Today, we are surrounded by food choices that not only do not help us when dieting, but also can actually cause weight gain. Between the fast food restaurants at every corner, high-calorie coffee drinks like Mochachinos, and grocery stores filled with snack foods, it is no surprise that many people have difficulties losing pounds or just maintaining their current weight. By avoiding some key foods and remembering to keep everything in moderation, people can keep up with their busy life without gaining weight.
One major problem for many people on the run between work and home life is fast food. When you consider that one dollar burger meal from the average fast food place can top both your daily allowance for calories and fat, it is clear that a daily trip through the drive thru lane is the first step in avoiding weight gain. A lean burger cooked at home is a far better option. Frozen french fries baked in the oven are another great way to get your fix, while still cutting back on fat and calories. The difference between the home cooked version and the fast food version in terms of calories can be huge, and still hugely satisfying. Plus, when food is cooked at home, you know all of the ingredients being added into the burger meat and fries.
For some people, this may not always be possible. If eating out is a regular ritual for you, there are still options. First, try cutting back from a double burger to a single or switching from fries to a small salad. Increasingly, fast food restaurants are being pressured to offer low-fat and low-calorie options, so make an effort to try these instead, or even switch to another restaurant that does offer healthy options. Another calorie saver is to ditch the soda and try a glass of water.
Drinks are another major category where making some easy changes can affect dropping or gaining ten pounds. Coffee drinks, especially the blended, flavored kind, contain a large amount of calories and fat for something that doesn’t even count as a meal. If you can’t give up your daily blended caffeine drink, try switching to regular or decaf black coffee. Or try having your coffee with skim milk or a single shot of your favorite syrup.
The other problem with regular trips to your local cafe is the temptation of all of the pastries. Some of these are easy to recognize as high in calories, but all pastries, even a plain croissant, muffin, or bagel can lead toward weight gain. Obviously tempting, avoiding these kinds of food or keeping them in strict moderation can be very beneficial to not adding on extra pounds.
With all of these tempting food establishments, often what is really needed is a change of view and knowledge about just how much of your daily allowance gets used up in one meal. Even cutting back a little can make a difference – for example, if you just can’t live without a Caramel Macchiato, try moving down a size or only allowing yourself to have one a certain number of times a month, as a treat rather than a daily ritual.