Losing Weight Wisely: Coach-Led Diet Advice for Sustainable Success

 

What food should I avoid to lose weight? Unfortunately, it is not that simple because there are key food groups to be conscious of. To help you navigate this, an expert Health Coach here at Healthy Lifestyles Gloucestershire, Alana is sharing the science behind this topic to help you make better choices. When starting your weight loss journey, there are certain food groups to be mindful of which include: refined sugars, processed foods, and foods high in saturated fats.

 

The NHS states that an adult should have no more than 30 grams of sugar a day. The SACN report (Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition, 2015) found high intake of sugar is associated with a greater risk of obesity and tooth decay, while additional research suggests that drinking sugar-sweetened drinks is linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes (British Diet Association, 2020).

 

Processed foods are foods that have been altered in some way during preparation. Not all processed foods are unhealthy, however, some contain high levels of salt, sugar, and fat. These may make the food we eat taste better, but too much can lead to health risks, including obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

 

Saturated fats are found in butter, cakes, sausages, bacon, pastries, cheese, and cream. According to the NHS, the average adult male should have no more than 30 grams of saturated fat a day, and an average adult female should have no more than 20 grams. Eating too many saturated fats can raise cholesterol levels and increase the risk of heart disease.

 

Use the Healthy Eating Journey feature on our Best-You platform to help you better understand your eating habits. There are also plenty of useful resources on the Healthy Eating Deck which will enable you to gain further insight into topics like eating the right food portions, planning for a healthy diet, healthy recipe ideas, top tips from our specialist Health Coaches, and so much more.

Try planning your meals in advance to help avoid reaching for quick-fix snacks that could be high in sugar, highly processed or saturated fats. Doing so means you are less likely to reach for convenience food or snacks in between meals.

As well as being a great way to eat healthily and save money, it also means you can look forward to your meals. It’s always handy to keep a well-stocked cupboard with everyday essentials such as tinned fish (e.g., tuna, mackerel, sardines, or salmon), tinned tomatoes, rice, and pasta - you’ll have the basic ingredients for a healthy meal, whenever you need them.

Overall, there are no foods that you should completely avoid when trying to lose weight, just ones to be mindful of consuming too much of. Establish achievable dietary goals to align with your lifestyle by joining our free Best-You community today - thousands of people are prioritising their health, and now you can too.