Losing weight can be a challenge but it doesn’t have to be a losing battle. Eating right and getting plenty of the right types of exercise throughout the day are the two biggest ingredients to a successful weight loss recipe. It is as important to know what you should not be eating as it is to know what you should be eating. Here’s a list of the top 10 foods you should avoid.
- Sugar: Sugar is nothing but empty calories with no nutritional value. It has been compared to being as addictive as heroin. You need to avoid processed sugar at all costs.
- Soda: Again, just empty calories with no nutritional value. Sodas also contribute to tooth decay. In a recent case study, when soda was removed from the diet, fat around the midsection was reduced at a much faster rate.
- Starchy vegetables: Potatoes are an excellent example of a starchy vegetable. I know you love them, but your body treats potatoes just as it does sugar. And that’s bad. They cause a dramatic rise in blood sugar, and are harder for your body to process. Potatoes and other starchy vegetables keep the body in an elevated insulin state, making it that much harder to lose weight.
- White bread: Most of the nutrients have been bleached out of the bread during the processing, and it has a high level of carbohydrates. This is not a good combination. If you must eat bread, go for wheat instead, however, look for “gluten free” options as gluten causes many health issues.
- Fried foods: Most fried foods contain partially hydrogenated oil. Our bodies are unable to process the oils and it gets stored as fat. It is also highly damaging to your cells and leaves you vulnerable to disease and illness.
- Fruit juice: A lot of the so-called “fruit juice” on the market today contains high fructose corn syrup, which has been linked to obesity. Only drink 100% pure juice that does not contain high fructose corn syrup, or any “fructose” as food manufacturers are calling HFCS different things to hide it.
- Caffeine: Caffeine causes dehydration and can increase your appetite. Both things you want to avoid when you are trying to lose fat.
- Margarine: It contains hydrogenated oil, and is not a natural food, you want to avoid all unnatural foods.
- White flour: Most of the nutrients are removed in foods made with white flour. Avoid it just like you would white bread.
- High glycemic fruits: These include watermelon, bananas, citrus fruits, raisins, and pineapple. These fruits are too high in sugar to be healthy for you when trying to lose weight.
Be sure and read nutrition labels and check for partially hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup. Stay away from those and other empty calorie foods.
Be smart with your food choices and if you need help along the way, we highly recommend the Medifast Diet and Diets to Go.
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