increased cholesterol levels, and higher blood pressure. Have you ever wondered how many calories are in 100 grams of potato chips? 500 calories that include many processed fats, which in time will affect your overall health. If you still love potatoes, try to eat them boiled or baked. They are a healthier alternative with fewer calories.
2. Sugary Drinks
Whether you consume energy drinks, bottled teas or sweet juices, they all are full of calories and chemicals. During diets, it is recommended to drink plenty of water with lemon or slightly sweetened lemonade.
For anyone trying to maintain a healthy diet, soda is one of the worst things that you can put in your body. It is full of sugar, in addition to other chemicals that do nothing but harm your body. If you want to lose weight and keep it off, you should start thinking about cutting soda from your diet.
3. White Bread
A slice of white bread contains 13.6 grams of simple carbohydrates. And so do absolutely all white flour products, from croissants, noodles, pasta, pretzels, pastries, and cakes to pizza.
Fortunately, wheat bread or rye crisp bread is healthier than classic white, processed flour. Both foods are an excellent source of fiber and are low in gluten. Therefore, it represents a great substitute for wheat.
4. Candy Bars
Candy bars contain a high number of unhealthy ingredients like sugar, refined flour, and added oils.
They are rich in calories, but with no real nutritional value. An average-sized candy bar covered in chocolate can contain around 300-400 calories and extra-large bars may contain even more.
If you want to lose weight eat candy occasionally. For some people, eating a small amount of the craved food can help them not to eat a whole piece. For others, having a bite of a power bar may lead to eating the whole bar.
If you are craving a snack, it is recommended to eat a piece of fruit or a handful of nuts instead, or a piece of dark chocolate.
5. Most Fruit Juices
Most fruit juices you find at the supermarket aren’t always what they seem. Some of them are highly processed, loaded with sugar, and stripped of fibers.
This means that a glass of orange juice won’t alleviate hunger as an orange, making it easier to consume large quantities in a short amount of time.
6. Pastries, Cookies, and Cakes
These tasty treats are packed with large amounts of added sugar, refined flour and sometimes trans-fat. They are high in calories, not very filling, and they also usually contain very harmful artificial trans-fats that are linked to many diseases.
Whether we talk about cookies, bagels, pies or tarts, these products should not be included in dieting. Pastries are made from white flour, fat, additives, and margarine, turning them into real caloric bombs..
7. Some Types of Alcohol (Especially Beer)
Alcohol provides more calories than carbs and protein, or about seven calories per gram. Regular consumption even in moderation leads to weight gain, especially if associated with a diet high in fat.
The amount of fat used as fuel for metabolism is reduced in the presence of alcohol, which is stored in the fat tissue-preferential belly, hence the characteristic belly beer.
The type of alcohol also matters. Beer can cause weight gain, but drinking wine in moderation may be beneficial.
8. Ice Cream
A 1/2-cup serving of vanilla ice cream contains 137 calories and 7.2 grams of fat, of which about 4.5 grams are saturated. The same amount of chocolate ice cream has 143 calories and 7.3 grams of fat, of which 4.5 are saturated. Many of these calories come from the added sugar and high-fat content in traditional ice cream.
A small portion of ice cream is fine rarely, but don’t turn it into a habit, especially when you want to lose weight.
Consider making ice cream at home, using less sugar and healthier ingredients like light yogurt and fruit, but pay attention to the amounts you’re eating as well.
9. High-Calorie Coffee Drinks
When it comes to coffee, you start out with only few calories, zero carbohydrates, and zero nutritional value. Only when you begin to add sweeteners, sugar and creamers do the calories in coffee begin to grow.
Many people add coffee to their diets because of its stimulating effects. Coffee and the added calories that are in it will give you the energy and endurance to keep going at a fast pace throughout your day.
However, the negative effects of adding unhealthy ingredients like artificial cream and sugar outweigh these positive impacts.
High-calorie coffee drinks are loaded with empty calories that can equal a whole nutritious meal.
It’s best to stick to plain, black coffee when trying to lose weight. Just avoid adding sugar, high-calorie creamers, and other unhealthy ingredients.
10. Foods High in Added Sugar
High glycemic foods are those that are quickly digested and turned into sugar.
Examples of foods that may contain massive amounts of added sugar include baked or mashed potatoes, white rice, white bread, cookies, cakes, muffins, donuts made with refined white flour, junk foods.
Please remember that you don’t need to give them up all at once. Give yourself time to get comfortable with not consuming a certain food until you give up another one. When your diet is balanced, so will be your weight and health!