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3 Foods You MUST Avoid If You Want To Lose Weight and Belly Fat!
When it comes to losing weight and burning belly fat, there are certain foods that you MUST avoid like the plague. These types of foods will not only derail your progress but can actually cause you to GAIN weight! Here’s the deal with these types of foods. Firstly, they’re extremely high in sodium. Secondly, they contain an unreal amount of processed starches. Thirdly, they contain a lot of calories and chances are you have these foods in your cup boards!
Here's the weird thing about these foods, they've been marketed to the masses as being somewhat “healthy”. Nothing can be further from the truth. Chances are, you have these products in your kitchen and for some, these products are the mainstay for a lot of families because 1) They’re easy to make; and 2) They taste pretty good. For working parents and families, quick, easy and tasty is usually something that makes life just a little easier.
So, what’s wrong with these foods?
Too much sodium!
Excess amounts of sodium will cause your cells to retain more fluid which
causes you to gain water weight. Don’t get me wrong, sodium is a much needed
electrolyte that we need to keep our bodies functioning. However, having excessive
amounts of sodium (on a consistent basis) can lead to weight gain and contribute
to a host of other health problems including (but not limited too) high blood
pressure, heart disease, kidney disease, and strokes. Not good.
Does sodium make you fat?
The thing you have to remember about excess sodium is that it puts up barriers
and blocks in your body which keeps water and toxins in your body - Nothing leaves your body. If you’re trying to lose weight and burn belly
fat, excess sodium will not only hinder your efforts but can lead to more weight gain.
Too many processed starches
(carbohydrates)!
We all need a certain amount of carbohydrates to function. Muscles rely on
carbohydrates to power movement so there is absolutely nothing wrong with
having a certain amount of carbohydrates (in your diet) for a healthy and
balanced diet. The problem with excess processed starches is that any carbohydrate (s) that doesn't get used as fuel, metabolizes as fat. 7 ways to lose belly fat!
The real danger with consuming too many processed starches is the way in which the get converted in the body. Our bodies can only use (as fuel) and store (for future use) so many carbohydrates in one sitting (meal). If we consume too many high converting carbohydrates in 1 sitting a good portion of those carbohydrates will get metabolized as fat.
Packaged and process starches will always have way too many carbohydrates per serving which can lead to weight gain.
Too many calories!
Here’s the thing you have to remember about losing weight and gaining
weight. We all have a magic number called our “Basal Metabolic Rate” which is
the amount of calories we need to maintain our current body weight (and to be
able to function). Our basal metabolic rate is the amount of energy (calories)
we need on a daily basis to be able to move our bodies and to maintain our
current body weight. If we eat fewer calories than our basal metabolic rate (on
a daily basis) we will most likely lose body weight. If we consume more
calories over and above our basal metabolic rate (on a daily basis) we will gain weight.
Here’s an example. My basal metabolic rate is 1,950 calories per day. If I consume 1,300 daily calories on a consistent basis I will (most likely) start to lose body weight. If I eat 2,750 daily calories on a consistent basis I will (most likely) gain body weight. Mind you, this is a very simplified version but you get the picture.
The thing about highly process and starchy foods is that they have an extremely high amount of calories (per serving) which will contribute to you consuming more calories than what your body needs (your basal metabolic rate). Make sense?
Now, if you combine all of these elements into one meal, what do you think will happen? You’re going to consume an excessive amount of 1) Sodium; 2) Processed starches; and 3) Calories. This will all add up to you gaining belly fat and body weight.
You don’t want this.
What Are These 3 Foods?
As I mentioned above, you most likely will have these foods in your cup boards. and what we’re going to do now is take a peek at these 3 weight gain foods.
The worst culprit is (drum roll please)…
Rice A Roni
I know, we all love Rice a Roni but here’s the problem. The box contains over 3.2 grams of sodium! The recommended intake of sodium per day is 2 grams!! There are over 150 grams of processed starches! And over 700 calories! I’m going to be honest here….this is way too much. If you’re trying to lose weight this will not only hinder your efforts but will actually cause you to gain weight.
3 Foods to Avoid if You Want To Lose Weight - Rice a Roni
The next worst culprit is….
Kraft Dinner
Kraft Dinner is a lunch staple for a lot of families but if you knew how much sodium, processed starches and calories are in one box you’d think twice before serving it up. One box contains the following:
• 720 calories!
• 1.4 grams of sodium!
• 140 grams of processed starches!
3 Foods To Avoid if You Want To Lose Weight - Kraft Dinner
The recommended serving is ¼ of the box but who has that? Nobody does! C'mon let's be honest, we'll have a box to ourselves! If you’re trying to lose weight and burn belly fat, Kraft Dinner is NOT your friend. Kraft Dinner will not only keep weight on but can cause you to gain more body weight!
Last but not least…
Side Kicks
Sidekicks are an easy side dish to make, they go great with just about anything and they’re tasty. The problem is that they contain way too much sodium, processed starches and calories. Let’s take a look at they’re nutritional values (per package):
• 680 calories
• 1.4 grams sodium
• 87 grams of process starches
The recommended serving is ¼ of the package but like Kraft Dinner, who eats that? Nobody does. Chances are we will eat at least half the package or we will just gobble down the entire package (depending on how hungry we are).
3 Foods To Avoid if You Want To Lose Weight - Side Kicks
I know, we all love Sidekicks but if you want to lose weight, you have to “kick” sidekicks to the curb! Sidekicks will keep weight and fat on your body. My suggestion, stay away from Sidekicks.
3 Foods To Avoid If You Want To Lose Weight - Conclusion
When it comes to nutrition, losing weight and belly fat requires 3 main things:
• Slight reduction in calories (below your basal metabolic rate)
• Reducing your sodium intake to under 2 grams per day
• Reducing your sugars to under 25 grams per day
Of course, there are other factors but these 3 are (in my humble opinion) the main factors to losing weight and belly fat. Generally, if just one of the above (above) elements is over and above those thresholds you put your weight loss efforts in jeopardy. 7 ways to lose belly fat!
The problem with the foods such as Rice a Roni, Kraft Dinner, and Sidekicks (and others like it) is that they put all 3 of those elements at risk. In fact, by going over and above what is recommended you may even GAIN weight. The 1 food you absolutely MUST AVOID if you want to lose belly fat.
My old training mentor had it right all along – He used to say to me:
“Blake, if it doesn’t run, jump, fly, swim or come from the ground don’t eat it”
Wise words.
Now, I want you to read my story about how I gained 50 pounds in 7 months. We've all been there and believe me, I hated it but it's a story that you need to read. It will also show you what I did to drop those 50 pounds in 3 short months. Go here to read my story.
Remember, Stay safe and Stay strong
Blake
Here's a video of me explaining the 3 types of foods to avoid if you want to lose weight and burn belly fat
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Over his 30 plus years of experience, Blake Bissaillion has worked with nationally ranked body builders, power lifters and fitness professionals. In this time he has picked up volumes of applied knowledge that he openly shares with his clients. Mr. Bissaillion’s objective is to help as many beginners to weight training and fitness to achieve their weight loss and fitness goals while getting into their best possible shape. Mr. Bissaillion owns and operates Belly Be Gone, a fitness company that offers fitness and nutritional guidance and products.