3 Healthy Food Items That Are Actually Bad For Dieting

3 HEALTHY FOOD ITEMS THAT ARE ACTUALLY BAD FOR DIETING

Healthy Food, not so healthy decision

Dieting is hard enough as it is. You do your best to pick healthy food items and now even those are not what you should be eating? Just because you have been told something is healthy, doesn’t mean that’s what you should be eating.

You may be on a diet and wondering why if you are starving yourself eating healthy food and you are still not losing weight. It’s not because the food is not healthy. It’s because more likely than not they are more calorically dense than you know.

Listed below are three healthy food choices you may want to reconsider if you are dieting.

1. Juices

You have probably heard it is not wise to drink your calories. Doing so does not satisfy your hunger hormones and calories are needlessly added.

Orange juice, cranberry juice, apple juice, grape juice, etc. are all high in calories. While “healthy” they are high in sugar and can easily add a lot of unknown calories.

In one 8 oz serving (who drinks only 8 oz??) there can be anywhere from 110-150 calories. In a normal Tervis Tumbler, there are 16 oz meaning twice that amount of calories (as much as 300!).

For reference, on an average walk you can expect to burn roughly 300 cal. Doesn’t sound worth it does it?! We have discussed in previous articles that 1lb contains about 3500 cal. Just 1 glass of juice per day equates to roughly 0.6lb worth of calories per week!

Instead: Try to consume only water. Doing so will ensure you are not drinking extra calories. If you need a change, add in a 0 cal flavor packet or soda if you are ok with artificial sweeteners.

2. Nuts and Avocados

Another healthy food category that may come as a shock to you, nuts. Nuts are very high in calories! Great for survival situations, horrible for dieting.

In only one handful of peanuts, there are roughly 166 calories! For reference, in a large Nestle Tollhouse Chocolate Chip Lovers cookie (12/package) there are roughly the same calories…(don’t ask how we know).

You wouldn’t go on a diet eating Nestle Tollhouse cookies now would you? When it comes to calories, your body does not discriminate what they come from. At the end of the day you must burn more calories than you consume to lose weight. Peanuts are high in fat and low in satiety.

Avocados are similar to peanuts. They are high in fat causing them to be high in calories. In one avocado there are roughly 322 calories. Two slices of multigrain bread and one avocado equates to just over 500 calories!

Whats a better option? Fruit. In AN ENTIRE POUND of strawberries or watermelon there are only around 150 calories! Some fruits like apples or bananas are OK but keep in mind they have a higher sugar content and thus higher calories.

3. Salads

We saved the best for last. At their core, salads are the epitome of healthy food, yet why do so many on a diet eating salads not lose weight?

Add ons. Salad dressing, cheese, croutons, bacon bits, nuts, etc. are where the majority of calories are added. Salad alone, just plain vegetables, is pretty insufferable for most.

If you were just to eat plain vegetables with nothing on them, they can be a great tool for weight loss. They contain fiber, high volume, micronutrients and very little calories. All are things you should aim to eat on a diet. However, a plain salad is like chewing on grass for most.

If you can’t manage to eat salad without additional add ons, try this instead: lettuce wraps.

By combining some lean ground meat like chicken, spices and other vegetables like onions, green/red peppers, etc. you can create a high protein, lower-calorie meal that is filling and tastes great!

High Volume, low calorie

When dieting this is the most important thing you want to keep in mind. Always strive to eat foods that are high volume and low calories. Doing so will allow you to stay fuller longer and maintain a caloric deficit needed to lose weight.

The easiest way to lose weight would be to feel the same amount of fullness while consuming less overall calories. By doing this and adding in exercise, losing weight or “dieting” becomes much easier and sustainable.

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