These 9 Things Are Making You Fat

Forget Fatty Foods – these are the biggest culprits when it comes to gaining body fat

BREAD
White bread, scones, bagels, baguettes etc. etc. etc…..dough based products will send your blood sugar levels soaring, which results in fat storage. Opt for products made from wholegrains instead, such as homemade wholewheat bread, Rye bread, spelt bread etc.

MARGARINE
Or to be more accurate, it’s making you unhealthy. Margarine is one of the worst offenders when it comes to trans fats, even though it is marketed as a ‘healthy’ alternative to butter. For maximum nutrient levels, choose Natural full fat butter instead!

PROTEIN SHAKES
Or to be more accurate, the cheap protein powders which can be laced with sugar. If you are trying to add lean tissue or lose weight and get into better shape, it is a better investment in your health to go for quality, such as PROFORM protein available here at Lifegym

ENERGY DRINKS
Sports drinks such as Lucozade / Powerade etc. are useless unless you’re doing continuous exercise for over 90 minutes (that doesn’t include field sports such as Football and Rugby – these are not continuous). Otherwise you are adding unnecessary carbs that will get stored as body fat. For a natural boost, green tea contains caffeine and recovery enhancing polyphenols

YOGHURT
Don’t let the floating pieces of fruit fool you – the average yoghurt contains more sugar than a chocolate bar! Choose full fat Natural or Greek yoghurt. And add your own flavouring: Strawberries / blueberries / protein powder / cinnamon

SMOOTHIES
‘Contains the juice of five oranges’ might sound great. But that’s a lot of sugar in one go. We are supposed to eat fruit, not drink it. When we eat fruit, we are also taking in the fibre which slows down the blood sugar response and prevents fat storage. If you are taking smoothies / juices, the Nutri bullet / Ninja blenders are better as you liquidise the whole fruit instead of just extracting the juice from it. However, it’s still best to use just one or two servings of fruit. And include some veg such as kale / spinach also. This will give you sustained energy and prevent the blood sugar fluctuations and the fat storage that goes with it.

CEREAL
Most breakfast cereals, even the ones that we think are healthy, contain a huge amount of sugar. Often over 20% of your RDA. Avoid cornflakes / weetabix etc and opt for porridge, which will supply you with sustained energy until lunchtime!

KETCHUP
Make your own healthier DIY alternative. Fry 1 tbsp of finely chopped red onion with 1 clove of crushed garlic in 1 tsp of olive oil. Add a can of chopped tomatoes, let it reduce, then add 1 tblsp of tomato puree. Add salt & pepper to taste.

COFFEE
Or indulgent, coffee shop lattes to be precise. These fancy coffees can be very processed and laced with sugar. Stick to americano (or what we used to call ‘coffee’!). This can also give you an energy jolt for your workout.