The do’s and don’ts of weight loss can be difficult to navigate, parsing through which foods are good for your health, what times you should or should not be eating, and what a balanced diet actually looks like. And while a healthy lifestyle really does boil down to exercise, a calorie deficit, and nutritionally dense foods, there are a few habits which may have snuck into your routines that dietitians recommend avoiding if you want to lose weight and keep it off.
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Eating Processed Foods (Even “Healthy” Ones)
Regardless of if there’s a “healthy” label on a processed meal, these foods should be avoided for weight loss, particularly in the afternoon. Registered dietitian Trista Best explains, “A major issue with processed health foods is most dieters rely on them for meal replacements. Unfortunately, manufacturers rely on fat and sugar to improve the taste and texture of these foods, which simultaneously increases their calorie content.” Once lunchtime hits, Best advises turning to whole foods, as you’re likely to be more sedentary and not expending as much energy in the afternoon.
Eating Refined Sugar
Refined sugar is a sneaky ingredient that can show up in both sweets and “healthy” foods alike. Best says that you should monitor your refined sugar intake in the afternoon for weight loss in order to remain a consistent deficit. “Refined carbohydrates like those found in sugar-laden foods such as pastries and convenience foods can trigger a state of inflammation in several ways. This inflammatory response can stall weight loss and lead to overeating throughout the rest of the day after the inevitable crash,” she says.
Eating Low-Calorie Sweeteners
Following along the line of refined sugars, alternative sweeteners should also be avoided in the afternoon in order to maintain healthy weight loss. According to Best, sugar in the afternoon has been directly linked to overeating in your next meal, and she notes the irony that alternative sweeteners are typically lower in calories, but lead you to consume more directly after. “If you’re going to eat alternative sweeteners at all, it is best to relegate them prior to 2 P.M. to prevent overeating in the afternoon and evening.”
While processed foods and sugars are known to make weight loss more difficult, consuming them in the afternoon can put you at an even further disadvantage in maintaining a calorie deficit and making healthy eating choices. When losing weight, you don’t have to give up your favorite foods but it is important to be mindful of when you’re eating them, in what quantity, and the cravings they could trigger that could stall your progress.
