Here’s the skinny: Women who read nutrition labels tend to weigh less than those who don’t—nine pounds less, to be exact, according to a study out of the University of Santiago de Compostela. Impressive, right?

Foods without labels (fruits and vegetables!) are the gold standard. But when faced with a food label, the fewer the ingredients, the better. Stay away from foods with simple sugars; enriched, bleached or refined flour; high fructose corn syrup; and saturated and trans fat. Staying fit is a lot easier with these simple guidelines!

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