Not losing fat as you had hoped you would? Sometimes, the ‘healthy foods’ you are eating that are marketed as fat loss choices can actually be sabotaging your results.
Many people often think they are doing everything right, only to see no results staring back at them. This then causes them to believe their body is broken or that they will never be able to lose weight as they would like. Finally, they give up entirely.
All you really need to do is learn which sneaky foods are hindering your success.
Let’s take a closer look.
‘Fat Free’ Foods
When you see the words ‘fat free’ on a label, do you immediately get excited, thinking that this food must be a smart choice for your meal plan?
If so, it’s time to rethink that. The problem with these ‘fat free’ foods is they’ve been stripped of their nutrients and are very often extremely simple in nature. The end result is they provide very little nutritional value, very little satiety, and will often lead you right into an energy crash.
If a food is naturally fat free, such as an apple – go for it. If it has to advertise it’s fat free, rethink it.
Protein Bars
The next food that may be sabotaging your results are protein bars. The big problem with these is that while they will provide you with some protein, many also come with a high dose of sugar as well.
There are a few smarter varieties out on the market today so if you use those occasionally, that’s fine. But for the most part, steer clear of these glorified candy bars.
Always read the ingredient label first before eating one of these. If sugar (or any ingredient that is just like sugar) is found, it’s not a food to include on your diet.
100-Calorie Snacks
It’s not uncommon to see a number of different 100-calorie snacks now lining the shelves of your local supermarket. Whether it’s pretzels, chocolate, or cookies, you can now find these portion-controlled packs everywhere.
They are marketed as an easy way to control your calorie intake and therefore manage your weight. And while it’s true – that 100 calories isn’t too significant in the grand scheme of things, the problem comes in the fact these snacks don’t provide any nutritional value.
Remember, fat loss isn’t just about tallying the right number of calories at the end of the day. It’s about making sure that you are eating high quality foods and hitting your macronutrient (protein, carb, and fat) targets.
If you aren’t doing that, you may lose weight, but it won’t be fat. Feast on too many of these nutrient devoid snacks and it could be lean muscle you’re saying good-bye to.
Dairy
Another food that you may need to think more carefully about in your diet plan is dairy. Now, not all dairy is harmful. Small amounts of reduced fat cheese along with cottage cheese can be included as part of a healthy diet plan.
But that strawberry flavored yogurt you had for breakfast? Check the sugar content on that. Chances are, it’s well over 10 grams per serving. Many dairy products do contain a lot of added sugar, especially if they are the fat free variety.
Additionally, in many dairy products there is a good amount of naturally occurring sugars called lactose. If you are aiming to keep your overall sugar intake down on your fat loss diet, this could over time become a problem.
Evaluate whether there is room in your diet for dairy and make the decision from there.
Gluten Free Foods
Finally, the last type of marketed fat loss food that may be sabotaging your diet efforts are gluten free foods. With everyone now jumping on the gluten free bandwagon, it’s easy to get caught up in this, thinking these are the best foods to eat.
But here again, don’t let common sense go out the window. If cookies weren’t healthy for you before, they aren’t healthy just because they are now gluten free.
Naturally gluten free foods such as chicken, fruits and vegetables, along with healthy oils don’t have to advertise they’re gluten free. They just are.
When a food that normally contains gluten is turned gluten free, you know it’s been through some degree of processing and therefore isn’t a healthy and viable option because of it.
Are you eating any of these foods? Could they be sabotaging your results? If you stick to all natural foods in your diet, you can rest assured that you’re eating high quality choices that should yield optimal fat burning results.
