I thought it would be fun to create a post on foods that will never again enter my house. No weight loss story is complete without a list of foods you vow never to eat again. We’ve all got guilty pleasures that we indulge in once and a while. But then there’s just those foods that you honestly will never touch again with a fork, a knife, a straw, or any other utensil for that matter. Here are my top 5:
1. Cobb Salad
The Cobb Salad is America’s way to pretend we are making a healthy choice. The truth is, this salad is about as healthy as a cheeseburger and fries. I used to always order these at restaurants as a way to secretly indulge while feeling better about myself at the same time. I used to love saying, “Oh, I’m on a diet, I’ll just have a salad today, please.” In fact, when this monstrosity is brought out to your table it’s piled so high with meat (chicken or pork), bacon, cheese, potato and eggs that you’re lucky if you can even uncover the lettuce. To Europeans, a salad means greens and tomatoes. Somehow we Americans heard that, and thought they said greens and bacon. Cross this one off my list!
2. “Chinese Food”
Does anyone else realise that “Chinese Food” was invented in America? Chinese people eat rice. With vegetables and a little meat. They wouldn’t touch this stuff with a 10 foot chopstick. Only in America will you find endless buffets of lavish deep-fried, grease-soaked food. Chop suey, General Tso’s chicken, egg rolls, chow mein, fortune cookies. The world already figured out that we’re responsible for fast food, so we thought we’d blame this one on China. We come up with dishes like crab rangoon and call it crab. Actually, it’s fake meat loaded with cream cheese. Whether it’s at a buffet or in a takeout box, I’ll be keeping my distance from Chinese food!
3. Chicken Fried Steak (CFS)
Yes, I admit, I am from Texas and everyone knows that chicken fried steak is a Texas classic. And really a Southern classic if we’re honest. But this is another one that makes it on my list as foods I will never willingly consume again. This is my weight loss story after-all, I’ve got to have some say in what I eat here. CFS, whether it is covered in gravy or mushroom sauce, or just the fat from the deep frier, will not be a part of the rest of my life. That’s right, you heard it here first: a native Texan breaking her vows with the beloved country fried steak. And in case you were wondering, it’s made up tenderized cube steak, not chicken, then coated with flour and eggs and pan-fried, before being lathered in the sauce of choice. Word on the street is that it got its name due to a resemblance to fried chicken, another dish crossed out (sorry Colonel Sanders).
4. Philly Cheesesteak
Here is another food with a deceptive name. A cheese steak is not really steak at all; it’s actually made from frozen chipped beef. Chipped beef is basically processed meat. It’s beef that’s been thinly sliced, loaded with salt, air-dried, and then packed into a jar to be sold on mass. The amount of sodium in one of these sandwiches is through the roof. Let’s not even get into the calories, fat content, or overall nutritional value. Or that there’s more processed cheese on it than in 4 boxes of Kraft Dinner. This isn’t one of those bad foods where you eat it yet feel satisfied after. This is one where you eat it and feel like there’s a basketball in your stomach after. Having been through my weight loss story, I can say that it is exactly because of these kinds of foods that you need to plan what you eat in advance. So you can readily say NO to the cheesesteak when you hear its processed voice calling.
5.Venti Double Chocolate Chip Frappuccino
If you’ve never had one of these bad boys, you may be wondering why I included this in a list about food. Just because it’s in a cup doesn’t make it a drink. Trust me, this is NOT coffee. It’s dessert through and through. If you ever want your own weight loss story, stay away from these. When you’re in line at Starbucks, don’t even look at it on the menu. Keep your eyes on the teas. Lots of choices here: Chai Brewed, Green tea, or any of the Tazo’s; try one of these. If those don’t sound appealing, my next advice: Run. Out the door, around the block. Go ahead and break a sweat, and pretty soon you’ll forget all about the fact you thought you wanted “coffee”. Thanks for reading.
