1. Eggs.
--Most of us believe that eggs are terrible to eat, since they contain a lot of cholesterol and that egg yolks are bad for people that are concerned about their heart. Turns out though, they aren't as bad as you think. Research has shown that dietary cholesterol isn’t the biggest issue when it comes to raising cholesterol levels. It is the saturated and trans fats that are mostly to blame. But this doesn’t mean just eat egg-whites though. Egg yolks contain lutein and zeaxanthin, which are said to reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration, which is the leading cause of blindness in older people. Plus, eggs are super duper satisfying and even go as far as making you eat less during your next meal.
2. Chocolate
--Obviously chocolate has a bad rep since it is full of sugar and fat. Fear not everyone it is more complicated than that. Dark chocolate, in particular, has antioxidants that benefit heart health and can help lessen stress hormones. Keep in mind, chocolate does contain quite a bit of calories (151 calories per oz.). However, this doesn’t mean you have to completely cut it out of your diet forever.
3. Peanut Butter
--I’ll tell you what. I love peanut butter, and was pretty upset to hear that I shouldn’t eat it because it is super fattening. So I did some research to see how bad it really is. Turns out it’s not all that bad. Of course peanut butter is actually very high in fat, but it is not fattening. Losing weight is based on burning more calories than you eat every day. Having said that, peanut butter is good to eat in moderation since it contains proteins and other vitamins that help in the development of new cells. Just remember not to go overboard because one tablespoon has 90 calories on average.
4. Beef
-- Yeahhhh! That’s right. If you didn’t see this coming, then get off my blog. I am a meat eater and always will be forever. No hipster will EVER turn me off from meat. No offensive to vegans and vegetarians though, it just seems like eating meat is a dying trend lately. I have always been told red-meat is bad for you, but those people can back off now. Lean-cuts in meat, like sirloin, flank, and other deep-red cuts, are a low-fat way to obtain protein and iron. Iron is especially important for women that have had children, since they are usually lacking in it. Yes, lean-cuts in meat are more expensive, but it goes to show you, you can still eat meat. Yay!
5. Potatoes
--Potatoes are known mostly for having a high glycemic level, which is simple terms means that it can cause high levels of sugar in the blood compared to other foods. This can be a problem for people especially those with diabetes. When I learned that, it was a complete bummer since diabetes runs in my family. However, you don’t have to worry about the GI-level unless you are eating the potato plain. Adding something like a little olive oil (fat) helps slow the absorption of carbs from the potato, making it low in GI. The important thing to remember though is that potatoes are a good source of fiber, potassium and vitamin C.
Now for 5 foods that really aren’t so good for you.
1. Energy Bars
--Luckily, I think these things are nasty most of the time anyway, but since a lot of people swear by them, I decided to share some facts. Energy bars are a good source in protein and other nutrients like fiber that help in lessening your appetite, but….they are full of calories. Most of these bars range in calories from 150-300 each. This isn’t really a problem for people that use them as a meal supplement, but most people eat them as a snack. You might as well eat a candy bar, if you are going to do that. So next time you want an energy bar, look for the ones that are 100 calories or less.
2. Salads
--Once again, this is one of those foods that people get all crazy about when it comes to losing weight. Yes, salads can be good to eat, but in most cases they aren’t. You can eat all the veggies you want in a salad, but once you start adding cheese, croutons, bacon bits, etc, you might as well eat that thing while running on the treadmill. Or you can at least eat something you will enjoy more for how many calories you just added. For example the Southwest Salad with chicken at McDonald’s ranges from 320-430 calories without dressing. Add the ranch dressing and crouton packets they give you and you are at least at 590 calories. You are better off making your own salad at home and try to stay away from dressings that are mayo-based in order to keep the calories low.
3. Granola
--Another fad food item for people looking to lose weight. Hate to break it to you again, but prepare yourself. Maybe have a seat for this one. Granola is full of sugars, fat, AND calories. The ratio of calories to servings is crazy in comparison to something like cheerios. So don’t be fooled. You are better off eating whole grain cereals than most granola out there.
4. Smoothies
--This isn’t necessarily a bad food choice; it is one that you should always look to see the ingredients in though. In order for a smoothie to be healthy and have a reasonable amount of calories, you have to make sure they contain whole fruit, low-fat yogurt/milk, and no added sugars. For an example, Jamba Juice smoothies range in 340-680 calories depending on the size and type. Most of us drink those along with food too, so imagine what a waste of calories that exactly is. And even if you did drink it alone, do you get full off of it? Probably not, right? So just keep that in mind next time you order up something from Jamba Juice or Juice It Up.
5. Sushi
--Once again, this isn’t necessarily a bad food choice. It all depends on what you order and what’s in it. My favorite sushi roll right now is the Las Vegas roll. That thing is a little fried on the outside, has an awesome sauce on top and tons of cream cheese. Just talking about it makes me depressed because I know I will not be having it for a long while. The calories in that bad boy are well over 500 without the tasty sauce. However, I take comfort in the fact that I can still eat sushi if I keep it simple with a Cali roll or anything without cream cheese (sigh) since those contain about half the calories.
I will be completely honest. Dieting is tough (like I have said), especially if you don't know where to start. The only thing I can recommend is do research and do what you are comfortable doing, not what people suggest. Because in most cases people just tell you what they hear on TV, rather than research actual facts about how to lose weight.
It has been two weeks since I started trying to lose weight and I lost about 6 pounds in the first week. However, I didn't lose any the second. Kind of weird, but I'll take what I can get. This was weight loss based strictly eating at home, not drinking soda or having sweets all the time. I worked out maybe twice each week. If everyone just took the step of cutting out unhealthy food and not eating out, you can start achieving your goals just by doing that. Now that I am back on a relatively normal schedule now, I am going to start working out 4-5 times a week. I am working at my own pace. I am not aiming to look like a model or anything. Just trying to lose tummy fat at a healthy rate, rather than force it off like on Biggest Loser.
A few other things before I close this super long, but informative post. I CANNOT stress enough on how important it is to try to make/prepare all the food you eat every day. I say this because this gives you the ability to be in control of what you are eating and you are able to get an idea of how many calories you are consuming daily. Keep in mind though, I don’t count calories nor do I keep a food journal like a lot of people recommend. I don’t think it is necessary. If you eat in moderation and make meals that are healthy in general, you won’t need to. Also, don’t listen to all the crazy nonsense about not using real sugar or not drinking alcohol at all while dieting. Yes, obviously sugar and the sugars in alcohol can hinder weight loss. But most things in moderation are just dandy. You only hear the bad stuff about most food and drinks since people think anything that tastes good is bad. However, that is a bunch of bull. You just have to cut out all the processed foods and decrease the amount of high calorie foods you may eat (alcohol, girly coffee drinks, cookies, etc). Because if we all lived like people did in the 50’s for example, American wouldn’t be on the path to obesity. Home-cooked meals and being more active must have had been the key back then, right?
**My resources came from EatingWell.com, multiple calories tracking websites, and other random google sites on dieting and food.
