The road to weight loss is hard and, sometimes even sad. You have to make drastic lifestyle changes that make you feel that your life is as boring as a beige cardigan. However, some individuals take the weight loss process a tad more intense and take it to the extreme, depriving themselves of proper food to bring weight loss at a much faster pace.
Others know how to balance it out with choosing to not entirely sacrifice their happy foods; the trick being moderation and portion control. It is also true that in our efforts to lose some pounds, we eat the wrong foods thinking they’re healthy. This is all thanks to food misconceptions. That’s why it is important we set the record straight. Below are the kinds of food items that can ruin your diet and health altogether that you’re probably not aware of:
Salads
Sure, fresh veggies are filled with vitamins and minerals. Dieters often choose salads over a meal and that’s fine. However, while the vegetables in salads are healthy, the salad dressing isn’t. Mayonnaise and thousand island dressings are filled with sugar, preservatives and plenty of salt that has sodium. So, while you’re thinking you’re making a healthier option, think again. You can go for light dressings containing olive oil, garlic and lemon juice instead.
Fruit shakes
Fancy a fruit smoothie? Bear in mind that it could have as much as 80 grams of sugar and frequently contains fruit pulp instead of fresh fruit. This is important because we typically go for these kinds of drinks thinking they’re better alternatives when they’re really not.
Muffins
Many people opt for muffins thinking they’re not so bad, but they’re usually filled with sugar and refined flour. In fact, each muffin has about 500 calories in it. If you’re a muffin lover, at least opt for the whole-wheat kinds as they’re quite more harmless.
Grains
We naturally think that grains are healthier option, but check the food labels and you’ll realize that the pasta and bread you’re regularly eating only contain refined grains like white flour. You have to choose for the whole grains if you’re keen in making your body receive essential nutrients.
Cheese
True, cheese is rich in protein and calcium since it comes from milk, but it is also high in fat. Also, many brands of cheese come with salt and synthetic flavoring, which makes it not totally healthy. It is best to go easy with your cheese consumption.
Popcorn
You might think that popcorn is okay since it’s made of corn, but it has high levels of fat, especially when it’s microwaved. Popcorns, especially the ones with butter and caramel flavorings are the worst. These are usually loaded with salt and the ones sold in movie theaters don’t even use real butter, but rather a artificial kind that’s loaded trans fat. Eat popcorn in moderation and you can even make your own at home without adding any butter or oil.
Salty treats
Any food that contains plenty of salt is unhealthy. Even stuffed olives and salted nuts aren’t very good options. To control your consumption of sodium, steer clear of processed and canned foods. Too much salt can also cause blood pressure problems, so it’s best you follow this restriction by heart. Tinned tuna or luncheon meats are also filled with sodium. You can go for fresh poultry and seafood as healthier alternatives.
