Thread: 7 Foods That Sabotage Your Diet

I know sometimes we find ourselves confused of what we are doing wrong in our diet. You have followed the rules, cut down on calories, and cut down on fat but we still are not losing weight. What's worse is we're even gaining more weight. What could be wrong?

Pre-measured Snacks
If you depend on the pre-measured packs of snacks to limit your calorie, think again. Sometimes these pre-portioned treats can be the doing your body more harm than good. There is a higher chance of you eating a second 100 calorie bag of snacks when you're not satisfied with the first. Either leave the bag where you can see it so you know you have eaten more than your limit. Better yet pour the content of the bag in a bowl so you see how much you are eating.

"Diet" Treats
Don't be fooled by fat free or sugar free treats. It will only encourage you to eat more than the usual. You think that it's okay for you to eat more because it contains low calorie but if you think about it, the regular ones can make you satisfied even more. So if you must eat sweets, go with the real thing but keep it under 150 calories.

Liquid Calories
Always watch your drinks as this could be the one causing you more weight. Make a habit of checking the label and see the calorie and sugar content. Look for an alternative to soda like sparkling water or a fresh iced tea (not powdered)

Super Snacks
It's good to eat every few hours as it a good way to keep the metabolism running. Don't rely on energy bars for snacks as it could contain as many as 400 calories. Limit to 2 healthy 150 calorie snacks per day. Be careful with what you are snacking as this could be the culprit. It's best to enjoy negative calorie fruits to boost your metabolism and help you burn more calories.

Rich Proteins
Stick with lean proteins as much as possible because the higher fat version can contain twice as many calories.

Fat-free Salad Dressing
These fat free salad dressings are oftentimes not as healthy as we think it is. Why? Because often the fat is replaced with sugars which means that they could still be loaded with calories. Use vinaigrette instead, olive oil, or oil based dressing that contains olive oil, vinegar, and herbs.

Baked Potato Chips
They are indeed low in fat but high in calories and low in nutrients. A better alternative is oil free pop corn or whole grain tortilla chips. It's not only lower in calories but higher in fiber to fill you up.

You are right mikaela! This is a good post and I believe that these are one of the reasons why some dieters don't feel like they are losing weight even if they think they are eating low calorie or low fat foods. I was in the groceries yesterday and I was looking at some junk foods to see how many calories are in there. I was shocked to see that a small bag of corn chips has 300 calories! Just imagine how it'll damage your diet if you are not careful and do not read the label at the back. 300 calories is equivalent to one satisfying and healthy meal already

Really? Oh my that's really a shocker. I bet it contains lots of sodium and preservatives that most junk foods are loaded with. Liquid calories are really one of the culprits I believe. Soda can make us drink more sometimes because of the refreshing taste and it loads our body with sugar and calories. It's also true with energy bars because most of them are really loaded with calories. Sometimes we think that these energy bars are healthy and it's okay to have them but if we are not careful, it may cause us weight gain.

These chips are high in calorie and sodium that will not only make us gain more fats but also water weight which sometimes is difficult to get rid of.

That's why I don't normally eat any diet treats such as candies no matter how low in calorie it is because once you start, you cannot stop. I have the tendency of being dependent once I give in to my cravings again. I cannot go back to my weight before because it was just uncomfortable and unhealthy so I hardly eat sweets. Most of the dieters don't see that the liquid calories are indeed what is causing the weight loss a lot harder. Just drinking water alone for a day will save you a lot of calories.

You're right kathy! Liquid calories I think causes the most weight gain because we hardly feel it in our body when we drink it. Many of us are fond of drinking powdered ice tea and juices and we don't realize that it's high in calories and sugar. Just a cup of 8 oz. of nestea ice tea has 86 calories and 21.8g of sugars! It's time to cut it down or better yet avoid it because we don't get good nutrients from it, just sugars that will hold on to our hips for long

I agree! When I gained weight a long time ago, I was so into powdered juices. If you check the calorie content, it isn't much but you'll be surprised how much sugar it contains. Fresh fruit juices are better because you get more vitamins and it helps strengthen the immune system

I haven't had ice cream, cake, or candies even if it's low calorie. It's not that I don't like them. As a matter of fact I do but I don't crave for them anymore. I only eat during regular meals and do not eat what I think is more than what I should be eating. I am in better control of my diet now but I still do use Splenda to sweeten my coffee. I do keep it in moderation to avoid any health risks. Just healthy eating for me. No more extra

hi kathy, altho you dont crave these items, study's show not rewarding one's self, does prove to be a downfall , so what you should do, is once in a while have something you havent had in a while.
but i do commend you on sticking to your guns, as most quickly quit it all, and say i just cant do it. in life anything can be done, just putting one's mind to it, and it is accomplished.
g/l

My sister smokes and she said that it makes her lose appetite on foods she used to crave a lot. I think that our body still needs sugar and we should not be worried if we only take it in moderation. I wish I can do that too . Sweets are a little too difficult for me to resist. But I don't eat them unless my body really craves for it. I opt for a more healthy option when I am hungry so I don't get used to too much sweets.