Five Foods to Avoid so You Can Lose Weight

In a seven month period, I lost seventy pounds, dropped four to six inches off my waist, and went down several suit sizes. My only exercise was walking the dog and some light lifting of hand weights. I ate at restaurants like Waffle House, Village Inn, IHOP, and Wendy's. I just learned to make smarter choices. Much of my weight loss came from avoiding some fundamentally bad foods and beverages. Here a five foods that I have avoided like the plague.

1. Soda. I cut soda and sweet tea out of my life entirely. They were adding sugar and unnecessary carbs to my body. Instead, I drank bottled water or unsweetened tea. I find that my knees are considerably less creaky and I'm not experiencing major sugar crashes.

2. French Fries. Those super-sized fries were killing me. Now, I avoid them entirely. I also avoid hash browns, potato chips, and big baked potatoes. While they are great when you need lots of carbs for intense physical activity, I'm not running marathons. I substitute side salads or broccoli for potatoes whenever I can.

3. White Bread. As a 400-pound bubba, I loved biscuits, bagels, cakes, pancakes, and other enriched bread products, but now I've switched to whole grains entirely. The hearty taste of whole grain breads bring great flavor to a meal and usually cuts the carbohydrate count in half. I also watch my overall bread intake.

4. Orange Juice. I love the vitamin C, but I can lead a better life without drinking all those carbs. Fruit juices can rival soda in sugar and carb content. I've never been into fruit, but I do miss my OJ. But, I feel clean and clear headed by making the switch to water and unsweetened tea.

5. Pasta. Spaghetti, Ravioli, and Macaroni - I loved them all. However, they are a dense load of carbohydrates and I'm better off without them. I've almost given them up entirely. If we have any pasta now, we use a whole wheat variety and keep it as a very small side dish.

The key to my weight loss success has been in controlling my carbohydrate intake. As a man, my nutritionist advised me to aim for no more than 60 to 65 carbs per meal and around 16 to 19 carbs for snacks. While I don't always hit my target, by making a good effort, I usually land in the right ballpark. Making the switch to a low carb lifestyle has been fairly easy. It's really a matter of making sensible changes in my eating habits and finding healthier substitutes for old favorites. Thanks to watching my carbs and avoiding these five foods, I'm still losing weight. It can work for you, too.