There are three facets to a successful diet: mental preparedness, physical activity and healthy eating habits. With the right mindset losing weight is only a matter of lifestyle change and the time it takes for your body to change, but diet is a huge part of the process. While every good diet gets cheated on at least once, there are some real deal breakers to consider when it comes to what you should and should not eat. Some foods are less diet-friendly than others, and steering clear of these diet-breakers can help keep you on the path to a happier, healthier you.
Alcoholic Beverages
Alcohol is a silent culprit when it comes to causing people to break their diets. This is because people usually consider what they are eating when trying to lose weight, seldom considering the calories they are packing on with their beverages. Fat Free Kitchen reports that the average 12-oz. beer can contain about 150 calories. For best results, opt for a light beer every now and again and keep the drinking to a minimum when dieting.
Fast Food
Fast food is one of the easiest diet-breaking culprits to identify. Fast food isn't difficult to identify; any food that you can purchase without having to get out of your car can be identified as fast food. The same can be said for any food that comes in a paper wrapper and a brown bag.
If you must eat fast food, there are small changes that you can make to make them a more sensible choice. Young Women's Health suggests opting for water or low-fat milk instead of soda, and ordering a side salad instead of fries. Add vegetables to your meal for extra nutrients, such as lettuce and tomato on your hamburger. It is also a smart idea to opt for leaner meats, such as grilled chicken or turkey, over ground beef and steak burgers.
Low-Fat, Fat-Free, Sugar-Free or No Trans Fat Foods
With the growing consciousness regarding what is and is not safe to put in the body, many companies are opting to label their foods with things like "no fat," or "no sugar added," to persuade diet-conscious eaters to purchase their products. While these are certainly more sensible choices than their fat- and sugar-laden counterparts, they can also work against you by making you feel better about eating foods that you shouldn't. Potato chips are not part of a healthy, sensible diet whether they are low-fat or not.
White Breads and Pastas
Bread and pasta are two great things to eat on a diet, but in moderation. According to ProjectSwole.com, these foods are made with processed white flour and corn syrup, which can raise your blood sugar and cause you to pack on the pounds. They aren't very rich by way of vitamins and minerals, either. Choose whole-grain or whole-wheat pasta and bread instead. Not only are they packed with essential vitamins and fiber, but they are not made with the starches that make their white counterparts such a bad idea.
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