If you've been following our 31 Days of Latinas Losing Weight challenge, then you're more-or-less familiar with some of the Latin foods that you should definitely be filling your plates with: lean protein like fish and chicken, brown rice and quinoa, and of course plenty of vegetables (especially the dark, leafy greens!) and some fruit.
Of course, that's the GOOD stuff for our diets–but what about the bad stuff? We all know there's foods that we really SHOULD be avoiding, but what are they exactly? Sometimes there's so much information out there that it's hard to tell what's what. That's why we've come up with this comprehensive list of, well, the absolute WORST Latino foods that will ruin your weight loss. Give them up and watch the pounds drop!
Read more ¿Qué más? The secret to weight loss is surprisingly easy!
1. Margaritas & Drinking Your Calories: Drinking your calories is actually one of the WORST things you can do for your weight loss. Of course, a glass of Chilean red wine (YUM!) or a shot of tequila isn't what's going to do you the harm. Instead, it's the calories in some of our other Latin favorites, like margaritas, piña coladas and the like, that will have us gaining the weight. So put down that calorie-full cocktail (maybe try a low-cal cocktail?) and opt for a single serving of liquor instead–which is even good for your heart health!
2. Potatoes & Rice: Unfortunately, white potatoes and white rice are just NOT the best foods you can be eating. Potatoes, which are often also consumed as fries and chips, don't have as many nutrients as sweet potatoes (ALWAYS choose the boniato, ladies!) while white rice has less fiber and more calories than brown rice. Say goodbye to the less-nutritional options and always pick sweet potatoes and brown rice instead. Trust me, you'll get used to it!
3. Red meat & Chorizo: Unfortunately, we Latinos LOVE our red meat and processed meats. Also unfortunately, these are some of the biggest causes of dieting fails. Red meat can be full of very unhealthy fats (gross!) and chorizo is even worse with just a single link having almost 300 calories. Yikes! Instead, learn how to cut back on the red meat but still enjoy it a LITTLE while losing weight, but stick to lean meats like fish and chicken instead.
4. Breading & Fried Foods: I remember having bistec or pollo empanizado plenty when I was young, so I know that breading can play a major role in how we prepare our foods. To top all of that off, we also tend to love our fried foods: that same breaded steak, alcapurrias, empanadas, and the like. Well, when it comes to weight loss, you absolutely MUST stay away from these bad news culprits. Instead, opt for baking or pan-frying (in coconut oil!) your used-to-be-fried goodies.
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