The Two Worst Foods That Hinder Fat Loss
The two foods that are considered fattening that I’m about to talk about will likely come as a shock to you because most people falsely believe that they are actually so-called ‘healthy’. In all the time I have spent working as a Certified Nutrition Specialist, these are usually the two foods that surprise most people when I tell them that they should be removed from their diet.
You probably already realize that trans fats and high fructose corn syrup are two of the worst offenders as far as fat loss is concerned, which is great because it gives you a good starting place.
That said, many people neglect the following two foods and mistakenly sacrifice their results because of it.
Fat Loss Food Offender #1: Wheat
Surprised? Most people believe that whole wheat products are the best way to go – they provide fiber, they keep you full, they are healthy.
Not always the case.
The wheat products I’m talking about include foods such as breads, cereals, bagels, muffins, pasta, crackers, and so on. Why are these products so bad for you if your goal is fat loss?
First, one thing many are not aware of is the fact that a large percentage of the population has some degree of intolerance to gluten. Gluten is found in so many products out there lining the supermarket shelves that unless you’re reading every single ingredient listing and double checking each food before you put it into your grocery cart, you’ll be getting some gluten.
There are full blown celiacs who actually cannot tolerate gluten (it can seriously harm their health), and then there are those who only have a minor sensitivity to it and while it won’t cause damage to their system, it will damage the results they get.
The human body was never designed to eat such a large quantity of wheat products each day so when fed the high amounts most people are taking in with their diet, problems will arise. It’s only been in the last couple thousand years that humans have started eating such large quantities as well, which is such a small time frame when you compare it to the traditional diet of the hunger-gatherer who existed off meats, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.
Now, moving on to look at my experience from my clients, it seems that when they eliminate wheat from their diet for 2-3 weeks, it’s almost like magic. They start to lose weight, they are feeling better, and they always tell me what a HUGE difference it is making. Often they’ll start losing body fat much faster as well, and the headaches and indigestion problems they might have suffered from before are now long gone. In many cases, skin problems that may have been present also clear up in a matter of days.
So right there, one of the major foods you really want to watch and consider eliminating for fat loss is wheat.
Fat Loss Offender #2: Fruit Juice
Now you might be confused. I just stated that you should be living off meat, fruits, vegetables, and nuts, and next thing you know I’m now telling you fruit juice is out. What’s going on?
The reason I am listing this as an offender is because we were not meant to separate the juice from the rest of the fruit. What’s left behind is this very high calorie sugary mixture that lacks the fiber and nutrients you would have received from eating the whole fruit.
From a fat loss standpoint this is extremely problematic because if you’re downing hundreds of calories of fruit juice a day, that doesn’t leave much room for foods that will actually fill you up. You’ll crave more carbs as a result and chances are, your calorie intake for that day will be very high.
Think of it this way. You’d have to consume approximately 3 whole oranges to equal the same number of calories in one cup of juice (and remember that most glasses you use will contain at least a cup and a half). What would be more satisfying? Obviously the fruit would be, which is precisely why you should leave the juice behind and only include fresh fruits in your diet.
So keep these two foods in mind. Do they currently finding their way into your weight loss diet?
Mike Geary is a nationally Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Nutritional Specialist, and author of the internationally popular “The Truth About Abs” ©2004-2009.
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