Whether you’re looking to shed a few pounds or simply trying to adopt a healthier lifestyle, a well-organized and balanced diet plan is the way to go. Determining what you are and aren’t allowed to eat is essential, and staying away from forbidden foods is necessary if you want your diet to be a successful one. Eating vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean meats is recommended, but compile your list of permitted foods with care – there are certain foods that might seem harmless, or even nutritious, but can in fact set you back a great deal if you happen to be on a diet.

Bagels

While bagels are low in fat, they are chock full of carbohydrates – not ideal for those looking to lose weight. One small bagel contains roughly 40 grams of carbohydrates, so skip your morning bagel and opt for oatmeal bread or rye bread instead – these are both lowest glycemic breads, i.e. they make you feel full for longer.

Pasta

Pasta is generally considered a healthy food as it is fat-free and is consumed by athletes looking to bulk up before a big challenge. However, given the fact that it is high in carbohydrates (1 cup of pasta contains 40 grams of carbohydrates), it is not exactly the sort of food you want to be eating when on a diet. If you must have pasta, opt for whole grain pasta and mix it up with plenty of fiber-rich vegetables.

White rice

White rice is among the worst foods you can consume when on a diet.  Super refined and a known high glycemic carbohydrate, white rice takes little to no time in breaking down into glucose, and this can in fact stimulate the appetite further, making you feel hungrier. As far as rice is concerned, brown or Basmati rice is a far healthier option.

Rice cakes

Much like white rice, rice cakes are a high glycemic food, and are more of less empty calories. Eating rice cakes does nothing more than make you hungrier and leave you feeling empty. Given the fact that they do not contribute anything to the body, rice cakes are a lot like other snack foods – you end up eating the whole bag, and still feel hungry by the end of it. Instead of opting for rice cakes, go for a snack that is low in calories and high in fiber.

Fruit juice

Fruit juice might seem like the epitome of a healthy drink, but in fact these are completely empty of any fiber content and are frequently artificially sweetened, causing their sugar content to skyrocket. Instead of fruit juice, consider eating real fruits, which are high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and thus more filling and beneficial.

Ground turkey

Given the fact that it is lean meat, many feel that turkey is the perfect source of protein during a diet. However, ground turkey can be a little risky. Like chicken, turkey comprises two types of meat – dark and light. The light meat (found in turkey breasts) is extremely healthy, being low in calories and fat and high in protein, while the dark meat (in the thighs and the legs) contains more fat content. Ground turkey frequently includes a mixture of both dark and light, and if this is the case, the fat content rises to 14 grams per 6 oz serving. Make sure you have the turkey meat ground yourself, and ask the butcher to use only the turkey breasts in the process.