What we choose to eat and how often we exercise can have a significant effect on our weight. Eating foods that are deemed “unhealthy” and high in saturated fat, salt and sugar, instead of healthier foods such as lean protein, fruits and vegetables, on a regular basis can mean that we gradually gain weight.
Similarly, if we lead a sedentary lifestyle without much movement to burn off the excess calories our body doesn’t need, the same can happen.
We might not realise it at first, but then our clothes might feel a little tighter, we might have to loosen our belt and we may begin to feel sluggish and unhealthy. Losing weight can feel harder than gaining it, so ideally, we’d choose a lifestyle where we constantly maintain a healthy weight.
But stressful, busy lives, where we’re juggling work and family lives with trying to make healthy choices, can mean that we don’t go for the options we wish we had time to.
So here, we’re going to take some of the hard work out of it, by listing out ten foods (and drinks) that should be avoided if you’re either trying to lose weight, or you’re trying to maintain a healthy weight. We’re also going to suggest some healthier alternatives that can help you on your journey to health.
1. Sugary foods
It seems right to start this list of foods to avoid if you’re trying to lose weight, with sweetened cakes, biscuits and sweets. These kinds of foods taste wonderful – but they’re packed with sugar and sugary syrups such as corn syrup, that all happen to be extremely calorific.
Weight loss is difficult and complicated, but it can be simplified into an equation for the purposes of this article – if we consume fewer calories than we burn each day, we’ll lose weight. If we consume more calories than we’re burning off, we’ll store them as fat, and we’ll gain weight.
Sugar syrups that are commonly used in sweet foods contain a high level of calories from both the added sugars and the fats used to make them taste irresistible. These kinds of foods are therefore high in these so-called empty calories and are low in beneficial nutrients such as protein, vitamins and minerals.
Of course, cakes and biscuits can still be consumed, we’re not completely oblivious to the fact that they make great treats. But they’re best kept for exactly that – the occasional treat. If you have a sugar craving, trying sucking slowly on one or two squares of dark chocolate.
2. Refined, white carbs
In much the same way as sweets and sugary treats, white bread, pasta and rice are high in sugar. Surprised? We know! All sugars are a type of carbohydrate, and therefore, carbohydrate rich foods such as bread and pasta, contain sugars. But not all carbs are created equal.
Carbohydrates in their natural state are complex molecules, that are broken down during the process of digestion into their constituent parts – sugar. White carbs, such as white bread, rice and pasta have been refined to remove the wheatgerm. The wheatgerm contains important nutrients such as the B vitamins that supply energy, as well as bran and fibre that support a healthy gut.
But not only does this refining process strip the foods of their valuable nutrients, it also turns them into fairly simple molecules and this makes them quicker to digest – very quickly flooding the bloodstream with sugar. And as if this isn’t bad enough, this sugar high is quickly replaced by a sugar low, meaning that we’ll crave the next hit, and reach for the nearest calorific, sugary treat.
Brown pasta, bread and rice contains the wheatgerm and are broken down into sugars much more slowly, helping to better regulate blood sugar levels and hunger, and are a much healthier option.
3. Dried fruit
At first, you might think, hang on Health Natural, fruit is healthy and good for us, why on earth have you included dried fruit, which is a healthy snack, on this list?! And we hear you, but bear with us. Fruit is healthy – it’s packed with fibre, vitamins and minerals. But it also contains a fair amount of fruit sugar, called fructose, which the body treats in the same way as standard sugar, or glucose. Too much, or more than we can burn off each day, and it’ll be stored as fat.
But a couple of portions of fruit a day is very healthy. The problems start when fruit is dehydrated to make dried fruit snacks, because we’re more likely to eat more than a standard fruit portion in one sitting, effectively consuming more sugar than we would from fresh fruit.
Also, the dehydration process means that a lot of the volume is removed from the fruit, in turn, making the fructose more highly concentrated, and therefore more calorific.
It’s best to stick to fresh fruit, so add a variety of bananas, soft fruits, berries and citrus fruits to your diet each week.
4. Soda and sport drinks
Colas and fizzy drinks are notoriously loaded with sugar. If you haven’t ever seen the shocking levels of sugar contained within one can of cola for example, take a look at this comparison data – one can of coke contains 10.6g of sugar. When we consider that one sugar cube weighs 2.3g, that’s around four and half sugar cubes, in one drink.
As we’ve learned, sugar is very calorific, and if we’re watching our weight, then this hidden sugar can be detrimental to our progress.
Some people choose to drink sports drinks, either as part of their post exercise recovery or to provide energy during the day. But the reality is, unless we’re an elite athlete, training to absolute exhaustion on a regular basis, we simply don’t need these drinks in order to recover or to energise us. All we’re effectively doing is consuming sugar – which is counterintuitive to exercising!
Instead, opt for water as your main hydration. If you’re looking for flavour, trying adding a few slices of lemon and lime. Keep fizzy drinks to a minimum and opt for diet versions – and avoid sports and energy drinks at all costs.
5. Alcoholic drinks
Drinking alcohol in moderation can, for many, be a sociable thing to do. It can help to improve our confidence in social situations and it can even help to relieve mild stress at the end of a busy day. This isn’t an article about the dangers of moderate or high alcohol consumption, but simply a reminder that it can be extremely calorific.
Beer tends to be the most calorific alcohol per volume, so if you are having a drink, try sticking to wine or a clear spirit with a low sugar or diet mixer. Sparkling and white wine are less calorific than red wines and fortified wines such as port.
If we do over indulge, the weight gain potential of alcohol doesn’t stop at what we’re drinking either. The same night or the morning after a lot of alcohol, we’re more likely to choose oily, greasy and carb laden foods that yep, you’ve guessed it, will only add to our calorie intake! We might also opt for sugary, fizzy drinks to help quench our thirst due to the dehydration caused by alcohol, too.
So, the best way to enjoy a drink is to make mindful choices, limit ourselves to one or two drinks, and to drink a glass of water for each alcoholic drink throughout the evening.
6. Sugary coffees
A hit of caffeine first thing in the morning is non-negotiable for many of us in order to face the day. A straight, black, unsweetened coffee or a white americano made with a splash of semi-skimmed or oat milk is very low in calories. But, if we add sugar, even just a teaspoon, we’re really ramping up the calorific value of our morning hot drink.
The NHS guidelines recommend that adults consume no more than the equivalent of seven sugar cubes per day, ideally less. So, if we add a teaspoon to our coffee, and we have multiple cups per day, then we’re already close to that figure, just through drinks alone.
Then, once we stray into cappuccino and latte territory, we might unwittingly be loading up on hidden calories – especially so if we’re a fan of flavours and syrups that are common in the autumn and winter months. (Hallowe’en themed pumpkin spiced latte or Christmassy hazelnut flat white, anyone?)
These syrups might taste good, but they’re pretty much pure sugar with some artificial flavourings and can significantly add to both our sugar and calorie intake.
So, stick to black coffee, or add a splash of milk, and if you take sugar, try to gradually reduce how much you add until you’re drinking your coffee, sugar free.
7. Fried foods
Fried foods like French fries, fried eggs, and onion rings are usually cooked in oils that are high in unhealthy trans fats and calories. These foods are not only bad for weight loss but also for overall heart health. The high calorie content, combined with the appealing taste and texture, makes it easy to consume large portions, leading to weight gain.
If you took one potato and cut it into skinny fries, then took another potato of exactly the same variety and size and turned it into thick cut chips and then deep fried them both, the skinny fries would be more calorific. This is because the thick cut chips have a smaller surface area to volume ratio, meaning that there’s less of the outside of a specific weight of thick chips to coat in oil, compared to the same weight cut into multiple times more fries.
Baked or air-fried versions of your favourite fried foods can satisfy your cravings with fewer calories and less unhealthy fat. These methods of cooking use little to no oil, reducing the overall calorie content while still providing a similar taste and texture.