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It happens to the best of us. We try to make healthy decisions time and time again, only to see the scale climb higher and higher. What gives? Many times, the problem is that we don't always know what the best and healthiest decision is, with all of the information flooding the internet today about so-called "diet friendly" foods. We think that we have the right information, but the weight always comes back.

Low calorie, low fat, sugar-free, whole wheat, soy=slim, carbs=weight gain, etc.

Sounds good, right? Wrong.

I know what you're thinking. "But my parents ate this growing up and I turned out fine!"

"The label says it's healthy, so it must be true!"

Or even,"But it's made with real fruit!"

It can be exhausting trying to figure out what is keeping you overweight when food labels are so deceiving. Now you might be wondering to yourself, "Okay, so what am I doing wrong?" Let's start with these 5 Foods to Never Eat – that may seem healthy, but are actually making you GAIN weight.

5 Foods to Never Eat:

1. Orange juice – Fruit juices contain a great deal of sugar, sometimes just as much as a can of soda, which will disrupt your body’s blood sugar and insulin levels. In general, sugar consumption causes a hormonal roller coaster of alternating high levels of insulin and blood sugar. These hormonal shifts can dramatically affect your attitude, your ability to concentrate during the day, your weight, and your overall health. Don't get me wrong, consuming fruit juice is not the same as enjoying whole, fresh fruit. While whole fruits do contain sugar, the nutrients and fiber also found in fruit helps to slow the absorption of fructose, making it less of a blood sugar trigger.

 



 

2. Artificial Sweeteners – Your body sees these fake sweeteners as toxins. Your liver can only handle so many toxins before it becomes overwhelmed. This means your body is spending more time trying to get rid of these toxins and less time burning fat, while signaling the brain, "keep eating - there is no nutrition here." When you cut out the artificial sweeteners (and other toxins), you give your body time to focus on being a fat burning machine.

3. Whole Wheat Bread – Wheat products quickly turn into sugar in the body (just like orange juice), causing a spike in blood sugar levels. Your body releases insulin to return these levels to normal, and you're back on that hormonal roller coaster. In addition, the whole wheat bread the American public has been led to believe is healthy contains processed wheat, which is deficient in nutrients and can result in digestive distress and inflammation.

4. Fake Butters – Fake butters (think Smart Balance or I Can't Believe It's Not Butter) are made from unnatural, unhealthy ingredients such as canola oil, soybean oil, mono and dyglycerides, and even artificial flavors. Yuck! Butter has been given such a bad rep over the years, but there are actually a number of health benefits that we can derive from consuming grass-fed butter on a daily basis. Real butter contains healthy saturated fats, conjugated linoleic acid (immunity booster and anti-cancer agent), anti-oxidants, and fat-soluble vitamins and nutrients. When purchasing butter, always look for the terms, "raw," "grass-fed," "unpasteurized," or even "organic." My favorite brand is unsalted, grass-fed, KerryGold Irish butter, and it can be easily found in most popular grocery chains.

5. Soy Milk – Soy has been found to have awful and long lasting effects on the thyroid. Your thyroid is responsible for releasing hormones that help regulate heart rate, maintain healthy skin, and play a critical part in metabolism (how quickly or slowly you lose weight). People who consume high amounts of soy protein each day often complain of fatigue, low energy, depression, hair loss, poor skin, weight gain, and diminished sex drive (all symptoms of low thyroid function).

You will finally start seeing results once you stop eating gimmicky, processed, artificial foods (like the 5 Foods above) and start adding more whole, nutritious fresh vegetables, fruits, and foods with real ingredients.

Today, I want you to stop yo-yo dieting and obsessing over calories by going through your kitchen and getting rid of these 5 foods that do nothing to help you burn unwanted fat.

»For more fat-burning tips, listen to Kathy's story to see how she ditched calorie counting, lost pounds, boosted her metabolism, and actually started eating more delicious food in the process, all by following my trusted 3-step approach. The same 3-step approach that I used to lose 30 pounds myself (even through 2 pregnancies!) has helped over 900,000 Beyond Diet members live healthier lives and keep off the weight, for good.

»Click here to listen to Kathy's story.