Just as in life, weight loss is all about making the right choice. One of the most important aspects of losing weight is to know which foods to avoid and then stay away from them. However, most people are not aware about all the foods that they should avoid and make bad food choices while pursuing their weight loss goal.
Predictably, a large number of these people fail to lose weight, and the unfortunate part is that they have no idea where they went wrong. While some may give up on their dream for a leaner body, others push their body into following a higher intensity exercise regimen, which in turn leads to fatigue and injury.
The first step toward weight loss to understand what to eat and what to avoid at all cost. Here is a comprehensive list of foods that you must avoid if you are trying to lose weight:
- White Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy for the body. However, one of its sub-groups known as white carbohydrates has serious implications on weight control. The popular foods in this sub-group are pasta, potato, rice, white bread, and white flour.
Besides being high in calories, white carbs are usually tasty and are, therefore, consumed in larger quantities by people. However, they are also digested easily, and so, you start feeling hungry soon after you consume them. They also are the cause behind a sudden increase and then a dip in the sugar levels of the body – playing havoc with the metabolism levels.
Apart from these reasons, white carbs contain chlorine dioxide, which is a chemical agent that is used to bleach flour. This chemical is a catalyst in the formation of alloxan, which has been known to cause diabetes.
Therefore, it is recommended that you completely avoid white carbohydrates and replace them with carbs that are rich in fibers, like brown rice and whole grain bread.
- Fast food: If you are trying to lose weight, you have to avoid all kinds of fast food. Fast foods contain all that could cause obesity – calories, sugar, and salt. The steady rise in obesity can be partly attributed to the growth of the fast food industry. A recent study has concluded that people who consume fast foods two or more times in a week gain more than 10 pounds as compared to those who eat these foods less.
Fast food also increases the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disorders. Another study by The University of California proved that even the geographical location of a fast food outlet had a direct impact on obesity.
- MSG: Monosodium glutamate is a food additive and a flavor enhancer and is commonly known as Ajinomoto or Tasting Powder. It is also one of the lesser-known food ingredients that is known to cause obesity. A study conducted by The University of North Carolina showed that people who use MSG for enhancing the flavor of their food regularly are more likely to be overweight.
The problem is that MSG is present in not only fast food, but is also used extensively in restaurant food, especially Chinese food, packaged foods, and even pre-made foods. Therefore, it is not easy to avoid an ingredient, which is a part of so many different food options. However, one must minimize the consumption of foods that contain MSG or its several variants like glutamate, glutamic acid, yeast extract, and autolyzed plant protein. Eating home-cooked food without using such additives might be the best option.
- Sodas and Juices: It is easy to ignore the health hazards posed by the drinks we consume every day. Most of these drinks are high in carbohydrates and sugars and also cause obesity. Did you know that a recent Harvard study has concluded that one extra soda can make you fatter by 15 pounds? Moreover, it is just sodas- even other drinks like juices that contain calories and sweeteners are to blame.
Therefore, you need to take stock of the type of drinks that you consume every day. You must avoid all soft drinks, juices, and other liquid beverages. You may be surprised by the results if you replace them with water and healthier drinks like green tea.
Now that you know about the foods you need to stay away from, you can begin by replacing them with healthier alternatives. This will be a great start to your weight loss program and is more likely to deliver desired results when combined with a planned exercise regimen.
References:
http://www.healthtree.com/articles/obesity/causes/fast-food/
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080813164638.htm
http://www.conquering-obesity.com/monosodium-glutamate.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monosodium_glutamate
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2006/08/obesity_soft_drinks.html
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0887/is_n11-12_v15/ai_18999104/
http://www.nature.com/ijo/journal/v33/n6/abs/ijo200945a.html
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