Nine “Healthy” Foods that Sabotage your Diet

• Tweet

I used to eat all kinds of granola, pretzels and low fat products thinking they were the “healthy” choice. Over the past couple years, I’ve learned to eat differently in large part because of the Ultimate Reset ant the portion control eating plans of Beachbody workouts. Now, I know that all I was eating was empty calories and sabotaging my workout efforts. Now, I know better. Now, I make better choices. You can too.

Eating unhealthy every once in a while isn’t a big deal. As a matter of fact, following the 80% clean diet rule is a good one to follow. But what if you are thinking you are eating healthy and you’re really not?   You probably stay away from lots of carbs, deep fried foods, and McDonald hamburgers, but what if one of your favorite “health” foods is really keeping you from reaching your goals?

Here are nine foods that sound healthy, but they’re fooling you:

Granola
Considered a healthy, easy go-to snack, granola is actually packed with sugar and saturated fat. One serving is pretty high in calories. Instead, try Muesli. Muesli is basically raw granola. Generally, it contains less sugar and oils, but still read the label. And, make sure you measure your portion – it is easy to double a portion size without realizing it.

Frozen Diet Meals
Frozen meals that tout themselves as healthy are not as healthy as they say. Sure, they are low in calories, but they are made up of highly processed foods, lack in nutrition and are usually loaded with sodium. With a little planning, you can create your own version of a frozen meal. Simply make freezable meals in bulk then freeze them in meal size portions

Sports Drinks
“Sport” drinks are intended to help replenish the body after a long hard workout. They are generally high in sugar and preservatives – as much sugar as in a pop in some cases. Sport drinks are really only useful if you are working out hard for more than an hour. For most of us, just plain water is the best choice.

“Fat Free” Products
“Fat Free” might sound good, but what it really should read is “high in added sugars and sodium”. In reality, you need some fat in your diet. So, stick with simple homemade dressing like balsamic vinaigrette, regular yogurt and cheese – just choose smaller servings.

Muffins
Did you know that a typical blueberry muffin you find at a coffee shop contains 460 calories and 15 grams of fat? And, they are made from refined flour, a pile of sugar and preservatives. Choose fruit or just skip this tempting treat with your morning coffee.

Sushi
Fish is an awesome protein in your diet. Sushi provide that fish protein, but also tends to be loaded with rice. Sometimes they are deep fried or rolled with mayonnaise or stuffed with sauces. If you are a sushi lover, try to stick with rolls made with brown rice or are rice free. Another option: sashimi.

Pretzels
There is nothing healthy about a pretzel. They are a carb-heavy, processed calorie laden treat. They have no nutritional value and are high in sodium. One cup of Rold Gold pretzels gives you an entire days’ worth of sodium! Instead, snack on almonds, walnuts, or sunflower seeds — just watch your portion size.

Veggie Chips
Just because it has “veggie” in the name doesn’t automatically make it healthy. Veggies chips are like pretzels – high in sodium and fat. Simply choose raw veggies dipped in hummus – better for you and more filling!

Tea
Bottled tea isn’t always really tea. It can be  loaded with preservatives and sugar. Always read the label. As an alternative, brew your own tea. It doesn’t take very long and tastes better!

What healthy substitutes have you found?