After festive periods filled with rich meals, sugary treats, and pastries, the body tends to store fat due to excessive sugar and fat intake combined with reduced activity. To get back on track for healthy weight loss in 2026, it’s best to avoid—or minimize—certain food groups. Here are expert tips from nutritionist Abeer Aborgili from Diet of The Town clinic to help shed the extra holiday weight.
5 Food Categories to Avoid for Weight Loss
Sweets and Refined Sugars
Includes cakes, commercial chocolates, and traditional desserts.
Effects: Rapid blood sugar spikes, increased fat storage, and quick return of hunger.
Sugary Drinks and Packaged Juices
Includes sodas, boxed juices, and energy drinks.
Effects: High in empty calories, don’t provide satiety, and hinder fat burning.
Fried Foods and Trans Fats
Examples: French fries, samosas, fried chicken, and ready-made pastries.
Effects: High calorie content, slower metabolism, and increased inflammation.
Refined White Carbohydrates
Examples: White bread, white rice, pasta made from refined flour.
Effects: Blood sugar fluctuations, increased appetite, and abdominal fat accumulation.
Processed Foods and Fast Foods
Examples: Sausages, cold cuts, ready-made burgers, frozen meals.
Effects: High in salt, preservatives, unhealthy saturated fats, and low nutritional value.
Nutritional Tips to Lose Weight After the Holidays
After celebrations, gradually reorganize your diet. Avoid strict deprivation and focus on sustainable healthy habits:
Plan meals to control portion sizes, increase metabolism, and stick to the plan.
Organize daily meals instead of following extreme diets that stress the body.
Drink plenty of water (around 2 liters daily) to reduce water retention.
Reduce salt and sodium-rich foods such as canned products, sauces, fast food, chips, and seeds.
Focus on protein, which promotes satiety and boosts metabolism (e.g., chicken breast, turkey, lean red meat, fish).
Increase fiber-rich vegetables (e.g., lettuce, broccoli, chicory, cucumber, arugula, mushrooms).
Return to regular physical activity—at least three times per week.
Monitor healthy portion sizes, as overeating—even healthy foods—can lead to weight gain.
Prepare salad dressings at home with light ingredients; store-bought versions are often high in calories.
Make daily meals balanced: adequate protein, plenty of vegetables, and minimal healthy carbs.
Pay attention to beverages, as many people count calories from food but overlook drinks, such as creamy coffees, sugary sodas, and sweet juices. Replace these with water, unsweetened coffee, green tea, or herbal teas.
Plan weekly meals ahead for grocery shopping to ensure you have nutritious ingredients and avoid impulsive, unhealthy choices. Avoid shopping while hungry to prevent buying unhealthy foods.
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