What should I avoid?

sexymom04

I am trying to lose some weight and am trying to eat better and healthier. I will also start some weight training, but right now my gym is in my garage and at 104 degrees out there, I'm not taking a chance of passing out. Therefore I ma using the treadmill and doing 2 miles a day. So what are some things that I should avoid in my diet? I know fruits and veggies are a must, as well as protein, protein and protein. I am working hard at this and don't want to screw it up eating the wrong foods, and undoing all the hard work by eating the wrong things.

Thank you so much for the help.

TavistockToad

Avoid cutting out food groups and thinking you need to eat 'diet' food to lose weight

bpetrosky

Avoid any foods that you do not like or that have some medical reason to avoid. That's it.

You don't have to avoid any foods you enjoy, there are no wrong things. Just stay within your calorie target and log as accurately as possible. If you don't have a food scale, look into getting one and using it.

There's several threads referenced in the pinned "Helpful posts" that provide good information on logging and other strategies.

kimny72

There are no universally bad-at-any-amount wrong foods, except perhaps for something containing trans fat.

If there is a food that leaves you hungry or something you have no control with, it's probably best for you to typically avoid it. I personally avoid having potato chips or Doritos in the house, as I can eat a whole bag in an instant. But I have had pizza, ice cream, beer, fast food etc throughout weight loss and maintenance.

You want to strive for the right total diet, not individual foods. If you've eaten plenty of nutritious food, hit your protein, fat, and fiber goals, and still have calories left, there's nothing wrong with a brownie. It's really a process of trial and error, figuring out what fits where.

Otherwise, generic good diet advice would be - try to get your 5-9 of veggies and fruits, try to have a few servings of fish per week, keep on eye on your protein fat and fiber goals being met. Most people need to limit servings of "treat foods" to successfully stick to their deficit.

Personally, I find focusing on getting MORE of the stuff I do want and letting it naturally push out other stuff is way more useful than focusing on bad foods I can't have.

Don't overthink it or get lost in the weeds and noise, and good luck :drinker:

kami3006

The number of calories you eat determines weight loss. The foods you eat determine your nutrition and satiety. There is no reason to cut out anything that you enjoy. In fact, eating the way you would like to eat for the rest of your life is the best way to be and stay successful. Play around with foods and see what fills you up better. For some folks, hitting protein and fat macros help a lot with satiety, for others carbs fill them. It's really personal preference. No food will keep you from losing weight if you are in a calorie deficit.

ETA: Weighing food and choosing accurate entries is the best way to ensure losses.

HealthyGinny

The post above is a bit harsh but not wrong... There is nothing you "must" avoid. Eat within your calories; ideally eat within your macros too but otherwise eat whatever you want/what you feel is best for you. If you have an illness, of course avoid what your doc tells you to avoid, otherwise do whatever. I eat everything as long as it fits my calorie goals (and I try to hit my macros too even if it's a bit harder) but I don't eat meat only for personal reasons and not for weightloss. Hope that helps

sijomial

Think carefully before making your dieting harder than it has to be.

What do you mean by "wrong foods"? You don't actually have to avoid any foods, you just have to avoid eating too much. Is there some pressing need to overhaul your food choices?

You could start from the opposite end of the spectrum and think about what you should, or would like to, include in your diet "noun".

sexymom04

Thank you everyone. That’s a much better way of looking at things and of course everything in moderation.

Thank you

kshama2001

I avoid having foods in the house that trigger me to eat (WAY) more that I intended.

My list of triggers will be different than yours.

Fuzzipeg

That's it, till you discover differently, everything in moderation. (Its only different if one develops some background health problem, then when its rectified, its back to all things in moderation) Its realising how much of everything your body needs to live the life you want, which is the ultimate answer. All the very best.

AnvilHead

IMO, you should avoid anything that makes your diet/exercise program unsustainable for you. The biggest factors in your success will be consistency and perseverance.

I often paraphrase Eric Helms' advice in threads such as this - it's better to do something that's 60% optimal 80% of the time than it is to do something that's 80% optimal 60% of the time.

LIBOR_cat

Shut the garage door and do it in the buff or very minimal clothing.

But if you must avoid at all costs, I would add a lot of quinoa and black beans to the daily ration of food.

sexymom04

the_night_king wrote: »

Shut the garage door and do it in the buff or very minimal clothing.

But if you must avoid at all costs, I would add a lot of quinoa and black beans to the daily ration of food.

Lol I’m sure my husband would love that

lolly2414

My advice is to eat whatever you want as long as you can fit it in your daily calorie goal. Of course focusing on healthy lower calorie foods is important, but don't deny yourself your favorite 'junk' foods. Have them occasionally if you can fit them in (I save mine for the end of the day to make sure I have room for them). It will make losing weight a lot easier than cutting out whole food groups will.

Also, try to avoid sugary drinks. They make your calories (and sugar limit) add up quick. Stick mostly to water if you can. Like someone else said, I keep major trigger foods out of the house most of the time (that's Coca Cola and ice cream for me), but I still keep chips and dark chocolate around for when I need something salty or sweet.

LIBOR_cat

sexymom04 wrote: »

the_night_king wrote: »

Shut the garage door and do it in the buff or very minimal clothing.

But if you must avoid at all costs, I would add a lot of quinoa and black beans to the daily ration of food.

Lol I’m sure my husband would love that

What better way to spice up!

cactusnbubbles

First let me see good luck on your journey. I have study nutrition and I teach nutrition and cooking to elementary school children. I also have struggled with my own weight for many years and I have studied many different types of diets. Now this is my opinion only what I am about to say. First of all it's important to know your body everyone has a different body and responds differently to different foods. I believe in eating a balanced diet eating mostly clean, avoiding processed foods, and avoiding added sugars. Added sugar comes in many different forms. Especially in sweetened beverages such as soda and juices. I don't believe in fad diets I don't believe cutting out fruits which some people will say, I don't believe in cutting out carbs as our brain needs carbs function healthy carbs is what you focus on. Again listen to your own body.

VUA21

Don't eat anything you're allergic to. Don't eat over your maintenance calories.

That's pretty much it.

VUA21

crazyravr wrote: »

sexymom04 wrote: »

I am trying to lose some weight and am trying to eat better and healthier. I will also start some weight training, but right now my gym is in my garage and at 104 degrees out there, I'm not taking a chance of passing out. Therefore I ma using the treadmill and doing 2 miles a day. So what are some things that I should avoid in my diet? I know fruits and veggies are a must, as well as protein, protein and protein. I am working hard at this and don't want to screw it up eating the wrong foods, and undoing all the hard work by eating the wrong things.

Thank you so much for the help.

Avoid eating over you calorie limit. Thats it.

You forgot one thing: anything that you have an allergy to should also be avoided.