Obesity increases the risk of various disease such as, type 2 diabetes, heart diseases, cancer (certain types) and osteoarthritis, and is mainly caused by a combination of three things, which include: poor nutrition, physical inactivity and genetic susceptibility. The two main treatments for obesity are a healthy diet and exercise.
Since poor nutrition is one of the major causes of this illness, improving the quality of your diet can only be of great help. Here are 4 foods to avoid if you’re struggling with obesity, for the benefit of your health:
1. White Bread
White bread is a very common food all over the world but unfortunately, it has little nutritious value, and also has a tendency to increase one’s cravings. It has so much sugar in it and doesn’t have the ability to get you full; so within a few hours of eating it, one becomes hungry again.
Instead of white bread, you could replace it with whole grain bread which has a number of documented health benefits such as fiber, vitamin B, protein and more.
2. Fried foods
Fried foods may taste crunchy and delicious, can also be very deadly for your health. These foods are associated with higher cholesterol levels and higher blood pressure which in turn can lead to heart disease or stroke.
Most people just associate fried foods with the french fries, chicken nuggets and burgers that you might only find in fast food restaurants, and tend to forget that they also prepare fried foods at home. To improve your health, try not to fry your foods at all. Grilling, steaming and boiling are all better options.
3. Cream-based salad dressings
Salads are widely perceived as being among the healthiest foods invented, and this is factual. But lot’s of people make the mistake of thinking that just any kind of salad is okay. Even though a typical salad might contain a mixture of various vegetables which are actually good for your health, if they are also drenched in cream-based dressings, they could have the opposite effect.
These cream-based dressings contain a lot of fat and calories, both of which are bad for your health in different ways. You could try substituting these kind of dressings for a healthier choice of oil-based salad dressings.
4. White rice
Prepared in different ways, rice is consumed by the majority of the world’s population and can have some health benefits. But certain types of rice (white rice in particular), just as with white bread, may actually encourage your body to store excess fat.
Brown rice, is a better choice for you given the fact that it is full of fiber, vitamins and nutrients. The high fiber content makes you feel full for a longer period of time, and thus helps mitigate the effects of cravings.
Conclusion
Generally, foods that are high in sugar, carbohydrate and cholesterol should be significantly reduced in your diet. Opt for food with more fiber content, omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins for a healthy life.
A personal fitness instructor will be able to help you design a fitness plan that works just for you, and if you’re interested in hiring one, we would be glad to connect you with a trainer you can trust.