Losing weight can be easy, but in our society, there are multiple areas that can throw a wrench in your progress. Eating foods that are lower on the inflammatory spectrum (think low sugar) is one of the easiest ways to jump-start your metabolism to lose the weight you don’t want to keep anymore. In this blog post, I will discuss five foods that you should limit to once a week or less if you want to lose weight.
Inflammation is an integral factor in weight loss. So, eating less inflammatory food will help your body let go of the fat tissue it thinks it’s supposed to keep. How do I tell if a food is inflammatory or not? Well, everything is on a spectrum. The more carbohydrates and sugars a food has compared to the nutrient levels (all the other stuff on the label), the more inflammatory it is. So, all fruits and veggies are a YES! Processed and manufactured food, especially my favorite Cadbury crème eggs, are highly inflammatory. I only eat these ones two times a week at most.
Sweetened Drinks
Sweetened drinks, such as sodas and juices, are incredibly inflammatory foods. Not only are they loaded with sugar, which can contribute to weight gain, but they’re also low in nutrients. Focusing on drinking items that are not “empty calories” can give you great results.
A great way to replace sugary drinks with something less inflammatory is by making your own fruit water at home using fresh fruits, like lemons or cucumbers. You can also start to water down your soda using sparkling water so that over time you will get to a less sugary or even no sugar drink.
Processed Foods
Processed foods are high in sodium, sugar, and saturated fat (the ones that cause heart disease). And because of these high levels, processed and manufactured food is the highest inflammatory foods you can eat. Processed foods contribute to weight gain, as well as several other health issues, like diabetes and heart disease.
Does your food have ingredients you can’t pronounce? Did you make it? If not, then it is processed or manufactured food. It is so important to limit your processed food intake when trying to lose weight due to their high inflammatory characteristics. Instead, eat whole, unprocessed foods as much as you can (including frozen veggies and fruits).
Junk Foods
Junk food is perhaps the highest inflammatory food you can eat. I also like to lump my comfort food into this category; I love my mac and cheese. Not only are they comfort (okay, fine, call it junk if you want) food high in calories and unhealthy fats, but so low in nutrients that should we even call it food?
When you’re trying to lose weight, it’s important to focus on eating nutrient-rich foods that are low on the inflammatory spectrum (less sugar, carbs, and lower in saturated fat). Consider being okay with eating your comfort foods, but maybe just once a month.
Energy and Granola Bars
Energy and granola bars are often marketed as healthy snacks, but the truth is that most of them are loaded with sugar and unhealthy fats. In fact, some energy bars can contain more than 500 calories per bar of high inflammatory items (saturated fats and sugars)!
When you’re trying to lose weight, avoid high-calorie snacks like energy and granola bars. Can you use something simpler? A bag of nuts, trail mix, or even a spoonful of almond butter. There are so many more quick options that will give you the same energy with much less inflammation.
Processed Meat
Processed meat (think bacon, sausage, ham, or lunch meat) is ridiculously high in sodium and unhealthy saturated fats. That sodium just wreaks havoc on your inflammatory cycle by increasing your blood pressure and making your kidneys work overtime.
Processed meats contribute not only to weight gain but hypertension and kidney disease. Instead, consider making extra chicken breast at dinner time for leftovers. You can pull this out of the fridge and snack on it, plus it tastes fresher on a lettuce rollup or a sandwich.
To Conclude
Inflammation is a major issue to consider when looking at what foods can help you lose weight. If you are struggling to figure out the best foods for you or just need help with a personalized meal plan, consider joining my holistic weight loss plan in Spokane to lose weight and keep it off! Get in touch with us today to schedule a free consultation and more information on our weight loss programs.
