15 Things You Should Never Eat If You Have a Flat Stomach

These are the "healthy" foods you should avoid if you're trying to lose weight.

1. GRANOLA

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, a half-cup of granola has between 200 and 300 calories, 12 to 16 grams of sugar, 3 to 15 grams of fat (depending on low-fat alternatives), and approximately 40 grams of carbohydrates. Furthermore, granola is generally blended with something, such as yogurt or fruit, which simply adds to its calorie worth. "While you may believe that starting your day with a bowl of granola is a healthy choice, the calories may easily mount up to over 600 calories just for breakfast," says Toby Amidor, RD, nutrition expert and author of The Greek Yogurt Kitchen.

2. MOCKTAILS

They're less fatty without the booze, right? Both yes and no. True, alcohol adds calories, but so do the things you're substituting. Virgin margaritas, Pina Coladas, and daiquiris are created with fruit juices and occasionally syrups, which include a lot of calories and sweets. Instead, Amidor suggests sticking to alcohol in the form of 5 ounces of wine or a 12-ounce light beer.

3. PRE-MADE SMOOTHIES

Making a smoothie at home and ordering a smoothie at a restaurant are two very different things. When you create your own smoothie, you can measure out the exact amount of fruit, substitute water or almond milk for juice, and avoid adding any extra sugars. However, many pre-made smoothies include between 600 and 1,000 calories per serving and are high in sugar. "An average-height lady attempting to lose weight is generally on a 1,200 to 1,400 calorie diet," adds Amidor. "So having one 1,000-calorie smoothie may quickly ruin any weight-loss attempts."

4. STORE-BOUGHT BRAN MUFFINS

Bran muffins sound like a healthy breakfast option, right? With all that cholesterol-lowering oat bran? However, Amidor advises that the prefabricated ones offered in supermarkets aren't quite as fresh or nutritious as they advertise, and they're almost always enormous, packing in 300 calories—roughly the same as a cream-filled doughnut! Many are also high in saturated fats, such as butter and oil, and contain up to 600 grams of salt. When it comes to losing weight, homemade is essential, so why not try creating your own? While baking takes longer than going to the supermarket, you'll get the advantages of all your hard work in the kitchen.

5. VEGGIE CHIPS

If a food bears the term "veggie," it is not always healthful. Don't be fooled by marketing gimmicks: the majority of items, including vegetarian chips, are mislabeled and not as nutritious as they claim to be, according to Amidor. Fresh veggies are far superior to manufactured and processed alternatives. You may also make your own veggie chips by slicing vegetables such as kale, carrots, zucchini, and squash very thinly, spraying them with olive oil, and baking them in the oven.

6. BLUE CORN CHIPS

Similarly, just because blue chips don't seem like the fatty potato chips you're used to avoiding doesn't mean they're a healthy alternative. "Yes, blue maize includes the antioxidant anthocyanin," says Trudy Stone, a trained gourmet nutritionist. "However, so much of the beneficial stuff is cooked away during the process of making the chips that very little nutritional value remains—leaving them no healthier than your average tortilla chip."

7. PROTEIN BARS

"Most protein bars on the market are sugar bombs that aren't much better than a Snickers bar," Stone explains. "They can also include a lot of carbs, which might cause your blood sugar to skyrocket." Some also have artificial chemicals like trans fat and high-fructose corn syrup, which have been related to inflammation and obesity."

8. ACAI

Acai has had a tremendous health food moment as a result of the amazingly delicious acai bowl, which is essentially a really thick acai berry smoothie blended with almonds, oats, and fresh fruit. But, not only is acai more expensive than other berries, but it also does not live up to all of the hype. "Acai has been advertised for various advantages, including weight reduction, however, there is no evidence that this fruit can help you lose weight," adds Amidor. Learn exactly what foods to buy at the store in order to lose weight.

9. FRUIT JUICES

Fruit contains a lot of important vitamins and minerals. However, if you only drink the fruit juice, you miss out on the fiber that comes from the real fruit, which fills you up. So, while it's simple to drink a great juice, you won't completely benefit from it. If you're determined to lose weight,

10. MICROWAVE POPCORN

Popcorn is a whole grain, so it's not odd to include it on your list of foods that are good for you. Even "natural" and "light" microwave popcorn, on the other hand, is laden with artificial chemicals, as well as salt and butter—and a tonne of calories. This does not imply you must abandon all popcorn since air-popped popcorn is a far superior option. It has only 30 calories a cup and can be customized to your desire.

11. SALAD TOPPINGS

Salads, you're probably thinking, are the go-to diet food. How are they going to keep me from losing weight? The issue is what you put on the salad. Salad components such as nuts, fruits, certain sauces, and extras such as croutons and cran-raisins can actually add 300-400 calories to the meal, according to Angela Godwin, FNP-BC MSN, clinical instructor at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing. "Greens and proteins, on the other hand, may make a salad more satisfying while using less fat." Also, avoid "light" salad dressings, which have high sugar content.

12. ALTERNATIVE PASTA

Nontraditional pasta, such as those made from beans, rice, and soy products, has grown in popularity as a healthier alternative for pasta lovers. That doesn't mean you can gorge yourself on vegetable noodles without consequence. "We should keep in mind that, while this pasta is more nutrient-dense than typical white pasta, they still include calories and carbs," explains Monica Auslander Moreno, RD, nutrition consultant at RSP Nutrition. "Portions are still a pitiful 1/2 cup cooked; most of us do 2-3 cups of cooked pasta at a time." Try a 'half and half' approach using pasta substitutes and a vegetarian pasta substitute."

13. GLUTEN-FREE FOODS

Of course, if you have Celiac disease, you may and should eat gluten-free meals. However, people who pick gluten-free alternatives because they believe it is healthier should reconsider. "Because alternative grains are more bitter than their gluten-containing wheat, barley, and rye counterparts, the most popular way to disguise bitterness is...wait for it...by adding large doses of sugar," explains Alvin Berger, MS, Ph.D., nutritionist, lipid scientist, and co-founder of Life Sense Products. "To offer cover, sugar is added in a variety of various forms and names." The main result is that many gluten-free meals contain more total carbohydrates and have a higher glycemic index than gluten-containing counterparts."

14. KOMBUCHA

"While kombucha is fantastic because it contains diverse probiotic strains," adds Auslander Moreno, "many commercial kombuchas are filled with sugar." "Additionally, people don't examine serving sizes well enough, and what's displayed on the label might be 2-3 servings throughout the entire bottle, and sugar level is suddenly quadrupled."

15. DRIED FRUIT

When given the choice between dried and fresh fruit, always go with the fresh version. "Dried fruits include a lot of calories and added sugar for a small amount of volume," explains Summer Yule, MS, RDN. "For example, one cup of raisins (unpackaged) has 434 calories and 86 grams of added sugar." A cup of grapes, on the other hand, has just 62 calories and 15 grams of sugar. This indicates that 7 cups of grapes provide the same number of calories as 1 cup of unpacked raisins."

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