By AJ Agrawal
Eating right is hard. Unfortunately, restaurants and grocery stores aren’t trying to make it easy for us. Foods advertised as “healthy” often are the reason you’re not making the gains you want in the gym. To help here are the top 3 health scams you need to avoid immediately:
1) Subway
I when my friends tell me they want to grab Subway, it’s usually because they say they’re trying to get in shape, lose some weight, etc. Then I see them go through the sandwich line and rack in 1000 calories of fat. First, you’re doing damage when you get cheese on your sub. That’s extra fat you don’t need. Second, a bunch guys go in and get ranch, blue cheese, or chipotle on their sub thinking it’s not a big deal. That racks up fat even more, especially when you go footlong. Finally, you’ll almost never need that much carb intake for one meal. I could go further into types of breads, sodium, etc. but I’ll leave it at that. If you’re trying to lean out, avoid Subway at all costs and make some grilled chicken and veggies at home.
2) Sports Drinks
Quit drinking Vitamin Water, Gatorade, Powerade, and whatever other sports drinks you like. When you see pro athletes do it, it’s because they’re facing exhaustion and need the extra sugar and calories. You’ll almost never be in that situation, even when you’re lifting. Instead, stick to drinking water. It’s better for you and doesn’t overload you with sugar.
3) Salads
Salads are by far one of the most misunderstood foods people order at restaurants. Most of the time, a guy gets a salad because he’s eating out and thinks that’s going to do the least amount of damage to his body. In most cases, salads are not the answer for either. Most restaurants use super fatty dressings, load your salad with cheese, and use high sodium deli meats. Next time, get a lean protein and some veggies. It may be the same or a little more calories, but you’ll get more health benefits than that salad piled with creamy dressing.
Eating healthy can be tough but it doesn’t need to be. The most sure fire bet to make sure you have the proper diet is to cook as much as possible at home. Learn to cook lean meats, veggies, and fats. When you cook a meal, you know exactly what you’re putting in it, which is the only way to avoid hidden calories. Don’t leave it up to restaurants and grocery stores to decide what’s healthy. Cook it yourself, and you’ll continue making progress.
