Hidden Calories: Why you might not be losing the weight you want.
As you might know, the key to losing weight is to be in a caloric deficit. These foods can be easily over-consumed which could be the reason you aren’t losing weight. The main things I want to focus on in this blog are nighttime snacking, fats/oils and alcohol.
I think I speak for all of us when I say, we’ve all been distracted watching Netflix and have eaten a whole bag of chips or a sleeve of Oreos. This obviously is the complete opposite thing you want to do if you’re trying to lose weight. Over-eating like this often is a sign that you’re eating because of boredom, not because of hunger. Maybe, you’re eating because of stress? Try your best to have a calorie goal each day to stay on track with your weight loss journey, and if you slip up catching up on Stranger Things... don’t beat yourself up there’s always tomorrow.
Another diet stressor, Foods cooked in oil. They can be an easy way to overconsume calories since cooking oils are an incredibly high calorie food. In my opinion, fried chicken might be the most delicious food item in the world, but it’s drowned in oil so it is super important to eat these foods in moderation. I would absolutely recommend including Extra Virgin Olive Oil in your cooking but be mindful of how much you’re using.
There are many different oils, so can be hard to decide on which oil to use. Extra virgin olive oil is best for dressings and marinating. Refined olive oil is best for sauteing because of its higher smoke point. Coconut oil is best for low-temperature sauteing and baking and is also a great substitute for butter. Peanut oil is best for high-temperature stir frys and deep frying, of course this oil has a nutty flavor. Sesame Oil is best for dipping or drizzling. Grapeseed oil is best for low-temperature sauteing. Vegetable oil is best for frying and deep frying. Lastly, avocado oil is a great overall oil for everything because of its healthy fats but is on the pricier side. Try to avoid overusing vegetable oils and seed oils because they are highly processed and refined. You should absolutely use oils is your recipes but a little goes a long way. Foods high in fat like cheese and dairy products can have health benefits because they’re high in protein and also high in fat. I would recommend going for low-fat or fat free options of dairy products. (no needed here, this paragraph is about oil so it seems abrupt to introduce dairy, it’s a good fact though, maybe add it to a different diet or dairy blog)
Our last topic is alcohol. A perfect way to unwind after a long day, but just like other guilty pleasures, its high in calories. I love a good beer, doesn’t everyone? However, regularly consuming alcohol might be the reason you aren’t losing weight. Red wine is rich in antioxidants, so it has some health benefits. Almost every other form of alcohol does not though. I would recommend limiting drinking alcohol to on the weekends or special occasions for your continued health.
Overall, I don’t believe in restrictive dieting, but all of these things should be consumed in moderation. It’s important to be mindful of what you’re putting in your body.