Moderate to lose weight

culled from:tescohealthandwellbeing.com

So you have embarked on a weight loss plan and have given up all the usual suspects: Sugary treats, fried foods, fatty snacks, alcohol and sweets. Great! But what about the hidden ‘diet traps’ you might not be so aware of? Some 'healthy' foods could actually sabotage your weight loss if not eaten in moderation. Here are our top 15 foods to be sparing with when dieting and some healthy alternatives to try.

Breakfast bars: A quick, healthy way to have breakfast on the go; right? Wrong! Most of these bars are high in sugar, which can cause insulin spikes and that ‘hollow’ feeling, making it likely you could be reaching for a snack before lunchtime comes round.
Healthy alternative: Eggs are packed with protein and will keep you feeling full until lunch.
Smoothies: They sound ideal, don’t they? Just whizz up some fruit and veg in a blender with a little milk or yoghurt. An easy way to get some of your ‘five a day’. But wait, fruit can be high in natural sugars, making a smoothie quite calorific if you are not careful.
Healthy alternative: Eat your fruit as nature intended – unblended!
Fruit/vegetable juices: Another ‘diet trap’ that can rack up the calories. While juice is most certainly good for you, it’s very easy to consume 2-3 times your daily fruit servings in just one glass. Especially if sugar has been added so always go for pure or ‘not from concentrate’ juice.
Healthy alternative: Use a juicer to make your own juice so you know nothing has been added.
Low fat ice cream/frozen yoghurt: The perfect treat on a summer day. Plus, it’s low fat. What’s not to like? Er…have we mentioned that low-fat usually means more sugar? Low-fat can often mean less taste so food manufacturers will add sugar instead. Also, when people see the phrase 'low fat' they tend to eat more of it thinking it's low in calories too. So be aware and stick to your recommended portion size.
Healthy alternative: Blend bananas and freeze in ice-lolly moulds for a delicious frozen treat that's creamy in consistency and low in calories.
Diet drinks: Sugar free diet drinks may seem ideal when dieting. But that sweet taste can still trigger the psychological urge to nibble while the gas in these drinks can cause bloating. Do yourself a favour, ditch the diet drink habit. You won’t regret it.
Healthy alternative: Water, water, water. I can’t recommend it enough. Not only is it refreshing, it also helps with your weight loss as it can boost your metabolism and has a multitude of health benefits.
Dried fruit: A handful of raisins or other dried fruit can make a tasty, nutritious snack, but by removing water from fruit, you make it more ‘sugar-dense’. Plus, dried fruit is very ‘more-ish’, making it easy to overindulge. Again, portion control is the key.
Healthy alternative: A small bunch of grapes or a handful of berries. Enjoy!
Starchy veg: Potatoes, peas, corn and similar vegetables; while good for you, are foods to keep in moderation when dieting due to the sugar and starch content. It’s ok to indulge in the occasional jacket potato, but non-starchy veg are preferred for best weight loss results.
Healthy alternative: Non-starchy veg such as spinach, broccoli, etc. Swap potatoes for sweet potato as they are less starchy and have many health benefits.
Avocados: Mega-tasty and packed with nutrients, avocados are delicious! The thing is, they are also high in calories, so moderation is recommended. Avoid big bowls of guacamole dip as it’s too easy to overeat.
Healthy alternative: Enjoy half an avocado a day sliced on a sandwich or in a salad at only 100 calories!
Granola: It’s crunchy, it’s tasty and it’s healthy! Yes, but did you know that oil and sugar are added to make it taste so good? An average bowl can ‘cost’ you 500 calories so keep this as a special treat or for when you want to maintain your weight.
Healthy alternative: Porridge. Choose the unflavoured, unsweetened version. Add skimmed milk and chopped fruit for a substantial, filling breakfast.
Coffee: Calorie-free by itself, but what if your regular caffeinated fix is a cappuccino, latte, or worse still, chocolate macchiato with whipped cream? It’s enough to send your calorie count into orbit!
Healthy alternative: Ditch the milk and cream and take your coffee black or with skimmed milk. Swap sugar for a natural artificial sweetener like Stevia.
Wraps: A wrap sounds like a healthy alternative to bread, but your average tortilla wrap can total up to 300 calories… before you even put anything in it!
Healthy alternative: Try a wholegrain pitta bread instead.
Nuts: Nuts are wonderfully nutritious but they are oh, so easy to eat. Especially when they come pre-shelled, roasted and ready to eat. It's hard to stop at just a handful and the high calorie content can bring your weight loss to a halt if you are not careful.
Healthy alternative: Buy nuts in small bags with the shells on. Shelling them is labour-intensive, meaning you are less likely to eat them in large quantities.
Bagels: A bagel sounds like a healthy choice but is it really? Calorifically, your average bagel is the equivalent of 3-4 slices of bread because it’s quite dense. Top it with butter or cream cheese and it can really bump up the calories.
Healthy alternative: Wholegrain bread is a tasty and fibre-rich choice. More nutrients, less calories.
Salad dressings: It’s hard to eat a salad without dressing. You can’t dispute that. But most dressings are oil-based so if you are heavy-handed with the bottle, your ‘healthy’ meal can become a diet disaster. Always measure your dressing out carefully so you don’t ruin your hard work.
Healthy alternative: Vinegar-based dressing such as balsamic vinegar makes a tasty, low calorie salad dressing.
Popcorn: Surprised? Don’t be. Yes, popcorn IS nutritious and low in calories, but most varieties, including the kind sold in the cinema (it always smells so good!) is cooked in oil, which makes it high in calories, not to mention the huge buckets it's served in.
Healthy alternative: The good news is, you can still have your popcorn and eat it! As long as you choose air-popped popcorn instead. Be sure to check the label.

Knowing what foods to be careful of when dieting is just part of your strategy for successful weight loss. If you really want to see consistent results, use the following tips in conjunction with healthy eating:

• Eat controlled portions by weighing and measuring your food
• Exercise regularly
• Track your calorie intake in your food diary or download our free app to your Smartphone
• Avoid snacks and alcoholic drinks

Did you find this list helpful? What are your ‘diet traps’? Leave a comment in the box below. We’d love to hear from you!