When it comes to foods that can sabotage our weight loss goals, most of us know what to avoid. Regularly consuming cake, pizza, and potato chips will obviously undo all your hard work, but what about sneakier offenders?
From frozen yogurt to salad dressing, some of these foods you thought were healthy might be preventing you from losing weight.
1. “Low Fat” Items
On the surface, the low-fat craze that started during the 90s seems to make sense. If you want to lose some body fat, you should just eat less of it, right? Wrong!
Many studies prove that not all fats are made equal. If you eat foods rich in mono and poly-unsaturated fat – also known as healthy fat – you can stay full for longer and avoid binge eating.
2. Salad dressing
Salads are the go-to food choice for many weight watchers, but they tend to become boring after a while. If you’re tempted to buy some pre-made dressing to spice things up a bit, we recommend checking the ingredients first. Most of them come loaded with high fructose corn syrup, sugar, salt, and preservatives.
Why not create your own dressing at home instead? A classic vinaigrette with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and lemon juice makes for a much healthier alternative.
3. Processed Vegan foods
When you hear the words “plant-based,” “vegan,” or “gluten-free,” they don’t necessarily equate to healthy or diet-friendly. Some processed vegan foods may be loaded with simple carbs, sugar, and trans fats to improve the flavor or texture. We recommend replacing your favorite ready-made foods with healthier options like hummus, tempeh, or tofu.
4. Frozen Yogurt
Many laud frozen yogurt as the healthy alternative to ice cream. However, what it lacks in fat, it might make up for in sugar. If you love frozen yogurt, you can try to limit your intake, forego the extra toppings, or find some low-sugar options.
5. Breakfast Cereal
For the longest time, most Americans believed that breakfast cereals were a healthy choice for both children and adults, but this is far from the truth. Many popular cereal items are highly processed and filled with sugar. So, remember to check the labels and go for fiber-loaded, low-sugar options instead.
6. Sports Drinks
If your go-to drink after morning workouts is one of those brightly-colored sports drinks, the time might be ripe for a change. Most of these drinks are high in salt and sugar, and unless you’re endurance training and you need to replace electrolytes fast, drinking water is the best option.
You Don’t Have to Avoid Delicious Food to Lose Weight
Dieting for weight loss gets a bad rap for being challenging and depressing, where you’re limited to bland, boring food each day, but this isn’t true. At MediPlan Diet Services, we can help you reach a healthy and comfortable weight without sacrificing your love for food.
Reach out to us at 901-362-7546 for a free consultation with our friendly experts!