DO NOT EAT THESE FOODS IF YOU WANT TO LOSE WEIGHT

It is all about balance, but some foods may hinder your weight loss goals more than others. Whether you are at a restaurant or grocery store, these are the foods you REALLY should not eat if you want to shed some pounds. 

As a nutritionist, I’m frequently asked which foods are the worst and make us fat. Sugar, pizza, fast food and chocolate are the worst, but that is not new.

You may be surprised which foods can also be bad for your health and waistline. For many people, the battle to lose weight or keep the fat off, can be a long and difficult road, and eating these high calorie foods will make it even harder.

#1 Alcohol

Alcohol contains empty calories and has no nutritional value. Your body can´t store alcohol, so it must metabolize it right away. Alcohol is the first thing your body burns before it moves on to anything else. So, until your body gets rid of alcohol from your system, you won’t burn any fat.

#2 Diet Soda and energy drinks

Studies have shown, that the artificial sweeteners in diet soda actually lead to weight gain as opposed to weight loss. Whether it is that drinking them increases appetite or just makes the consumer think that they can eat more since they chose diet soda over regular, is still undetermined. Soda is also extremely acidic. It takes over 30 (!!) cups of water to neutralize the acidity of one cola. This acid residue can be extremely hard on the kidneys since they have to filter it.

#3 White rice

As we know, white rice has fewer nutrients than brown rice, but the worst thing is, your body can absorb it so quickly that it triggers your blood sugar to spike. The result is an energy crash that is soon to come, followed by cravings. Choose brown rice instead to get more nutrients and feel fuller for a longer time.

#4 White bread

White bread has no nutritional value, is highly refined and often contains a lot of added sugar. It is high on the glycemic index, that means it can spike your blood sugar levels and forces your body to store fat.

#5 Baked goods

Anything with high fats, lots of sugar and refined grains is a big problem for people who are trying to lose weight. This includes muffins, scones, cakes and brownies.

#6 Fruit juice and fruit smoothies 

Packaged orange juice seems healthy for breakfast, but in reality, it’s just a glass full of sugar and empty calories. This also applies to fruit smoothies that you can buy in the supermarket. You’re better off eating the whole fruit, which gives you more nutrients and fiber.

#7 Salted nuts

Although raw nuts contain healthy fats and proteins, salted nuts can be your biggest enemy. Most of them are roasted with vegetable oil (which is not healthy anyway) and loaded with salt, so you can’t stop snacking and then you end up with eating the whole bag. You still have to monitor your intake with unsalted nuts, but they contain healthier fats and you’re less likely to continue to eat them mindlessly.

#8 Dried fruit

The problem with dried fruits is that most are loaded with added sugar. So, if you’re going to buy foods like these to snack on, just make sure that all you’re getting is the fruit itself.

#9 Sauces and Ketchup

Better be careful with ready-made sauces like ketchup, barbecue sauce, tomato sauce and soy sauce. They are often LOADED with sugar, which is bad news when you’re trying to shed a few pounds. Most of them are extremely high in salt as well, which makes it double trouble. You can’t eat perfect all the time but small changes can make a huge difference in the long run.