- Even healthy foods can hinder weight loss if you eat too much of them.
- Some nutritious foods are high in hidden calories and fats, which can add up quickly.
- Reading nutrition labels and focusing on portion size can help you reach your goals.
Focusing on your daily habits can be a powerful weight-loss strategy. Things like strength training, walking and eating more vegetables and lean protein can all help you reach your goals. But changing your habits doesn’t always lead to weight loss. In fact, there’s one seemingly “healthy” habit that could actually be backfiring, and that’s eating too many healthy foods, says Melissa Mitri, M.S., RD.
Yes, you heard right. It is possible to eat too many healthy foods when you’re trying to lose weight, if they provide more energy than your body needs.
Keep reading to learn why and how to strike a healthy balance to help you lose weight and nourish your body in the process.
Why Eating Too Many Healthy Foods May Sabotage Weight Loss
They May Contain Hidden Calories
Your body needs energy in the form of calories to survive and, ideally, those calories come from a wide variety of nutritious foods. “But too much of anything can blow your calorie budget for weight loss,” says Mitri. Take an avocado, for example. Avocados are full of fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and heart-healthy fats. Energy-wise, one medium avocado has about 320 calories. That’s not necessarily good or bad. It’s a matter of making those calories fit within your overall needs, which is where portion size comes in. By choosing to have half or a quarter of an avocado on your sandwich or toast, instead of the entire thing, you can still reap its nutritional benefits and keep calories in check.
Portion Sizes May Be Deceiving
Another place where healthy foods can easily work against you is when you eat out, even if you’re grabbing a nice big salad, a fiber-filled grain bowl or a fruity smoothie. While the ingredients are healthy, restaurant portions are usually bigger than most of us need, delivering more calories than you bargained for.
Clever Marketing Can Create a Health Halo
Walk down the health food aisle of any grocery store, and you’ll see the words “gluten-free,” “organic” and “high-protein” on the front of loads of food packages. While this information can sometimes be helpful, it can also create a health halo. That’s where you assume that because a food is healthy, it’s OK to eat unlimited amounts. Unfortunately, some products take full advantage of this mentality. Protein-infused snacks are a prime example, says Mitri. “Protein chips or balls may pack more protein but contain the same amount of calories as the original version, or more,” she says. “Because of their health halo, these types of foods can be easy to overindulge, thinking you are doing a good thing.”
Instead of relying on front-of-package health claims, flip over the container and read the Nutrition Facts panel and ingredient list. In addition to telling you the number of calories and serving size, they also list the amounts of fiber, protein, fat and added sugar a food contains. Then you can decide for yourself if it’s right for you.
Their Healthy Fats Can Add Up Quickly
Don’t worry, we aren’t returning to the low-fat craze. Today we know that the type of fat we eat matters far more for overall health than the amount. But when it comes to losing weight, fat does deserve a little extra attention. That’s because fat has 9 calories per gram, compared to carbohydrates and protein, which each have 4 calories per gram. The result: Calories from fats add up more quickly, even when they’re from healthful mono and polyunsaturated fats.
This is another time where paying attention to portions pays big dividends. “Seemingly healthy add-ins like nut butters, seeds, dressings and oils are easy to pour or scoop generously,” says Mitri. For example, 1 tablespoon of olive oil has 120 calories. That doesn’t mean you should avoid it, but it is helpful to know so you can determine how much is right for you.
Weight-Loss Strategies to Try
- Size it up. Given that we live in a world of oversized portions, it can be handy to know what a reasonable portion size looks like. We’re not saying you should always measure your meals, but it can be useful to try once or twice to get a feel for what a healthy serving looks like.
- Make half your plate veggies. Vegetables are full of fiber and low in calories. Take broccoli, for example, with roughly 55 calories per cooked cup. Compare that to a cup of cooked rice, which clocks in at 240 calories.
- Prioritize lean protein. Protein increases the production of hormones that help you feel full, while decreasing those that cause hunger. It also supports muscle growth, which helps maintain your metabolism., However, some protein foods, like fatty cuts of meat and full-fat cheese, can contain a lot of fat. Instead, prioritize lean proteins like chicken, turkey, fish, lean cuts of meat, tofu, beans, lentils and low-fat, plain strained (Greek-style) yogurt.
- Go halfsies. When eating out, consider eating half the portion and saving the other half for later. Or share your meal with a friend. And don’t be afraid to ask for modifications like less rice and more vegetables.
- Eat foods you enjoy. “We know from experience that a restrictive diet mentality doesn’t work in the long term,” says Mitri. “Instead, focus on what to enjoy more to keep you full and satisfied, such as protein, fiber and healthy fats.”
Meal Plan to Try
7-Day High-Protein, High-Fiber Meal Plan for Weight Loss, Created by a Dietitian
Our Expert Take
We’d like to think that there’s no such thing as eating too many healthy foods. However, when you’re trying to lose weight, even healthy foods can backfire if they provide too many calories. That doesn’t mean you have to track every calorie. Instead, start by reading nutrition labels and paying attention to serving sizes. Then build your plate around your favorite vegetables along with a few ounces of lean protein to keep you full. That way, you can keep the healthy foods and lose weight.
