Monday, April 19, 2021

11 foods that are killing your weight loss goals

Sushi

This article is written by Sparkle Purpose. Follow Sparkle Purpose on Twitter and Pinterest.

11 Foods that prevent weight loss

1. Coconut water
2. Sushi
3. Frozen yogurt
4. Low fat foods
5. Healthy sweets
6. Granola
7. Low calorie condiments
8. Diet peanut butter
9. Sports drinks
10. Flavored coffee
11. Smoothies

Are you trying to lose weight, but are unsure about what’s holding you back? You exercise and eat well but the numbers on your scale just aren’t budging. Maybe you’re eating something that’s slowing your progress. I am going to talk about 11 foods that can ruin your weight loss goals.

Foods that prevent weight loss

1. Coconut Water

Who doesn’t like drinking coconut water? Coconut water the healthiest drink to beat the summer heat. This is especially true when you compare it with soda. You also get lots of electrolytes.  

It’s also used in various desserts and some vegetable recipes. Coconut water has very healthy nutrients like vitamins and minerals. You get a generous amount of antioxidants too.

Everything about coconut water isn't hunky-dory. A cup of coconut water (240 millilitres to be precise) comes with 45 calories and as much as 6 grams of sugar.  

While this is still less than most sodas and juices, you need to cut down on how much coconut water you drink in a day. Too many cups can load your body with sugar very quickly.

You can't have unlimited amounts of something just because it is healthy.

2. Sushi

Sushi is delicious and healthy! This Japanese seafood gives you nutrients from fish, rice and vegetables. You get a generous amount of high-quality protein, omega fatty acids, vitamins and carbohydrates.

Sushi can be a healthy and delicious addition to your diet plan. If you decide to eat sushi as part of your meals, you have to be careful about excess calories.

If the rolls are stuffed with tempura shrimp, you’re adding more calories than you need. It’s the same if you include sweet sauces.

And, of course, be careful with your rice intake. Those are pure carbs!


3. Frozen yogurt

Frozen yogurt is generally suggested as a healthier alternative to ice cream. If you’re craving a dessert after your meal, you’re better off eating yogurt than indulging in sweets or ice cream - but there is a catch with frozen yogurt.

Since it’s seen as a healthy option, you do run the danger of eating it more than you should. When you go to a frozen yogurt shop, you’re usually allowed to fill your own cup and add whatever toppings you want.

If you have a large cup and add sugary toppings, you will end up with more sugar and calories than you would have if you chose ice cream or other desserts on their own instead.


4. Low fat foods

You need to avoid high fat food and switch to low fat food if you want to lose weight. 

While this seems like the right thing to do, research has shown low-fat foods tend to have more sugar than regular foods. This added sugar could result in weight gain and an increase in blood sugar.  

Instead of restricting your diet, it’s always better to eat in moderation. This will satisfy your cravings - and not add to your weight.

Check the label: low fat products tend to be higher in sugar.

5. Healthy sweets

As part of your weight loss program, you may reduce or completely give up on desserts. You have to reduce your calorie intake, but it might be difficult to give up on dessert - that’s the best part of the meal after all.

So what do you do? You look for healthy sweets instead. They’re supposed to have very few calories. Not only does sugar contain calories but it could be dangerous if consumed excessively

While this is true to an extent, these healthy sweets generally replace the fats with sugar or artificial sweeteners to retain the taste. 

You only add more sugar as a result, which is going to cause weight gain and other related health issues.

The artificial sweeteners that are used in diet sweets can result in issues like bloating and diarrhea. They also might induce cravings for more sugar. It’s a vicious cycle. The more artificial sweeteners you eat, the more sugar cravings you’ll get.

Artificial sweeteners can cause sugar cravings.

6. Granola

Are you craving a healthy snack? Granola feeds those cravings. It’s one of the top breakfast choices for health-conscious people. This is because it’s rich in fiber and has oats as well as nuts - all of which are very nutritious.

Pre-made granola or muesli usually comes with added sugar to improve its flavor. If you’re unaware of how much sugar your granola packs with every serving, you might end up with more sugar than you planned for.

Every serving of granola you have shouldn’t have more than 6 grams of sugar in it.

So now you know what you should do. Stop eating too much granola because you are trying to get your weight down.


7. Low calorie condiments

Another way that sugar sneaks into your diet is through condiments. They’re supposed to be low in calories, but that’s not the case.

When you add ketchup or salad dressing to your food, you might be unaware of the calories that are hiding in the sugar.

Tomato and barbecue sauces have high amounts of sugar in them. This makes them a regular part of your daily diet and will hurt your weight loss goals. 

Enjoy salads - but beware of the calories hiding in the dressing.

Use low-calorie, healthy dressings like vinegar and lime juice. 

Learn to enjoy healthy foods for their natural taste.

8. Diet peanut butter

You’re looking to lose weight and the first that thing you do is buy all the diet-friendly stuff.  

I’m talking about diet coke. Even diet peanut butter has gotten popular. This makes sense at first. Just like diet coke, diet peanut butter has fewer calories than the regular kind.

This difference in calories might have you thinking that diet peanut butter is the better choice. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Diet peanut butter contains unhealthy oils and also comes with added sugar. 

The calories that you get from diet peanut butter actually come from sugar instead of fat. This will definitely slow down your weight loss.

Experts advise you to cut down on your sugar intake if you’re serious about losing weight. The best way to do this is to use natural peanut butter instead.  

Just practice portion control. You should definitely eat fewer calories. Just get them from healthy food sources.

Peanut butter made with a few necessary ingredients is ultimately the healthier choice.

Putting the word 'diet' in front of a product name doesn't always make it healthier or weight loss friendly.

9. Sports drinks

Do you exercise daily? If you work out regularly or are active in sports, it’s natural for you to rely on sports drinks to increase your endurance and speed up recovery.

They provide energy that helps you to keep going. At what cost do you do this? These sports drinks are loaded with sugar.

Most of them contain caffeine. They also cause energy crashes later on. If you aren’t indulging in intense workouts, there is absolutely no need for you to have sports drinks.

They come with significant amounts of sugar and will add to your overall calorie count. Drinking sports drinks also causes an increase in your blood sugar levels. The whole point of exercise is to get those sugar levels down.

This rise can not only increase your weight, but also results in insulin resistance. In a study of more than 7,500 adolescents, it was seen that those who drank sports drinks regularly weighed much more than those who didn’t.

Sports drinks lead to weight gain.


10. Flavored coffees

If you’re working towards losing weight, you might be tempted to drink more coffee because it decreases your appetite. While caffeine does work for this, you need to be aware of how you’re drinking it. There are always calories hiding in there.

Coffees such as lattes, frappes, and cappuccinos are never going to help you lose weight because they are high in calories. This is all thanks to the generous amount of sugar and fat added to them.


11. Smoothies

Smoothies are delicious, but don’t get carried away if you’re on a weight loss program. Smoothies can derail your progress.

I'm not just talking about smoothies from cafes. Even homemade ones can be loaded with sugar and fats. If you’re adding milk and nut butter, you’re not going to lose weight. If there are too many calories in your smoothies, they might actually make you gain more weight.


Conclusion

Losing weight is hard, but it’s not impossible.

It just takes a little discipline and consistency. Don’t quit, just keep going and you’ll see that you have accomplished your goal. 


Here are some great ways to lose fat from Sparkle Purpose:


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5 Simple exercises to burn belly fat

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6 Benefits of skipping rope for your well-being

Woman measuring her thighs
Top 5 exercises for burning thigh fat fast

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