The #1 worst food for weight gain is potato chips as they are high in calorie density as well as fat and low in satiety.
Potato chips contribute to over 1.5 lbs of weight gain over a 4 year period and more if you eat a lot of them.
Sugary drinks and sodas are also bad for weight gain and ice cream, pizza, cookies, doughnuts, Fries, sugary breakfast cereals, hamburgers, steaks, hot dogs and other processed foods are also bad for weight gain.
The worst carb for belly fat are refined carbs like white pasta, pastries, white bread and sugary foods and sugary drinks including soda, candy and fruit juice.
These refined carbs and sugary foods and sugary drinks cause rapid spikes in blood sugar, insulin resistance and increased visceral fat storage.
These refined carbs along with processed snacks like crackers and also chips are also low in fiber and result in overeating and stubborn abdominal fat.
When losing belly fat or preventing belly fat you should avoid refined grains, sugary drinks, baked goods and sweets and processed snacks.
Processed snacks like potato chips and deep fried foods should be avoided.
Baked goods and sweets like candy, cakes, cookies and pastries should be avoided.
Sugary drinks like fruit juices, sweetened coffee, sweet tea, soda and foods like crackers, bagels, pasta and white rice and white bread should also be avoided to lose belly fat and keep belly fat away.
High sugar intake also leads to elevated insulin levels, which encourage the body to store fat around your midsection and refined carbs, being quickly digested, cause rapid blood sugar crashes, which increase your hunger and promote storage of fat and because they are stripped of nutrients and fiber, these foods also don't keep you feeling full and can lead to overeating.
A high intake and high consumption of refined carbs is also linked to an increase in inflammation in the body, which also contributes to visceral fat.
Instead, opt for whole grain, high fiber foods like lentils, beans, oats and quinoa.
A good rule to follow when losing weight including losing belly fat is the 5 carb rule, which is a nutritional guideline that helps you identify healthier packaged foods by checking that the foods contain at least 1 gram of fiber for every 5 grams of total carbohydrates.
The 5 carb rule is also known as and referred to as the 5 to 1 Fiber Rule and is used to help identify high fiber, nutrient dense foods that help to stabilize your blood sugar and improve your satiety.
Total carbohydrates ÷ Dietary Fiber =< 5.
A product with 15 g of total carbs and 3 g of fiber or (15 ÷ 3 =5) meets the 5 carb rule.
When using the 5 carb rule you should also look at the nutritional label to ensure that the fiber is at least 20 percent of the total carb count.
The reason why the 5 carb rule matters is because it reduces blood sugar or glucose spikes, ensures quality and supports healthy weight management.
The 5 carb rule helps you in selecting foods that keep you fuller for longer.
The 5 carb rule also helps you to differentiate truly high fiber foods from the foods that are highly processed but are marketed as whole grain foods.
And foods that meet this ratio for the 5 carb rule are digested slower, which lead to a gentler rise in your blood sugar.
The number one carb to avoid is added sugar, especially in sugary drinks like soda and fruit juices, followed by refined grains like white bread, white rice, and pasta, because they are quickly digested, cause blood sugar spikes, and lack fiber.
These "bad carbs" should be avoided as they offer little nutrition and contribute to weight gain and fatigue, making them top choices to limit for better health, with fresh fruit and whole grains being healthier alternatives.
As carbohydrates provide most of the fuel for daily activity and functioning, you'll probably have less energy if you stop eating carbohydrates.
You may feel more tired and hungry and find concentrating more difficult.