A big part of the long-term weight loss you can achieve with phentermine involves lifestyle changes, and chief among them lies nutrition. After all, you don’t have to burn up calories you haven’t even consumed, right?
This makes most phentermine users cut back on some foods they were eating and their frequency, or outright replacing them with “healthier” or more “natural” options…but beware! Some of these new foods might be doing you more harm than good, especially if we buy into their hype without a careful analysis!
Let’s take a look at some of these foods and how to identify if they’re really good for you!
Fruit juice
Fruits are delicious and healthy for everyone, and that’s why fruit juices are so popular; you get the yummy, ‘natural’ flavors but none of the work associated with choosing, peeling and discarding leftover parts. However, those benefits come at a rather steep price: fruit juices mostly lack the insoluble fiber thanks to the juicing process. And that’s a big deal, because fiber protects us against the effects of the fructose (sugar in fruits) by slowing down the absorption, and they make us feel full too!
By removing that part, we absorb all that sugar directly. And not only that, fruit juices in general are also known to have very high sugar content…as much as classical sugar drinks such as soft drinks! So your body is receiving a lot of sugar, really fast.
Solution: swap for a piece of real fruit, or dilute the fruit juice with water! Read more about some of our top fruit picks!
Cheese
Cheeeeeese! Many find this food delicious, and it’s a part of many dishes from many countries. But there’s also no denying that most cheeses are loaded with saturated fats and sodium. Some studies claim that a single slice of pizza contains about two-thirds of the daily recommended fat intake, just from the cheese!
However, cheese also has some great properties. For example, it has vitamin B12, which helps red blood cells form properly. Studies show cheese also protects your teeth from cavities and has as much protein as it does fat. So, cheese is a good source of protein too!
Solution: Soft cheeses (like ricotta, feta and mozzarella) have fewer calories. Also, use cheese as a flavoring instead of as a main ingredient in your meal. That way you can enjoy the flavor of cheese without worrying as much about its negative health consequences!
Grains
Grains are another food that’s highly polarizing. On the one hand, some people tout the incredible health benefits of a balanced diet that includes grains. On the other hand, some people – bolstered by the paleo diet and other lifestyle movements – completely swear off grain products with claims that they’re not a food that humans should be naturally consuming.
In reality, there’s a little bit of truth on each side. Grains can have a marvelous, healthy impact on our bodies, but some types of grains are very bad for us. The most important part is to recognize that there are two types of grains: whole grains and refined grains.
Whole grains consist of three main parts: bran, germ and endosperm. The bran is the outer layer of the grain that contains fiber, minerals and antioxidants. The germ is a nutrient-rich core that has proteins, vitamins, minerals and fats. The endosperm is the biggest part of the grain, and contains mostly carbs (starch) and protein. Refined grains have the bran and germ removed, and many grains are consumed only after being pulverized into fine flour. So, refined grains contain very little healthy fiber, but all of the starch.
Solution: Avoid refined grains because you are left with nothing but the high-carb and high-calories endosperm. If they do contain vitamins and iron it’s through being enriched, which means those nutrients are added back after being processed. Refined grains include: white flour, white bread and white rice. Instead, go for whole-grain options like whole-wheat flour, oatmeal, and brown rice! Want to check out our recipe for pumpkin pie baked oatmeal? Check this guide to healthy snacks!
Oils
We use them for cooking or we add them as dressings to otherwise healthy foods such as salads. Oils are an essential part of our diet, but be careful because not all of them are as healthy as they appear!
Some oils, such as palm oil, are high in saturated fat. The name “saturated” refers to the number of hydrogen atoms surrounding each carbon atom. Food products that contain such fats include red meat, coconut oil and whole milk dairy foods. These are usually a bad idea for diabetes and heart disease patients, who both need to pay a close attention to their saturated far consumption.
It’s best to replace saturated fats with monounsaturated fats or polyunsaturated fats, which both contain fewer hydrogen atoms than saturated fats. These fats are liquid at room temperature. They include olive oil, canola oil, sunflower oil and corn oil. In fact, polyunsaturated oils are essential fats, which means your body needs them to function properly, but can’t produce them by itself, so you need to get them from foods. Think omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids.
Solution: In general, choose fats that come from plants, nuts and seeds. However, even purportedly healthy oils like olive oil can be bad for you if consumed in large quantities, so use them in moderation. Instead of drenching your salad in olive oil, sprinkle it and enjoy!
The take-away message here is pretty clear: during your weight loss journey, information is power and moderation is key. Want to know more about foods that can actually help you reach your weight loss goals? Read about natural weight loss foods to learn more about great, healthy ways to lose pounds and stay in shape! And be sure to comment below to share your own experiences or ask us questions about the article!