Have you ever tried to lose weight but found that your efforts don’t really pay up? Resistance to weight loss can be the result of different things--from lifestyle factors like stress and lack of physical exercise to underlying hormonal imbalances. However, in most folks who attempt to lose weight themselves for the first time, one of the biggest culprits of weight loss failure is hidden calorie bombs in supposedly “healthy” stuff. Since morning is the first meal of your day and gets you prepared for the rest that will come, you better watch out for these hidden breakfast calorie bombs that will slash or at least delay your weight loss results:
No 1: Commercial smoothies and fruit juices. Sure, smoothies can be good for you but in most commercially available smoothies, extra sugar and flavor enhancers are added to make them taste sweeter and better which raise the amount of calories. Fruit juices are even worse--orange juice alone has 112 calories and with sugars added to the juice, the number can get almost double.
What you should choose instead: make your own wholesome smoothies adding both veggies and fruits and zero white sugar (you can add just a tiny amount of agave syrup or coconut sugar). And if you wish to get zero or nearly zero calories, drink plain water or unsweetened herbal tea.
No 2: Processed breakfast cereals. Cereals have been advertised as nutritious and good-for-you but this is totally misleading as most breakfast cereal brands contain vast amounts of sugar and other stuff that is simply not good for you. Just because something states “Vitamins inside” on the pack, it doesn’t mean that is beneficial for your line and your health. A typical cereal bowl serving of 100 grams (minus the milk) reaches a whopping 373 calories and imagine how much you’ll get once you add milk as well. We are talking about a real calorie bomb:
What you should take instead: choose plain unsweetened varieties like corn flakes or whole wheat cereals which are rich in fiber and swap full-fat cow milk with any vegetable milk of your choice e.g almond, coconut, or soy milk. Make sure it is unsweetened as well so you don’t end up with more calories than when you started.
No 3: Store-bought sandwiches. The answer to whether sandwiches are really healthy or not is controversial but there is one thing that all seem to agree. What you put inside can make it either healthy and lean or fattening. The average sandwich is made with thick slices of white bread, with butter or mayo spreadings, cheese, ham and just a tiny amount of veggies. What this measures up to? A whopping 600+ calories in a single average-sized sandwich. The white bread, mayo/butter and ham (or bacon) are the top ingredients responsible for piling up the amount of calories.
What you should take instead: 2 thin tortilla wraps filled with turkey ham or lean chicken breast slices and sliced veggies like lettuce, avocados, and carrots. For spreads, choose hummus, tzatziki or plain mild mustard in place of butter or mayo. You can also enhance the flavor with herbs and spices like oregano, paprika and garlic powder which only have a very low amount of calories.
By avoiding these and opting for leaner and healthier alternatives, you will literally save hundreds of calories that will end up making you fat otherwise. Stick to the same pattern in the rest of your meals and you will not have to worry any longer about getting fat.