What Not To Eat On A Diet… Cheez-Its, We’re Looking At You
Most people think the key behind losing weight is cutting out snack all together. In fact snacking can actually be beneficial when losing weight whereby eating healthy snacks in between meals can provide extra energy and help to keep our metabolism working. So grab yourself a bag of chips right? Not so fast! Many so called “healthy foods” are actually high in sugar and fat and a no go if you’re trying to lose weight. Below are a just ten foods to avoid when dieting.
1. Bottled Smoothies
Eating more fruit is healthy right? So why not make it easy and enjoy a nice smoothie?
2. Trail Mix
Trail mix is a delicious fruit, nut and chocolate mix that many people think makes a great healthy snack- after all nuts are good for you right?
What’s more the milk chocolate within this delicious mix is highly processed and full of sugar and saturated fat. If you’re a sucker for trial mix why not try creating your own using dried fruit, mixed nuts and over 70% dark chocolate - that way it’s as natural as possible. But remember- don’t get carried away with the portion size!
3. Banana Chips
Bananas are full of potassium and a great source of energy
4. Granola and Skim Milk
Granola is by far my favorite cereal and many people believe a bowl of granola with Greek yogurt or skimmed milk is the perfect healthy snack.
5. Pretzels
Pretzels aren't technically chips - but actually pretzels are full of salt and sodium! Fat + sodium are a weight loss nightmare. Consuming too much salt is disastrous in terms of weight loss whereby it can not only increase dehydration but also the amount of water retained in the body, meaning you’ll feel bloated and puffy. If you enjoy a salty snack, watch your salt intake and swap the pretzels for a handful of lightly salted nuts, that way you’ll be getting in a healthy serving of protein and fiber.
6. Fruit Juice and Diet Soda
Hopefully you already know that soda is a no go, but why diet soda too? After all it’s calorie-free!
7. Yogurts
Yogurt is a good source of diary and perfect for when you’re trying to lose weight... but not all yogurt!
When choosing the best yogurts for weight loss and health try opting for low fat Greek yogurt, jam packed full of protein, with little sugar.
8. Snack Packs of Cookies
Often enough you can get a small snack pack size of cookies or chocolate candy bars that are only 100 calories.
9. Chocolate Pudding
Chocolate pudding cups are a way to satisfy your sweet tooth
Beware of the sugar! If you’re looking for a chocolately treat try consuming dark chocolate at least 70% in cocoa. Dark chocolate provides a series of antioxidants with less sugar than regular cocoa found in chocolate pudding!
10. Cheez-Its and Low Calorie Chips
Cheese crackers and chips like Cheez may be low in calories
What’s more the carb content and saturated fat content in these sneaky snacks won’t do your diet any favours!
Take-Home Message
Always be aware of what you are eating and what’s in the foods manufacturers and stores market! What may be described as “healthy” and “low fat” can in fact be full of hidden sugar, salt and fat - all of which won’t help you achieve weight loss goals.
