When you start an exercise or diet program, you are anxious to see results. That makes sense, especially if you are working hard to eat healthier. Are you positive that you are eating the right foods, though? There may be hidden foods in your diet that are counteracting your weight loss efforts by killing your metabolism.
Not all foods are healthy, even if you think they are. Since weight loss is about 80% diet and 20% exercise, it’s crucial to provide your body with the right foods. To achieve your weight loss goals, it is beneficial to avoid the foods in this article. Most of these foods can cause the following:
- Weight Gain
- Fatigue
- Muscle Weakness
- Blood Sugar Imbalance
- Thyroid Dysfunction
- Unhealthy Cravings
- Digestive Discomfort
Farmed Beef
Farmed beef is full of antioxidants that destroy healthy gut bacteria. As you can imagine, this leads to digestive problems and weight gain. A recent study found that the antibiotics in farmed beef alter the way the body processes food. This is why it is best to avoid meat and meat products. The results of a meaty diet can be detrimental to not only your metabolism, but your overall health as well.
Fruit Juice
Where do we begin with fruit juice? Let us first start by saying that fat in your diet isn’t typically the first thing that is adding inches to your waist. Consuming foods with hidden sugars, such as bottled fruit juice, can cause cravings, inflammation, and can slow your metabolism. The most common fruit juices people consume are orange, apple, and grape, all of which are basically sugar water. A typical eight-ounce glass of fruit juice contains about 30 grams of sugar. Instead of drinking these sugar drinks, you can make your own juice using a juicer, or you can add fresh fruit to water. You can also make homemade lemonade by squeezing fresh lemons in water and adding a little stevia.
“Healthy” Chips & Crackers
There are a lot of so-called “healthy” chips and snacks out there, but they often contain processed vegetable oils such as safflower or sunflower oils, both of which have omega-6 fats. Unlike healthy omega-3 fatty acids, which are in walnuts, avocados, flaxseeds, or cabbages, omega-6 fats is correlated with obesity. There used to be a balance between omega-3s and omega-6s in the American diet, but high consumption of processed foods has led to a high omega-6/omega-3 ratio. These “healthy” chips, for instance, can also contain trans fats and soybean oil. Plus, it takes the body almost 3 times longer to process these foods than it does to process fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.
White Flour
It’s no secret that Americans love pasta and bread. Well, white flour is processed and devoid of all the health benefits that whole, sprouted grains offer. White flour is wheat that doesn’t have any of wheat’s benefits, which include dietary fiber and antioxidants. Because it doesn’t have any fiber, it does nothing for your metabolism or intestinal health. Typically, white flour and refined grains slow your digestion. This is why it is beneficial to eat sprouted grains like barley wheat or quinoa, both of which work to encourage a healthy metabolism.
Artificial Sweeteners
Probably one of the worst foods for your metabolism, artificial sweeteners are attractive to people because they lie to you by saying you can consume them guilt-free. Aspartame, for instance, has been linked to free radical damage, accelerated aging, increased cravings for carbs, and apoptotic changes in the brain. Artificial sweeteners are typically found in diet sodas. Drinking one diet soda a day significantly increase a person’s risk of weight gain and adds inches to the waist. Avoid artificial sweeteners and use stevia, agave nectar, or organic grade B maple syrup instead. The best part with all of these alternatives is that a little goes a long way.
