With all the media hype surrounding different miracle diets, you may feel confused about what you should and shouldn’t be eating in your weight loss quest. When we can’t decipher the hodge-podge from helpful science, we tend to turn to food labels and advertising to help us find clarity in the chaos. However, many of these self-proclaimed “health” foods may actually be tragic for our waistlines.

Here is a list of these “health” foods you should avoid:

1)   Reduced-Fat Peanut Butter

Peanuts are high in fat, however these fats are actually good for you and aid in weight loss when eaten in moderation. So don’t skimp out on them! Hydrogenated oils and sugar usually replace the natural and waist whittling fat found in all natural peanut butter.

2)   Light Olive Oil

No, the “light” does not imply that it has fewer calories so drenching your veggies in it is still not okay. Light refers to the flavor and color in this case. However, it still has the same health benefits as regular olive oil, so use it sparingly to take advantage of all its health benefits!

3)   Multi-Grain Bread

Make sure to check the ingredients list before purchasing bread! The first ingredient on most of these breads is enriched flour, or white flour a refined carbohydrate that can be detrimental to your dieting progress. Instead, opt for 100% whole-wheat, 100% whole grain, or better yet, spelt bread!

4)   Protein Shakes

If you are one of those people who thinks you need to chug a protein shake after your workout for optimal weight loss and lean muscle build, you may actually be doing yourself a disservice. Many protein shakes are high in calories, sugar, and saturated fat. They can also be highly processed, containing a ton of additives. Try other natural high-protein options such as a glass of almond milk, non-fat Greek yogurt with nuts or seeds, or celery and apples with nut butter.

5)   Vegetable Chips

These chips claim to be made of vegetables, and they are. However don’t think they will give you the same fat-fighting benefits of real vegetables! Their main ingredient is still potatoes, salt, and oil and carry little to no fiber. They are a better option to satisfy your chip cravings than other greasy, processed chips, but eat them in moderation and still eat your real veggies!

 

-Emily Freeman