10 Foods to Avoid if You're Dieting ...

Jennifer

10 Foods to Avoid if You're Dieting ...
10 Foods to Avoid if You're Dieting ...

When you’re dieting, there are lots of foods you’ll eat that you haven’t really eaten in the past, but this article, my dear, is all about the foods to avoid if you’re dieting. It’s a veritable who’s who at the grocery store, but they’re all no-no’s for very good reasons. Read on, my dear! Here are 10 foods to avoid if you’re dieting.

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1. Soda

Diet or regular, soda tops my list of foods to avoid, whether you’re dieting or not! Regular soda is loaded with empty calories from sugar, and diet soda isn’t much better. Though it’s calorie-free, recent studies have shown that it actually encourages weight gain, which is the opposite of what you want!

2. Fast Food

Did you know one fast food value meal contains all of the calories you’re supposed to consume in an entire day? Sure, some of those calories come from protein, but most come from sugar (from the soda) and fat (from the burger and fries). With so many empty calories, there’s no surprise that fast food is near the top of the foods to avoid when you’re dieting.

3. Canned/boxed Food

What’s with my boycott of convenient and tasty canned ravioli and boxed macaroni and cheese? Simple: nearly everything that comes prepared in a can or a box is chock-full of nasty chemicals to flavor it and preserve it, along with an unhealthy dose of sodium and fat. Sorry, Chef Boyardee, your sinfully delicious mini ravioli is near the top of my list of foods to avoid.

4. Whole Dairy

Don’t get me wrong: dairy is good for you! But whole-fat dairy is full of fat, negating most of the good you did your body with the calcium and vitamin D. Opt for low-fat dairy instead, which has all of the nutrients you need, without the heart-stopping fat and cholesterol. Protip: low-fat or fat-free Greek yoghurt is still full of all of the good stuff, but with an added bonus of extra protein, way more than what’s in traditional yoghurt.

5. White Bread

White bread is, literally, bleached with BLEACH, sapping its valuable nutrients and leaving you with bland, flimsy, chemical-laced bread. Make the switch to whole bread, which, because it’s made with the whole grain (hence the name), it’s loaded with fiber, making you feel fuller, longer. Yum!

6. Processed Pasta

Just like bread made with bleached flour, most traditional pastas are loaded with calories from carbs without any real nutritional value. Again, making the switch from these to whole-grain pastas is an excellent idea for any dieter, turning pasta dishes from a food to avoid to a food to enjoy!

7. Deli Meats

There’s certainly nothing wrong with a little roasted turkey once in a while, but the sliced deli meat variety is full of sodium (to process and preserve it) and fat. Deli meat is another of the foods to avoid when you’re dieting, so make your own sandwich with real roasted turkey left-over from dinner.

8. Mega Portions

What is a mega-portion, and how to you avoid it? Simple. It’s almost any meal served at a chain restaurant. For example, a serving of chicken ought to be about the size of a deck of cards. But think back to your last meal at Olive Garden… their chicken marsala was at least twice the size of a deck of cards! That’s a mega portion.

9. So-called “diet” Foods

Why is practically anything labeled as “diet” a food to avoid? Because most of them are still loaded with fat… just check the labels! You’ll be surprised that some are actually higher in fat than food not labeled as diet friendly. When in doubt, check the nutritional information label on the food item.

10. Fried Foods

Anything fried qualifies as a food to avoid. It’s that simple. The list of items has grown lately, from the modest mushroom and gooey cheese strip, to the bold pickle and odd Twinkie. All sound tasty, but all ought to be avoided by dieters… and really, everyone else… I am curious about that fried pickle, though…

With so many foods to avoid while you’re dieting, what’s left to eat, you might ask? Lots of good stuff, like fresh fruits and veggies, wholesome whole grains, and tasty lean proteins! Which of these foods to avoid do you crave most, and how do you replace it? Or is there something else you’d like to add to my list?

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Hi I need lots of help! I don't know how to read the nutrition labels. I just started working out & ready to go food shopping & not sure what to buy besides fresh veggies & fruits! Help?

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