Healthy Foods That Are Diet Kryptonite

Sometimes I wish I could be a fly on the wall. When you have trained enough clients as I have, you will inevitably run across those individuals who swear that they are doing everything right, and yet they are still not losing weight. Once, a friend of mine who was trying to lose weight came to me. Her personal trainer had given her a list of healthy foods to eat. She said she diligently followed the list and arduously worked out. When I came over to visit her, she offered me some freshly cut juicy pineapples. I was preparing for a bodybuilding competition, so without a thought I refused which she found puzzling. Then, I recalled she was also trying to lose weight, though not for a competition, so I inquired further about the pineapples. The pineapples were not on her list, but she figured it was a fruit, and, therefore, it was healthy, so she could include it. She said she enjoyed eating them all the time and especially at night before she went to bed. I took a deep breath and sat down and explained to her that though certain foods, such as fruits, were healthy, they can still sabotage a diet.

And here’s why!

Fruit is one of God’s finest creations and is wonderful as a dessert. But like desserts they contain sugar. This sugar in fruits is called fructose. Though fructose does not affect our blood sugar level like white refined sugar, it still elevates it. Diabetics know that controlling blood sugar levels is critical and essential to their good health. Similarly, control of blood sugar levels is also critical for those who are trying to lose weight or keep it off. Does this mean we don’t eat fruits? God forbid!!! These handiworks of God not only taste great, but also contain healing properties. However, it is wise to eat fruits under these conditions:

1. Eat fruits in the morning until Noon. This method gives the body time to convert the fructose to glycogen which is stored in the body as energy to be used for the rest of the day. In other words, you are fueling up so you have enough energy to prevent blood sugar level drops during the day which occur most often mid-afternoon . The mistake my friend made was eating her fruits at night and then going to bed. If your day is winding down, the body requires less energy. Whatever is not used as energy is stored as fat.

2. Eat the fruits with the edible skin. Remember losing weight does not have to mean staying away from fruits. By eating the ones with the skin, such as apples, pears, strawberries, blueberries, you are also eating fiber. This fiber also helps keep blood sugar levels from sky-rocketing. And, of course, the idea is to keep no storage in the body once essential nutrients are removed. Elimination is a good idea!

3. Eat your fruits with a protein in the form of a smoothie. Smoothies are a great invention, but they can also be one of those healthy foods that can also work against your diet if you are not aware of the ingredients. First , you want the protein to be the main base. Protein is a thermogenic which helps in revving up the metabolism to burn fat. Adding a good protein powder with some fruits in the smoothie will help to control your blood sugar levels.

4. For a great combo snack, munch on some almonds with your fruit. The good omega fatty acids in almonds along with the added fiber bonus help to reduce the blood sugar levels by slowing down the break down of the carbohydrate into glycogen.

Healthy foods can have a disastrous effect too on our bodies if we are not knowledgeable about a product’s ingredients, the importance of timing, and the right combination of foods. As Solomon said with great wisdom in the Bible, “Don’t let the little foxes spoil the vines”.

Have a healthy day and enjoy your fruits!