Here’s the magic formula for losing weight: you have to burn more calories than you take in. You can do this by making cuts to your diet, but also by getting more exercise. The problem that many of us ladies have is that we are tricked into thinking something is healthy only to find out that it’s getting in the way of successful weight loss. If you are stuck and can’t get the number on the scale to budge, think about eliminating the following foods from your meal plan and see if that helps.
1 Say “No” to Certain Energy or Protein Bars
Some of these are decent choices, but you have to be careful how you’re eating them. Some of these bars are meant to be meal replacement bars so if you eat them for a snack, then have a full meal a couple of hours later, you’re easily getting more calories than you should be. Make sure you choose bars that are low in fat, calories and sugar so you don’t get in your own way.
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2 Skip the Multi- Grain Bread
Multi-grain sounds virtuous and healthy, doesn’t it? Not so fast! The truth is that multi-grain doesn’t mean a food is not packed with refined grains. You need to be eating 100% whole grains because they are loaded with fiber to satisfy your appetite and have more nutrients than refined grains. This goes for bread, crackers, cereal and pasta.
3 Frozen Meals Aren’t Good
A frozen dinner that’s sold as a diet aid is portion controlled, but that doesn’t always make it a good choice. Many are loaded with salt, which isn’t healthy. At the same time, many have such a small amount of food that you will only feel hungry a short time later, causing you to overeat and take in more calories than you should. Have a real meal – you’ll be a lot more satisfied.
4 Avoid the 100-Calorie Snack Packs
They make it easy to control your calorie intake, but not all of them are healthy snacks to begin with. It’s still a bag of cookies, even if it is only 100 calories. In general, when you’re trying to lose weight, you should be snacking on fruits and veggies, with have a lot of nutrition as well as being filling.
5 Stay Away from Granola
Here’s another food that makes itself out to be super healthy, but that’s not always the case. It can be pretty sugary and often contains ingredients that add to the calorie content. If you love granola and don’t want to give it up, consider making your own so you can control what goes into it.
6 Fancy Coffee Drinks Can Be Bad
A cup of black coffee is fine for a weight loss diet, but if you’re the type to go for the flavored, milky coffee drinks, it’s time to quit the habit. These drinks might taste good, but many women trying to lose weight fail to account for their liquid calories, which can add up fast and totally get in the way of shedding pounds.
7 Peanut Butter is a No-No
This one comes with a caveat. Peanut butter can be a healthy addition to a weight loss meal plan, provided you tally the calorie count into your daily totals and you stick with one portion instead of going back for more a couple of times. If you have a hard time with portion control, think about having a handful of real peanuts instead to satisfy a craving.
What’s your favorite sugary treat? Would you be willing to stop eating it if it meant you’d lose some weight?
