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Dieting and exercising are two of the most important elements to achieving weight loss.
Everyone who likes the idea of wearing top-tier compression gym workout tops with linen shorts or joggers to work out will definitely be all in for exercise.
However, the story becomes scary when we talk about dieting. While some think diet is a prescribed list of things to eat, it’s also a restraining order against certain types of foods.
Where there are foods that are commonly called belly fat burners, there are those as well that increase the overall fat inside the body. These are important foods to avoid to lose belly fat.
This is why dieting involves restricting our eating habits to feed our body nothing but the healthiest essential nutrients that it needs.
In order to do that, we need to distinguish the nutrients from the harmful stuff.
Saving you from the trouble, the foods you’ll find mentioned below are classified as unhealthy for people who are looking to lose belly fat.
In fact, anyone who wants to make a switch to a healthier lifestyle should consider removing these items from their routines:
Baked and Processed Foods
Whenever we eat cakes, chocolate chip cookies, doughnuts, or processed variants, all contain significant amounts of saturated and trans fats.
As per 2016 research, trans fats were very influential in causing obesity in mice.
This is because baked foods are especially high in sugar and HFCS. Since we know these two can cause a lot of destruction together, we can agree to its elimination from our diets.
Another problem with the consumption of HFCS is that it has been noted to cause an increased appetite.
According to research conducted in 2015, participants who did not consume fructose felt less hungry.
Baked foods that contain partially hydrogenated oils are especially harmful in excess.
The FDA has verified evidence that we can lower the risk of heart attacks and sudden deaths if we remove these oils.
The most obvious examples of products containing these harmful substances are confectioneries and pastries.
For an idea, let’s take a look at the nutritional value of a glazed doughnut:
What It Contains:
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Calories: 269 |
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Fat: 15g |
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Sodium: 170mg |
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Carbs: 31g |
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Fiber: 1g |
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Sugars: 10g |
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Protein: 4g |
What It Can Cause if Taken in Excess:
- Obesity
- Cardiovascular disease
- Diabetes
- Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)
- Some types of Cancers
- Cognitive decline
How it Affects Weight Loss:
While baked goods aren’t all bad, the use of sugar, HFCS, partially hydrogenated oils, and other harmful substances are bad for everyone in excess.
For instance, the use of butter in most baked foods is also an invitation to saturated fats. People who are trying to lose weight can’t afford to add that many calories to their daily intake.
These diseases might not be your problem, but for anyone who’s trying to lose belly fat, it’s catastrophically harmful.
The overall nutritional value becomes meaningless if you consider the amount of fats and sodium you’re letting into your body.
Therefore, you need to avoid baked foods if you want to lose belly fat.
Sugary/Sweetened Drinks
Firstly, we need to stop drinking anything that isn’t plain water. Whether it’s for gulping down food or for dehydration, don’t drink anything other than water.
The average American consumes 5 teaspoonfuls of sugar more than the recommended 12 teaspoonfuls every day.
While there are other sources for this increase of sugar intake that we’ll get to later, the most prominent type is undoubtedly sugary drinks.
The problem with soft, fizzy and sugary drinks is that they come with a lot of added sugar and high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS).
Sugar, as we know, is your most dangerous enemy and should be stayed away from as such.
When combined with HFCS, these two affect your metabolism, increasing the risk of diabetes, cancer, obesity and cardiovascular diseases as well.
If you continue to take these in excess, you’ll inevitably be causing inflammation and production of harmful substances that are called Advanced Glycation End products (AGEs).
These are the proteins and lipids in the body that glycate after coming into contact with sugar. Some of the highest quantities of AGEs are found in red meat, cheeses, fried eggs, butter, cream cheese, margarine, mayonnaise, nuts and oils.
You can expect processed foods to have extraordinarily high levels that are dangerously harmful for the human body.
Even drinks that are without sugar need a certain amount of sodium so that we can pack them for traveling.
However, that’s not the case with the ‘diet’ or ‘no added-sugar’ drinks because these drinks still contain sweeteners, artificial flavors, coloring agents, preservatives, and caffeine.
Suffice it to say, sweetened drinks are harmful to your health and devastating for your weight loss goals.
It’d be best if you went on a 3 day cleanse to lose belly fat by cutting all these foods off of your diet.
Try replacing fat foods with healthy snacks instead.
What It Contains:
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Calories: 140 |
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Fat: 0g |
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Sodium: 43.2mg |
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Carbs: 39g |
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Fiber: 0g |
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Sugars: 39g |
|
Protein: 0g |
What It Can Cause if Taken in Excess:
- Obesity
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Osteoporosis
- Depression and Anxiety
- Kidney Failure
- Cirrhosis
- Cardiovascular disease
How it Affects Weight Loss:
Sugary drinks, especially fizzy ones, are not registered by our brain as solid food.
The calories you intake from a sugar-sweetened beverage are added on top of the food you’ll eat, taking your daily calorie consumption higher.
This means anyone who’s trying to lose weight can’t drink sugary drinks at all. This includes the supposedly “diet” ones, “zero-sugar” ones, processed or bottled fruit juices, etc.
Instead of sugary ones, go for these healthy drinks to lose belly fat.
Crackers and Chips
Chips are easy snacks that none of us mind. That is until you take a look at the number of calories these little pieces of potatoes contain.
Again, it’s not the potato that’s the problem. With crackers and chips, it’s the processed nature of the food that makes it a dangerous food to include in your diet.
Rich in all the wrong things that hinder weight loss, crackers are similar to fast foods when it comes to causing problems.
Not only does it contain rich amounts of calories and salts, but it also involves the use of butter in its production.
Suffice it to say, by not avoiding this unhealthy food, you’re inviting a lot of unwanted fats into your body that you just can’t afford.
This is especially problematic for people who are trying to work on a diet. It’s crucial that you switch to healthier snacks instead.
For an overview, let’s take a look at the nutrition facts for a 100g pack of deep-fried potato chips:
What It Contains:
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Calories: 293 |
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Fat: 14.5g |
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Sodium: 457mg |
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Carbs: 36.6g |
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Fiber: 4.2g |
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Sugars: 1.7g |
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Protein: 4.1g |
What It Can Cause if Taken in Excess:
- High Blood Pressure
- Coronary Heart Disease
- Kidney Disease
- Stroke
- Heart Failure
- Weight Gain
- Dry Skin
- Inflammation
- Sleeping problems
- Headaches
- Raises bad cholesterol while lowering good cholesterol
How it Affects Weight Loss:
Eating too many chips or crackers is the same as snacking on fast foods. Since they contain saturated and trans fats, salts and a lot of calories, your efforts to reduce belly fat are going to be wasted.
Studies in Brazil and other states have observed the proven connection between obesity and fast food intake.
In all, we can conclude that these are harmful to our bodies and should therefore be avoided.
French Fries
We all prefer to have a bulk load of French fries whenever we’re at any eatery. Whether it’s fine dining, fast food chains or even small-town cafes, French fries are common menu items that are loved by all.
People against the idea of criticizing their regular intake argue that they are just fried potatoes. Even though there are many healthy snacks you can eat to lose belly fat and leave a healthy lifestyle.
While potatoes may be harmful sources of a few carbs that are negligible in themselves, the deep fryers they are fried in are what cause the problem. Frying any food will result in an increased amount of unhealthy fats and unwanted salt.
That is why anything crispy that’s been fried is not recommended by any nutritionist or dietician.
According to research conducted in 2017, people between the ages of 45-75 who ate fried potatoes twice a week were at a higher risk of dying. Almost 4,440 individuals were observed in this research.
What It Contains:
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Calories: 125 |
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Fat: 4g |
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Sodium: 282mg |
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Carbs: 21g |
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Fiber: 2g |
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Sugars: 0g |
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Protein: 2g |
What It Can Cause if Taken in Excess:
- Obesity
- Cardiovascular disease
- Decrease in overall physical activity
- Stomach pains
- Increased trans-fat results in an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
- Early death
- Raises bad cholesterol while lowering good cholesterol
How it Affects Weight Loss:
French fries might seem harmless, even in a minute amount. However, only when you dig into the facts surrounding its nutritional value will you understand its significance for weight loss efforts.
You can expect all your efforts to go right down the drain if you think having a cheat day with French fries won’t hurt.
Instead of regretting the decision later, we advise that you refuse the unwanted saturated fats that are inevitably going to result in obesity and in worse cases, death.
White Bread and Pasta
White bread, rice and pasta out of your diet can be one of the most effective things you do for your weight loss efforts.
To give them a finer texture, the mills that refine these foods strip them of their bran layers. This process leaves nothing but a few carbohydrates that are digested quickly and easily by the body.
We all consume heavy amounts of white foods in our daily breakfasts, lunches and snacks such as PB&J sandwiches. The problem with these foods is particularly due to the fact that they are processed.
Since their original compositions now carry increased amounts of sodium, carbs and additional flavors, you can’t rely on the nutritional value to be actually healthy.
For reference, let’s take a look at the nutritional value chart for a slice of white bread:
What It Contains:
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Calories: 67 |
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Fat: 1g |
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Sodium: 100mg |
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Carbs: 13g |
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Fiber: 0.6g |
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Sugars: 1.5g |
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Protein: 2g |
What It Can Cause if Taken in Excess:
- Constipation
- Hyperglycemia (Elongated durations of high blood sugar levels can cause this state)
- Cardiovascular disease
- Nerve Damage
- Kidney Failure
- Weight Gain
- Inflammation
- Stroke
How it Affects Weight Loss:
These carbohydrates enter the body and start a cycle of craving more carbohydrates. This is because when you eat white foods, they induce a sugar spike in your bloodstream.
In response to this spike, our bodies release insulin that is responsible for allowing sugar to enter your cells and leave the blood.
When our bodies produce more insulin than it requires because of the ‘spike’, there is a drop in blood sugar levels that induce cravings for more carbohydrates.
And as you take in more carbohydrates, you trigger the start of the cycle all over again.
In all, you keep on adding sugar to your body that will need to be processed.
If you can’t guess, most of it will inevitably turn into fat because all of it can’t be burned off as energy.
Energy and Protein Bars
Like all things that hinder weight loss, energy and protein bars around us are also filled with added sugar and unhealthy sweeteners.
Additionally, they also come with HFCS that, as we’ve mentioned above, warrants extreme caution.
There are numerous variants available in the market like high-carbohydrate ones, protein and energy bars, brain-boosting bars, women-only bars, meal-replacement bars and diet bars.
However, you can expect most of them to contain some if not a huge amount of carbohydrates, added sugars and unwanted fats.
Your liver can have trouble adjusting to the unordinary meal, especially if you try to take it on a daily basis. Consider switching to healthier snacks that can help burn belly fat.
The risk of getting diabetes increases with the added amounts of HFCS.
In fact, many famous protein bars in the market contain even more fats and sugar than some of the unhealthiest foods out there.
Let’s dive into the chart and look at the nutrients in one serving of a protein bar (1/2 of the bar):
What It Contains:
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Calories: 200 |
|
Fat: 10g |
|
Sodium: 70mg |
|
Carbs: 22g |
|
Fiber: 3g |
|
Sugars: 9g |
|
Protein: 5g |
What It Can Cause if Taken in Excess:
- Fatty Liver
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Nerve Damage
- Kidney Failure
- Weight Gain
- Cancer
- Heart disease
- Bone, Liver and Kidney Disorders
How it Affects Weight Loss:
The primary issue with having a significant amount of protein is similar to that of having too much sugar.
Because the body can’t burn all of it and use it as energy, it will inevitably turn into fat that will be deposited around areas such as your stomach.
While it may not seem that risky to eat a few bites of white pasta, you will be complicating your weight loss efforts by intaking extra protein.
In addition to this, the presence of processed plant oils like palm, canola, peanut and soybean are some of the worst things a weight loss diet plan can have.
That’s why it’s crucial for anyone hoping to lose belly fat to avoid these foods at all costs.
Sweetened Dry Fruits
The difference between the nutritional value of fresh fruit and a dried candied one is of calories. Additionally, fresh fruits come with a healthy amount of fiber that isn’t present in dried ones.
Moreover, since they’re deprived of all water through solar food drying which causes the fruit to become more calorie and fructose dense.
We all know how damaging sugar is and its abundant presence in dried fruit is appalling.
Compared with fresh ones that come with a balanced amount mixed with healthy nutrients, dried and candied ones are no different than a candy bar.
While this doesn’t mean that dried fruits should be completely discarded, you should consider them in moderation but leave out sweetened and candied ones.
What It Contains:
|
Calories: 480 |
|
Fat: 0g |
|
Sodium: 40mg |
|
Carbs: 112g |
|
Fiber: 8g |
|
Sugars: 92g |
|
Protein: 4g |
What It Can Cause if Taken in Excess:
- Obesity
- Heart Disease
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- Gastrointestinal problems
- Tooth Decay
- Weight Gain
- Sugar Crash
- Asthma
How it Affects Weight Loss:
The presence of sugar and the lack of fiber is enough to declare dried fruits harmful to the cause of weight loss.
Moreover, the increased amount of calories in each serving of dried fruit makes it a necessary food to avoid for weight loss goals.
Taking in large amounts of fructose and sulfites that are added as preservatives to prevent discoloration is extremely harmful.
While some people may be sensitive to sulfites, the high risks of dried fruit being contaminated by fungi and toxins are problematic for everyone.
Especially for those who want the quickest way to lose belly fat.
Excess of Alcohol
A lot of bad things are associated with alcohol, and we’re here to distinguish the facts from the myths.
Firstly, let’s clarify that minimum to moderate consumption of alcohol isn’t bad for weight loss or your health. It’s the excessive intake that causes it to become extremely harmful.
The National Institute of Alcohol Abuse has released guidelines for healthy drinking.
As per these recommendations, males shouldn’t drink more than 2 cups of drinks in a day. For females, the limit comes down to just 1.
The constitution of various forms of alcohol clearly depicts a high concentration of calories and sugar content.
Since there are no healthy additions in the list, it’s foolhardy to keep on intaking something that’s only causing damage.
Especially if you’re thinking of losing weight, you will need to consider giving up all amounts of beer. That’s because that’s nothing but calories that you’re letting into your body.
The drinks that you can have are moderate amounts of pure alcohol like vodka, gin, rum, and red wine. Stress on “moderate”.
Or, you can make a switch to healthier drinks instead.
What It Contains:
|
Calories: 153 |
|
Fat: 0g |
|
Sodium: 14mg |
|
Carbs: 12.6g |
|
Fiber: 8g |
|
Sugars: 0g |
|
Protein: 1.6g |
What It Can Cause if Taken in Excess:
- High Blood Pressure
- Heart Disease
- Digestive Problems
- Stroke
- Breast, Mouth, Throat, Esophagus, Voice box, Liver, Colon and Rectum Cancer
- Liver Disease
- Weight Gain
How it Affects Weight Loss:
Being rich in sugar content makes most alcoholic beverages bad for those who aspire to lose weight. The high calories inevitably waste all efforts to bring our overall weight down.
Depending upon the type of alcohol you’re consuming, you’ll be taking in variable quantities of calories and sugar.
That’s why we recommend not taking more than one drink in a single sitting. In a day, it’s best that you don’t drink more than 2-3 cups of alcohol in order to quickly lose belly fat.
Processed Meat
It’s difficult to imagine a life without meat. Don’t worry, though. No one is asking you to give up meat.
What you need to cut out is the processed meat that is sold at supermarkets, grocery stores, etc.
In fact, even restaurants work with processed meat that inevitably comes filled with saturated fat, cholesterol, and insane amounts of salt that all lead to high levels of fat production in the body.
Another thing that is to be noted in all these processed meats is that they are preserved through fermentation, canning, smoking, and drying.
You can expect all forms of processed meats to go through the same routines. This includes bacon, fish meat, small and large games, etc.
What It Contains:
|
Calories: 480 |
|
Fat: 0g |
|
Sodium: 40mg |
|
Carbs: 112g |
|
Fiber: 8g |
|
Sugars: 92g |
|
Protein: 4g |
What It Can Cause if Taken in Excess:
- Obesity and Hypertension
- Cardiovascular Disease
- Colorectal Cancer
- Type 2 Diabetes
- All-cause mortality
- Weight Gain
How it Affects Weight Loss:
Processed meat would be recommended to people trying to gain weight if it wasn’t for the carcinogenic substances that are used in its preservation.
Suffice it to say, the amount of proteins, salt, calories, and fats that you consume with each serving of processed meats is all that you can’t have if you’re trying to lose belly fat fast.
You can’t expect to eat bacon, hot dogs, and sausages without serious repercussions on your body weight-wise.
As per research conducted by Harvard, you can gain an extra pound over a period of 4 years if you continue eating processed meats even in negligible amounts.
For someone who knows how difficult it is to lose a pound, taking the risk just isn’t worth it.
Ice Cream
Everyone’s favorite, the delicious scoops of ice cream that we all crave every day are sadly, one of the unhealthy foods you need to avoid.
First of all, what we eat mostly is not even what is actually considered ice cream. According to the composition standards, ice cream needs to have at least 10% milk content in it.
Even these premium scoops of ice cream come with intense levels of sugar and cholesterol.
The fact that there is a huge load of calories and fats in even the most innocent of scoops makes it evident that ice cream lovers can’t possibly lose weight.
What It Contains:
|
Calories: 140 |
|
Fat: 7g |
|
Sodium: 53mg |
|
Carbs: 17g |
|
Fiber: 0.5g |
|
Sugars: 14g |
|
Protein: 2.3g |
What It Can Cause if Taken in Excess:
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Gastrointestinal problems
- Tooth Decay
- Weight Gain
- Sugar Crash
- Asthma
How it Affects Weight Loss:
There is little to no fiber in ice creams. Compared with the number of calories and carbs, you can probably understand why it’s not such a good idea to include ice creams in your diet.
The excess amounts of carbs will eventually have to turn into fat. This will be in addition to the fat count that ice creams come with separately.
Furthermore, the addition of sugar in various ice cream flavors differs and it doesn’t take a scientist to conclude that they’re all bad for those who’re trying a belly fat diet.
Try switching to healthier snacks that can help you reduce belly fat instead.
Pizza
Americans are no strangers to saturated fats, high calories, insane sodium amounts, and a lot of carbohydrates that come with pizzas.
Cherished as one of the most celebrated foods on the planet, pizza remains to be one of the most dangerous foods you can eat when on a diet.
Regardless of whether you’re trying to lose weight or not, you can’t expect pizzas to ever be ‘healthy’.
Given their nutritional constitution, it’s apparent that you will be adding a ton of fat with every slice of pizza that you consume.
As per facts, it can make up to 6% of your total consumption of saturated fat. Not only will this cause inflammation, but it will also render all your weight loss efforts useless.
For reference, let’s take a look at what a large slice (167 g) of a fast-food pizza contains.
What It Contains:
|
Calories: 460 |
|
Fat: 26g |
|
Sodium: 900mg |
|
Carbs: 37g |
|
Fiber: 1.8g |
|
Sugars: 1g |
|
Protein: 12.7g |
What It Can Cause if Taken in Excess:
- Obesity
- A constant rise in triglyceride levels
- Stroke
- Heart Attack
- Weight Gain
How it Affects Weight Loss:
Pizzas are right next to burgers, French fries, and other fast-food eateries that are rich in all the bad nutrients. The fact that there is no health benefit of eating pizzas should be enough for you to stop.
For people trying to lose weight or cut down belly fat, pizza should be your sworn enemy. Rich in carbs, saturated and other forms of fat, and a huge amount of sodium, pizzas are sure to increase your weight gain exponentially.
Takeaway
Sugar, fats, calories, and useless protein are enemies of a diet aimed towards losing belly fat.
It’s understandable that sometimes the cravings get too difficult to control but that’s exactly why we have healthy foods that help burn belly fat.
You just have to maintain regularity and measure all you take in and expend out.