Stay Away From These Foods During Weight Loss, Eat These Recommended Ones Instead
Stay Away From These Foods During Weight Loss, Eat These Recommended Ones Instead
Losing weight is a complex journey that is different for different people. But the good news is, there's a baseline of good and bad foods that everyone can follow if they're looking to lose weight. While there are some highly recommended foods that will benefit your weight loss, there are also some highly frowned upon foods that will only set you back. So if you're looking to stay on track and really push for your weight loss goals, here are 10 foods you should stay away from and 10 that you should add to your diet.
1. Candy Bars
Candy bars are high in everything you don't want: sugar, refined flour, and added fats. While sure, they're energy dense, they're also high in calories while being low in nutrients, making them a poor choice when trying to lose weight.
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2. Baked Goods
Baked goods, from cookies to pastries and cakes, are typically high in added sugars and refined flours. These sweet treats are usually calorie-dense and can sabotage your weight loss efforts due to their low nutritional content and high sugar levels.
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3. Sugary Beverages
Sugary drinks like soda, sweetened teas, and yes, even fruit juices, are loaded with sugar and calories but lack satiety. Unfortunately, these drinks only contribute to weight gain without providing any nutritional benefits or feelings of fullness to help with your diet.
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4. Fried Foods
Everything from french fries, chicken strips, and onion rings are sadly very high in calories and trans fats. Eating fried food when you're trying to lose weight will only make you backtrack your steps, leading to weight gain and negatively impacting your heart health in the process.
5. White Bread and Pasta
White bread and pasta are made from refined flour and can spike your blood sugar levels, leading to increased hunger and overeating. They offer little nutritional value and are best replaced with whole-grain alternatives that can be added to your diet in moderation.
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6. Most Fast Food
Say goodbye to McDonald's, Wendy's, and Burger King while you're trying to lose weight; most fast food items are high in calories, fats, and sodium while being low in nutrients. Eating fast food on a regular basis can contribute immensely to weight gain and affect your metabolic health.
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7. Ice Cream
Ice cream is delicious and so enjoyable on a hot summer day, but keep in mind they're also very high in sugar and calories. Not to mention it's so easy to consume large amounts in one sitting! This makes it a sweet dessert you want to avoid if you're trying to lose weight.
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8. High-Calorie Coffee Drinks
From frappuccinos to sugary iced coffees, coffee drinks that are high in calories, such as those made with syrup, sugar, whipped cream, and milk, can have shockingly high calories - as much as a full meal even! If your goal is to lose weight, you'll definitely want to stay away from these and replace them with lower-calorie, less sugary options.
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9. Processed Meat
Processed meats, like sausages, bacon, and hot dogs, are not only detrimental to weight loss but also to your overall health. They're best avoided during weight loss because they're high in calories and saturated fats, and have been linked to various health issues.
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10. Alcohol
Limiting alcohol intake when you're trying to lose weight can be very beneficial. Alcohol not only provides extra calories with zero nutrition, it can also lower your inhibitions, making you more prone to overeating or making poor food choices.
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1. Leafy Greens
Some of the best foods you can eat when on a weight loss journey are leafy greens. Spinach, kale, swiss chard, and so on are all low in calories but high in fiber, making them perfect for keeping you full for longer. They're also packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and all that good stuff that keeps your body healthy and strong. And as a plus, they can be really versatile - just throw them in a smoothie for an extra health kick!
2. Eggs
Rich in protein and healthy fats, eggs are a weight-loss friendly food that can help you feel full and satisfied. It's even been studied that eggs may be able to improve your metabolic activity!
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3. Salmon
Fairly low in calories but high in protein and healthy omega-3 fatty acids, salmon is an excellent food that should be incorporated into your diet. It's satisfying and delicious to eat, and will help you feel full for many hours. It's certainly a smart option!
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4. Cruciferous Vegetables
Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts are all cruciferous vegetables that are high in fiber and tend to be incredibly filling. Helping to reduce your calorie count while making you feel full, it's a good idea to add these to your healthy diet. It's also nice noting that they have pretty decent amounts of protein compared to other vegetables!
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5. Lean Beef and Chicken Breast
You don't need to turn away from all meat when trying to lose weight! Meat has been unfairly demonized when it comes to weight loss because of its higher fat content, but really, lean cuts of beef and chicken breast are high in protein and can be very good additions to your diet!
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6. Boiled Potatoes
Potatoes usually get a bad rep for being "unhealthy" due to their french fry, tater tot, and hashbrown forms, but in reality, they can be highly satiating and great for weight loss when prepared correctly. If you eat them boiled, potatoes can actually be very beneficial for losing weight; they're also rich in potassium, a nutrient that most people don't get enough of and plays an important role in blood pressure control.
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7. Legumes and Beans
Legumes and beans, such as lentils, black beans, and kidney beans, are high in fiber, protein, and other nutrients, which will benefit your weight loss by helping keep you fuller for longer.
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8. Oatmeal
Although it does depend what you throw in with it, oatmeal can be an incredibly healthy and delicious breakfast option that's fantastic during weight loss. Rich in fiber that can help you feel full for a longer period (that's really the key here), it's high in a specific type of fiber called beta-glucan, which is known to help reduce appetite and improve metabolic health.
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9. Cottage Cheese
Dairy products tend to be high in protein and among them, cottage cheese stands out as a great option that has a decently low amount of carbs and little fat. Eating cottage cheese has been studied to be a great way to boost your protein intake while helping you feel satiated, proving to be a wonderful weight loss food.
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10. Avocados
While most fruit is high in carbs, avocados are loaded with healthy fats. They're particularly high in monounsaturated oleic acid, the same type of fat found in olive oil. Despite being relatively calorie-dense, they are a valuable addition to a weight loss diet when consumed in reasonable amounts.
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