Losing weight is a matter of applied physics, says Oregon-based fitness coach Ben Cohn. If you burn more calories through activity than you take in by eating, you will burn your stored fat and lose weight. If you eat more than you burn, you won't. Harvard nutritionist Walter Willett notes that not all foods are created equal, and that cutting out some foods will help you more than cutting out others.
Sugary Foods
High-sugar foods should be the first to go when you cut back on calories, says Willett. Although yummy, these foods bring very little nutrition to the table in comparison to their caloric footprint. For example, a 12 oz. can of soda carries the same number of calories as a carrot, a bunch of grapes and a slice of cheddar cheese, while delivering zero nutritional value. Since you're limiting your nutrition intake while limiting your calorie intake, you should avoid any foods that give you little to no nutritive value. Some sugary foods to avoid include ice cream, candy, cake and donuts.
Refined Grains
According to food scientist Alton Brown, refined grains deliver their stored energy as fast as eating pure sugar. In response to this sugar rush, your body secretes a massive dose of insulin. Once the insulin has eaten the sugar, your body immediately craves more sugar to counter the overabundance of insulin. In short, refined grains create peaks and valleys in your blood sugar levels, which leads to cravings and hunger pangs, which lead to unplanned snacking, which leads to losing less weight. When choosing pasta, bread and rice, opt for whole-grain options. If you're not certain which is which, check the ingredients. Whole grains should be listed by name.
High-Fructose Corn Syrup
Look for this on the ingredients panel of processed and prepackaged foods. This is a high-sugar sweetener added to a surprising number of products, including supposedly healthy foods and beverages like fruit juices. High-fructose corn syrup is sugar, making most foods that contain it sugary foods best avoided. Worse, Willett reports that recent research indicates that high-fructose corn syrup interrupts your body's ability to sense when it's full. This means it's not only bad for your diet, but you're likely to eat more of it.
Baked Potatoes
Once the darling of health food nutrition, baked potatoes are now on the "bad guy" list. According to Willett, even a plain baked potato delivers its energy much the same as refined grains, creating the same pattern of blood sugar peaks, valleys and subsequent hunger. If you take into account that few people eat their baked potato without a full complement of toppings such as cheese, butter and bacon bits, you're better off passing on the spuds. Cohn further advises that the same nutrition science applies to potato products, including french fries and potato chips.
Unplanned Snacks
Bill Phillips, author of "Body For Life," writes that having and sticking to a diet plan are among the most important things you can do when losing weight. If you set up a restricted calorie diet ahead of time, you are much more likely to successfully lose weight than if you make it up as you go along. Unplanned snacks deviate from your plan and sabotage your efforts. This rule applies just as strongly to celery with peanut butter as it does to a package of Twinkies.
Processed Foods
Although this is not universally true, Willett and Brown agree that processed foods often contain added sugars, fats and preservatives that give them more calories than strictly necessary. Manufacturers add them to make the food more marketable, longer lasting and easier to transport. Although it may mean taking extra time, try to make your food from scratch. Processed foods are those that come frozen, canned or boxed in forms you don't find in nature. Consider the words of Michael Pollan, author of "In Defense of Food." If your ancestors would not recognize something as food, it probably isn't.
References
- "Superfoods Rx"; Steven Pratt, et al; 2004
- "Bean Stalker"; Alton Brown; "Good Eats: Season 11, Episode 10"
- "Eat, Drink and Be Healthy"; Dr. Walter Willett, et al; 2006
- Ben Cohn; Black Belt Fitness Coach; Beaverton, Oregon
- "In Defense of Food," Michale Pollan; 2009
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