There are several million people around the world currently following a weight loss diet, so the rapid rate at which the 'health' food industry is growing, should come as no surprise. Everyone is trying to convince you that they are fresh, wholesome and healthy, and rich in vitamins, minerals and all sorts of other nutrients. However, if you get taken in by this proliferation of so-called weight loss foods, you will be making a big mistake. Here are some food items that you would not hesitate to include in your healthy diet package, but which have the potential of disrupting your weight loss goals! Unless you know which weight loss foods to avoid from your diet, your losing weight fast dreams may remain a distance dream.
1. Smoothies
I'm sure you never guessed this one. So, what's wrong with a fruit-rich smoothie? Most of them consist of fruit juice, which comes with a lot of calories but none of the fiber you get from fruits themselves. Besides, the frozen yogurt or sherbet component loads the drink with sugar and calories. At the end of it, you have a drink that satisfies you like a light snack, but may be loaded with 400-600 calories. If you must have a smoothie as part of your weight loss diet, add in low-fat yogurt and blend it with whole fruit rather than juice.
2. Granola
It's tasty and you may feel like it's loaded with nutrients, but what it's loaded with is calories. Most granola cereals have more sugar than fiber, and get you feeling hungry quickly. So, while your body will certainly ask for more food for breakfast, the problem is that you already packed in nearly 500 calories with your bowl of cereal. If you have to pick a breakfast cereal to fit in with your weight loss goals, choose one that has more fiber than sugar. You can then add your own nuts and berries to enhance the flavor.
3. Salad
When we think of weight loss foods, 'salad' is probably the first word that comes to mind. And rightly so, for there is unhealthy about the greens and veggies, a portion of lean meats, egg white or beans. However, what you get in commercial outlets and restaurants have a lot of other ingredients that can wreck your weight loss goals, such as cheese, bacon and high-cream dressings. In fact, sometimes there is so much of these, that just a bowl of salad can pile on a 1000 calories, which is probably what you will get from a large burger meal!
4. Energy Bars
This is one cheat that a lot of people have figured out and thankfully omitted from their weight loss diet. However, a surprising number still believe in the merits of energy bars. In reality, most energy bars out here are much the same as granola - packed in with sugar and sweeteners and low in fiber. They are also at times rich in saturated fats. So, once again you have a 'light' snack, that packs in a surplus of 300-400 calories. If you are shopping for an energy bar, choose something that has 200 calories or fewer, and that has whole grain ingredients such as whole oat, whole wheat or brown rice. Also, try to get one that has at least 5 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber, and less than 2 grams of saturated fat.
I hope this list of cheats in the weight loss foods bracket has come as an eye-opener. With the amount of knowledge now available, it is about time we stopped falling for commercial gimmicks and know precisely which weight loss foods to avoid from our kitchen shelf.
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