The Active Times

Smart Dieting
 

You spend a lot of your time working hard to maintain your health and fitness; which is why you should never let temptations and cravings get the best of you. There are certain foods – as delicious as they are – that should be avoided at all costs.

Refrain from using any type of sugar alternatives. "Most of the sugar alternatives brandished healthy are nothing more than commercial overly processed chemically induced laboratory-generated super-condensed fructose syrup with no actual health benefit what so ever," says Claire O'Meara, Holistic Health and Nutrition Coach.

Sugar in general should also be consumed with caution. This means staying away from energy drinks, fruit juice and flavored coffee drinks. Stay on track toward achieving your health and fitness goals; don't let these foods lure you in.

Foods That Sabotage Your Diet

The Active Times / istock Sugar Alternatives
 

Sugar Alternatives

"Maple Syrup, Agave and so many other names that 'healthy fashionistas' have pushed as a white sugar alternative," Claire O'Meara, Holistic Health and Nutrition Coach, says. "Most of the sugar alternatives brandished healthy are nothing more than commercial overly processed, chemically induced, laboratory-generated, super-condensed fructose syrup with no actual health benefit what so ever."

The Active Times / istock Fried Foods
 

Fried Foods

Athletes would never eat fried foods, so neither should you. Fried foods are bad for your heart and take a long time to digest. They can also clog arteries and veins which can lead to strokes, heart attacks and aneurysms.

The Active Times / istock Cheesecake
 

Cheesecake

If a delicious and creamy slice of cheesecake is your go-to dessert, you may want to reconsider. The cream cheese, sugar, salt, eggs, sour cream, and whipped cream call for a high-caloric disaster. One slice of commercially prepared cheesecake contains about 18 grams of fat, 8 grams of which are saturated.

The Active Times / shutterstock Soy
 

Soy

"Soy alternatives have been deemed a better alternative than dairy and a great vegetarian option to choose from a good source of protein, but its phytoestrogens can mimic the effects of the female hormone estrogen," O’Meara says. "This can be a real hormone disrupter for females."

The Active Times / shutterstock Microwavable Popcorn
 

Microwavable Popcorn

The artificial butter flavoring on the popcorn is poisonous to the body. There is harmful Perfluorooctanoic acid in the bag and it consists of toxic preservatives. However, it’s hard to imagine a movie without any popcorn; if you really need to satisfy this craving, consider air popping popcorn on the stove and using just a slight bit of coconut oil.

The Active Times / istock Gluten Free
 

Gluten Free

"Some people actually truly are gluten intolerant, but a major surge in the wellness industry has led people down the aisle in the super market stocking up on gluten free products and not actually thinking that they are purchasing overly processed foods rather than just opting for fresh produce," O'Meara says. "Yes being gluten free does have some benefits to gut health but forget the gluten free aisle and the cost you are spending as these products are nothing more than refined, processed junk foods."

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For the complete list of Foods That Sabotage Your Diet, go to TheActiveTimes.com.

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