7 fattening foods that have no calories

Do you exercise, watch your calorie intake and still not lose weight? This could be due to various fattening foods that have no calories.

Diets, exercise, healthy eating - despite these promising measures, the extra pounds for some people simply do not want to give up. In these cases, the environment often begins to whisper and criticize the supposed lack of discipline.
But what does it mean when the body ignores any incentives to lose weight? The fact is: Many fattening foods have no calories at all and thus represent weight-loss traps that you do not even notice as such at first.

1. Fattening up: stress

At the top of the list of "calorie-free fattening foods": stress. Regardless of whether it is hectic at work or in private - constant and stressful situations encourage the release of the hormone cortisol. This hormone can make you feel hungry and encourage people to eat more than usual.

Also, food has a calming effect on some people. They often eat more food than necessary to relax. A tip for all "stress-eaters": Take your time and think about how you can counteract the stressful situation. In many cases, relaxation exercises serve as an introduction to more calm and serenity.


Constant stress often leads to more belly fat, some studies have shown. Stress often triggers people's desire for unhealthy foods, the so-called "comfort food".

Try, for example, meditation, yoga, mindfulness exercises, or even less caffeine to bring more calm into your life.

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2. Fattening up: lack of sleep 

Too little sleep also prevents effective weight loss. Studies have shown that lack of sleep leads to a decrease in the level of leptin in the blood. This hormone regulates fat metabolism and inhibits appetite. Some studies have shown that fat people, in particular, do not react to the hormone, i.e. are resistant to leptin.

To keep the concentration of leptin in the blood high, those who want to lose weight should make sure to go to bed on time. You should not consume alcohol or caffeinated drinks before going to bed. Fatty and heavy meals are also taboo.

One study looked at the sleep habits of over 68,000 women and showed that women who slept less than five hours a night were at a higher risk of weight gain than those who slept for seven hours or more. 

Also, people who sleep too little tend to put on more belly fat, especially visceral fat. More visceral fat increases the risk of heart disease or type 2 diabetes.

3. Fattening up: lists of ingredients

Some people neglect to look at the food ingredient list when shopping. The further up the list the fats, the more there are in the product. Incidentally, this also applies to other ingredients such as sugar.

Tip: It is worth taking a critical look when shopping. Even supposedly low-calorie dishes require a review of the ingredients list.

It is also helpful to write a shopping list in advance. This not only saves time and money but can also prevent impulse purchases of unhealthy snacks or groceries. Studies even showed that people who write shopping lists are more likely to eat healthily, have a healthy weight, and save more money.

4. Fattening up: fragrances

Delicious smells and fragrances are buzzing around everywhere. However, some restaurants and supermarkets create them on purpose to whet their customers' appetites and to tempt them to eat and shop.

5. Fattening up: hypothyroidism

Some people have what is known as an underactive thyroid. The thyroid is responsible for metabolism. If it produces too few hormones, the metabolism slows down. The result: energy consumption drops and weight gain can occur.

Only a doctor can check whether someone actually has an underactive thyroid. Therefore, it is advisable to consult your family doctor if you suspect this and have your thyroid function checked. Medicines can compensate for the lack of hormones if necessary.

6. Fattening up: medication

Medicines are also among the fatteners without calories: beta-blockers, antidepressants, insulin, and cortisone often lead to weight gain. Taking the pill can also lead to more weight on the scales, as some contraceptive pills cause more water to be stored in the body.

The use of cortisone has been linked to weight gain more rapidly. This is because cortisone lowers energy consumption while increasing appetite. The stress hormone gives the body the signal that it needs more food. 

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7. Fattening up: Age

The daily calorie requirement decreases with age. This means: If you do not adjust your eating behavior accordingly and eat as much as you did 20 years ago, you will automatically gain weight - so age is also a fattening factor. And shedding those extra pounds isn't as easy as it was when you were younger.

With age, the muscles become fewer and instead replaced by fat cells. However, fat cells burn fewer calories and the metabolism is already slower at the age of 30 than at the beginning of 20. As a result, the daily basal metabolic rate drops, excessive calories set in faster and getting rid of the pounds is more difficult.

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To counteract this process, only strength training and an adequate protein intake can help. Endurance sports shouldn't be left behind either, because they help keep your musculoskeletal system supple.