It’s Not You, It’s The Food
When it comes to diet culture and the constant battle against weight gain, many of us fall into internet research rabbit holes. We switch to clean and healthy diets, but the scale doesn’t seem to budge. It turns out many foods branded as healthy are actually the ones causing you to retain weight. Here are some tips and tricks to help you avoid these all-too-common pitfalls.
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1. Bran Muffins
While some choose to avoid carbs altogether, others enjoy indulging in a hearty bran muffin. But in reality, store-bought bran muffins are high in calories and sugar. The only way to avoid this is to measure out your macros and make your own muffins.
2. Low-Fat Dressing
Salads are a staple of any diet, and there are dozens of ways to customize them to ensure a filling meal. The dressing may be a bit indulgent, but you would assume sticking to the low-fat option keeps you safe. In reality, the fat is balanced out with high fructose and salt, making it just as dangerous.
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3. Whole Wheat
When it comes to bread, dietitians swear by whole wheat. However, most of these whole wheat loaves are loaded with molasses and corn syrup, meaning you really have to read the nutritional information to ensure you’re not getting a bad batch.
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4. Sweetened Yogurt
Another dieting staple is yogurt, but when you choose flavored versions over plain, you’re getting yourself into loads of sugar and carcinogenic artificial colors. At that point, you’re better off just eating ice cream.
5. Rice Cakes
Rice cakes are a crunchy treat that offer a great alternative to crackers and bread. However, if you buy flavored versions, they quickly become as bad as the junk food you’re trying to replace due to high levels of maltodextrin and fructose.
6. Turkey Bacon
Many people are advised to drop red meats, and turkey is considered a healthy alternative to most animal protein options. However, turkey products are often loaded with saturated fats and sodium, making them just as bad.
7. Veggie Chips
Vegetables are the ideal snack for those trying to lose weight, but when you switch to crunchy or baked produce-based snacks, you’re leaving yourself exposed to heavy amounts of potato starch and corn flour.
8. Pressed Juice
Many dieters love their pressed juices, but in reality, they have nothing to offer you. Often, these juices are sweetened with unnecessary amounts of sugar, and since they lack fiber, they’re likely to leave you hungrier throughout the day.
9. Oatmeal
The issue with everyone’s favorite healthy breakfast is the all-too-high sugar content. If maple and brown sugar are your go-to options, you’re probably ingesting up to three teaspoons of sugar with each serving.
10. Canned Soup
Soup is a light and filling way to make up a meal, but you should never buy it canned. This is because canned soups are loaded with sugar and salt. In fact, the BPA found in these cans has been known to cause insulin resistance and obesity.
11. Coconut Water
Cutting out sodas is a common part of the weight-loss process, and many people are quick to replace them with other filling drinks. However, you shouldn’t add coconut water to the list, as it often contains 15 grams of sugar.
12. Dried Fruits
You would think munching on dried fruits would make for a healthy snack, but these treats are actually packed with preserving sulfites and coated with sugar. Next time you read the nutrition label, you might be shocked to see how much sugar one bag contains.
13. Protein Shakes
The use of artificial sweeteners and sugars in protein shakes makes them as bad as milkshakes. Many people think artificial sweeteners make the drink okay, but they are often linked with weight gain.
14. Acai Bowls
When it comes to smoothie bowls, acai is a favorite that fans keep flocking to. However, these acai treats are loaded with calories, and the frozen yogurt base is known to cause stomach bloating.
15. Popcorn
Air-popped popcorn is considered a reliable snack in weight-loss communities, but if you find yourself reaching for Orville Redenbacher’s classic buttery popcorn, you’ll be getting a hefty helping of sodium and saturated fats.
16. Bottled Smoothie
Surely there must be something you can drink without worry? Well, bottled smoothies certainly aren’t it. These pre-packaged drinks often contain 70 to 120 grams of sugar, which is way above the daily allotted limit.
17. Baked Chips
Similar to vegetable chips, baked chips really aren’t all that good for you. To make up for the decreased fat, these chips are loaded with sodium. While that makes them a bit better than the alternative, they certainly won’t help your weight loss.
18. Parfaits
Yogurt parfaits are a tasty treat you can prep ahead of time to help you through the weight-loss journey. However, the use of flavored yogurt and sugary granola makes these snacks as dangerous as most candy.
19. Trail Mix
Remember how dried fruits are packed with sugar? Well, throwing them in with a handful of raisins and nuts doesn’t make them much better. Additionally, if you add chocolate chips to the blend, you’ll be ticking up that sugar counter.
20. Wraps
With sandwiches and burgers off the menu, a wrap seems like a light and healthy alternative. But when compared to sliced bread, the calorie count isn’t all that different. In fact, when comparing most wraps to bread, you can have more slices of a whole-grain loaf for fewer calories.
