obvious foods to avoid??

californiagirl2012

Please add to my list, I never realised I ate and drank so much junk before

Beer
Burgers
Fried chicken
Chips (fries)
Crisps (potato chips)
Chinese takeout
Indian takeout
Cola, dr pepper, red bull, lucozade

While for weight loss all that matters is a calorie deficit I find I feel better when I eat good food. I've prepared my food all my life and it's not hard. It's funny because I tell everyone that all that matters is calories and I got a comment from someone yesterday on my diet diary "If all that matters is calories then why do you eat so clean?" LOL Because good food makes me feel good. Even in maintenance my calorie budget is low because I'm a very tiny person. To me every calorie must count for something and fuel my workouts and help me sleep good. Every calorie better taste good enough to die for. I refuse to eat anything I don't like the taste of, but at the same time I pick foods I LOVE that provide my body with fuel to do the activities I love. Every once in a while I have a cookie or ice cream treat for the taste and to keep my sanity, but I try to keep it within budget and make it an occasional "treat". Just because all that matters is a calorie budget does not mean you have to eat crap! LOL

tcunbeliever

trans fat. the end.

this.

transfat and soy......

i almost came in to post "the only thing I wouldn't do would be sitting down with a tub of crisco"

other than that, I'll pretty much eat anythigng.

What's wrong with soy???

RobinvdM

Foods I have been avoiding, but are NOT off my list of Food I Can Eat:

Reese's PBC and R Pieces. I can't eat just one, and right now my self control isn't strong enough to buy it, have one, and have the other tomorrow. Theyd both be gone before i got out of the store :grumble:

I gave up soda almost 3 years ago, but mostly cause it was wreaking havoc on my teeth, and I was downing it by the 2L per day. No self control back then, and since then I have decided I just liked it for the BUBBLES. Bubbbbllllesssss..

BK or McDs, KFC (again, not strong enough yet to just take 1. Erf. New Years Eve dinner is going to be KFC baby, you betcha!

There are almost always better alternatives to anything you would axe from your list, even if all you do is make it yourself in a more healthful way. I can't make it if I can't have my bottle of wine per week. So sorry!! :flowerforyou:

michelleindeed

I don't avoid things.. I just watch the quality, content, and quantity of what I put in my mouth.

I watch sodium, I don't eat much dairy, and I limit the obvious baddies.
I also only drink water. Or really, really good beer.

mitch16

i almost came in to post "the only thing I wouldn't do would be sitting down with a tub of crisco"

other than that, I'll pretty much eat anythigng.

The topic said nothing about eating... What, exactly, are you doing with that tub of Crisco???

hummzz

I'd say a burger is okay but would recommend you making it yourself with 97% lean 3% fat ground beef or sirloin and use whole wheat buns/bread and low fat/cal mayo if needed. Season it with Mrs. Dash or other low to no sodium alternatives. A great site I use to shop better and make better food choices is www.shopwell.com I love this site because I can put in what I do and don't want in food and they give me suggestions based on my profile. It is a free site and helps avoid standing in shopping isles reading every label. I know what I want and need before I go.

Good luck!

squirmmonster

Both beer and burgers contain a ton of calories and the burgers have a ton of fat and limited nutrients as well. I say definitely on the avoid list. Also anything processed is not optimal for good health or weight loss. I stick with whole foods, as close to they come from the ground is the BEST for optimal health and weight management

One Nature's Own Wheat Bun: 130 calories
4 oz of 95% lean ground beef: 150 calories - running total, 280
Vegetables: Another 50 if we figure calories generously- running total, 330
A tablespoon of Ketchup/ BBQ sauce/ Mustard/ Guac/ Any condiment OTHER THAN MAYO: 50 or less - final total, 380

All I'm saying here is that a burger is EASILY under 400 calories if you make it yourself, out of good meat, and eat a reasonable portion. And that gives you another 100 calories to have a small baked potato or large salad on the side, or a piece of fruit for dessert. Very reasonable and filling 500-ish calorie meal. Burgers are not bad by any stretch of the imagination. Let me fill you in on what is going on at the fast food resturant.

Oversized bun fried on the griddle with butter: 300 calories
6 ounces of beef that is nowhere NEAR lean beef: 300 calories
Cheese: 200 calories
3 slices of Bacon: 150 calories
Big blob of Mayo: 100 calories
Veggies: 50 or less calories, but still right on there

And that's how you get these 1000+ calorie burgers. That's why you don't eat fast food without a calorie list. They often take decent food and slather it in six different kinds of fats, giving the incorrect assumption in many people, that that food item is bad for you.

coliema

I love burgers and beer.

TheRealParisLove

I don't avoid foods per se, but I do avoid some restaurants.
*Olive Garden
*Cold Stone Creamery
*Dunkin Doughnuts (or any doughnut place. Well, I do like a VooDoo Doughnut about once every other month or so).
*Cheesecake Factory
*Hooters

And most fast food restaurants. McDonald's and Subway seem to be doing a pretty good job of adding in healthier fare, but those are for the rare treat, only.

Edited to add:
I can't have cheese-its. Well, unless I want to eat the entire box in a single sitting. I literally can't stop until they are all gone. :embarassed:

Determinednoob

trans fat. the end.

this.

transfat and soy......

i almost came in to post "the only thing I wouldn't do would be sitting down with a tub of crisco"

other than that, I'll pretty much eat anythigng.

What's wrong with soy???

Here is some stuffs about it. I don'y worry too much about it, but at the same time most of what I eat just wouldn't have it anyway.

History

The soybean is an oil-rich Asian legume (bean) that grows in fuzzy green pods. Traditionally, soybean plants
were grown in Asia as green manure—a crop to be plowed under to enrich the soil between crop plantings. The
Chinese found that soy consumption led to digestive discomfort, bloating, and gas. Not until they came up with
fermentation methods did soy begin to be used as a food for humans.
Fermented soy products such as miso, tempeh, natto, shoyu (soy sauce), and tamari are fine to eat occasionally;
fermentation deactivates some of the anti-nutrients in soy that cause digestive distress and mineral loss in bones.
However, the majority of soy products sold in the United States are unfermented, so the naturally occurring
toxins are intact. Unfermented soy products also are processed in a way that makes their proteins impure and
increases the amount of carcinogens (Daniel 2005).
Some people argue that since Asians have been eating soy for thousands of years and have an incidence of
cancer far lower than Americans, small amounts of natural fermented soy in the average Asian diet (9.3–36
grams [2–4 teaspoons] of soy per day as a condiment) may well have a protective effect. Unfortunately,
Americans have taken this information and applied it incorrectly to highly processed, unfermented, low-quality
soy products like tofu (a single cup of which weighs 252 grams). Many Americans eat several cups of soy
products daily.

Soyfoods

In the West, the soybean has been used mostly as soybean oil, which is found in most products labeled as
vegetable oil, margarine, or shortening. The soy protein left over from soy oil extraction originally was fed
exclusively to animals—poultry and, more recently, farmed fish. The problem is that animals can consume only
so much soy before developing serious reproductive and other health problems. As a result, the soy industry
started marketing these by-products of soybean oil production to people.
A product of the industrial revolution, soy gave food technologists an opportunity to develop cheap meat
substitutes. The most unhealthy modern soyfood products are manufactured using high-tech processes. They
include ready-made foods such as soy sausages, soy burgers, chicken-like soy patties, packaged soy milk,
protein powders, energy bars, veggie burgers, low-carbohydrate pastas, and chilis, as well as countless foods
containing soy protein isolate, soy protein concentrate, and texturized vegetable protein.

Soy Isoflavones

Hormonal Effects

Just about all soy products on the market contain the phytoestrogens (plant-derived estrogens) known as
isoflavones (Daniel 2005). Soy isoflavones have been shown to decrease the testosterone levels of rats,
monkeys, and other animals, including humans.
In adults, soy consumption may disrupt normal hormone levels, affecting the reproductive system in women
(resulting in heavier menstrual flow, increased cramping, and infertility) and decreasing testosterone levels
in men (which decreases libido and lowers sperm count). In fact, a Japanese old wives’ tale says that women
punish straying husbands by feeding them a lot of tofu!
The effects of soy are no laughing matter, especially when it comes to the health and development of infants
who are fed soy formula. Infants are extremely susceptible to the effects of soy because formula constitutes
most, if not all, of their diets. Figures from the Swiss Federal Health Service indicate that, on a daily basis,
an infant who is fed soy formula receives an amount of estrogen equivalent to that found in three to five birth
control pills (Daniel 2005)! That’s a lot of estrogen for anyone, but this amount is especially dangerous for
infants whose development requires the right hormones in the right place at the right time. In boys, the onset
of puberty may be delayed, and pediatricians are increasingly reporting cases of emasculated boys who reach
puberty with breasts and tiny penises (Daniel 2005). In girls, the onset of puberty may be accelerated, and
reproductive problems may occur in adulthood.
Thyroid Effects
Soy isoflavones damage more than the reproductive system in adults and children. People who consume high
amounts of soy protein each day (e.g., in soy milk and in high-protein energy bars, which contain soy isolates—
the most concentrated source of soy, still containing its isoflavones and phytoestrogens) often complain of
fatigue, low energy, depression, hair loss, poor skin, weight gain, and diminished sex drive—all symptoms of
low thyroid function (Daniel 2005). When tested for hypothyroidism, these people almost always test positive

rml_16

I eat Indian at least once a month. I would have the other things, too, but they aren't foods I love and I'm veg.

Farburnfred

Sugar.. ESP refined sugar

gissalm

Please add to my list, I never realised I ate and drank so much junk before

Beer
Burgers
Fried chicken
Chips (fries)
Crisps (potato chips)
Chinese takeout
Indian takeout
Cola, dr pepper, red bull, lucozade

All of the above and Candy, flour, cakes, anything fried, pasta, ice cream! and as much as you can fast food ... there is a reason why we are on a diet, right? so these foods are the ones that got us in trouble, it's very hard to avoid 100% so if you must have it, have half and log it! i can guaranteed you don't like it as much when you see how many cals has cost you....

I do agree that you can make a healthy burger at home, and there are pretty decent ones out there too, you just need to find them and make the better choices, you can have the burger, take one of the breads off, no mayo, no cheese, with that you already took off 200 - 300 calories .. i think that if you eat homemade food you have a better control of your diet, you know what you put in the food

if you are just starting make better choices; crave soda? have a sparkling water like Izze it will satisfy the crave without so many calories and is better for your belly; chocolate? have a piece of dark chocolate; Ice cream? make a sorbet with ice, frozen fruit and equal or have a weight watchers bar 80 - 100 cals; Burrito? make your own at home with flat out bread (90 cals) black beans, chicken, lettuce, tomato, avocado, and pico de gallo .. you can make the food you like healthier by switching to healthy ingredients .. good luck

bcattoes

If by avoid you mean limit, then I would agree with most of your list. It's completely possible to make a healthy burger that is not high calorie and I don't see a point in limiting that.

I only try to avoid foods with trans fat. But I try to limit (eat occasionally) foods with high levels of saturated fat, added sugar or overly processed carbohydrates.

vim_n_vigor

These are the only things:

Anything you are allergic to
Anything that you have an intolerance to
Anything that is a trigger food and you can't control yourself well around.

jamers3111

Processed sugars/starches... at least this is what I try to do.

100lbstoloosefemale

Please add to my list, I never realised I ate and drank so much junk before

Beer
Burgers
Fried chicken
Chips (fries)
Crisps (potato chips)
Chinese takeout
Indian takeout
Cola, dr pepper, red bull, lucozade

heres a list of better choices of these
beer- MICALOB ULTRA- 90cal 2.6carb
burgers-lean turkey burgers
fried chicken-baked , grilled chicken
chips-baked chips, rice crackers
chineese-home made chineese,,, use whole grain rice,, no breaded chicken, use lots of veggies and can use low sodium soy
indian takeout-home made,, curry powder little oil-olive oil
cola-WATER y ummmmmmmm,lol
redbull- if you want energy,,,sleep more,, workout!


lol

100lbstoloosefemale

no kfc!!!!!!!!!!!! theres nothing at all healthy on the menu

melsmith612

I'd say the obvious ones to avoid are the ones you have a hard time eating in moderation. So it's different for everyone. I can't have cheese in the house because I always eat too much.

^^This. For me it's pizza. Greasy cheesy pizza. So I keep frozen Newman's Own or California Pizza Kitchen thin crust pizzas in the house for when I'm considering ordering something nasty.

That's a GREAT idea. Never thought of it but I have the same problem - LOVE pizza and always end up ordering it on a whim.

zaph0d

Obvious foods to avoid:
Trans fats
Anything you are allergic or have a sensitivity to
Anything that you don't like

secretlobster

I eat Indian takeout all the time. Chicken tandoori is the s***

LoraF83

The only foods to avoid are the foods you do not like and the foods which you cannot eat in moderation.

There is only one thing I avoid: Mt. Dew

I cannot stop at one can. I have to have all the cans of green goodness. So, no Mt. Dew for me, because I cannot control myself.

Everything else (chocolate, ice cream, pasta, pizza, burgers, etc) are still included in my diet as they fit in my calorie goal. I give my body the fuel it needs to perform and improve, but I also give my mind the junk it wants sometimes.

Win-win.

thechubner

I would say if you have a peanut allergy - avoid peanuts
If you're diabetic - avoid sugar
If you're lactose intolerent - avoid dairy

but unless there is a medical reason not to eat a certain food or certain food group - it's good to give yourself a little wiggle room within reason

Foods I generally avoid (but eat at least a few times a year)

Fast Food
Pizza
Chinese Takeout (unless ordered from the "Light Steamed" menu)
Things with excess sugar
Things with hidden sugars
Things that claim to be healthy but really have no nutritional value so are essentially empty calories (I'm looking at you nutragrain bars)

Etc - other than that if I enjoy it I try to never say never. I'm not a fan of peanutbuter so even on my cheat times I'm not going to have a bag of Reeses Peanutbutter cups - but I might sneak a Hershey with Almond bar

pauljanet

These are on my hit list!
1. Any fried. food.
2 Red meat, but thats because I'm just not a fan really.
3. Baileys n Ice... this one is very hard to resist , I dont drink any other alchohol.. but I could deffo drink a bottle of the stuff
3. Chocolate..very easy as I just dont eat chocolate, strange this, seeing as my favourite is the dreaded Bailey's!

Could add a few more more if I put my mind too it though.. lol

odusgolp

I eat edamame nearly every day.

bcattoes

trans fat. the end.

this.

transfat and soy......

i almost came in to post "the only thing I wouldn't do would be sitting down with a tub of crisco"

other than that, I'll pretty much eat anythigng.

What's wrong with soy???

Nothing unless you have an allergy or intollerance or eat too much of it.

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/protein-full-story/index.html#soy

•Eat soy in moderation. Soybeans, tofu, and other soy-based foods are an excellent alternative to red meat. In some cultures, tofu and soy foods are a protein staple, and we don’t suggest any change. But if you haven't grown up eating lots of soy, there's no reason to go overboard: Two to 4 servings a week is a good target; eating more than that likely won't offer any health benefits and we can’t be sure that there is no harm.

forgtmenot

I still drink beer occasionally but I just try to drink light beer and I only have one or 2 when I do, and I make turkey burgers on whole wheat buns which makes avoiding the real thing not so hard.

I avoid any restaurant that doesn't have a decently healthy option on their menu, and there are LOTS that fall into that catergory!

2S_1R

It's okay to have a F***ing cupcake every once in a while, folks. Let's be real... the reason most of us fall off the bandwagon is because we get rid of ALL of the food we love. Every Friday, i let myself have something fatty, and it keeps me going. Disagree or agree.

kuntry_navy

don't agree with burgers, beef is muscle fuel! beer in moderation. i'd say add liquor though. whiskey puts me over my calorie goal by almost a thousand every time. work hard, play hard

Angie80281

I'd say the obvious ones to avoid are the ones you have a hard time eating in moderation. So it's different for everyone. I can't have cheese in the house because I always eat too much.

THIS! There's nothing that you "obviously" have to avoid unless you're allergic to it. There is nothing that I won't allow myself in moderation. That being said, there are things that I prefer not to buy because I tend to overeat them when they're readily available but that's a matter of portion control.