Americans diets seriously lack healthy ingredients like fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Americans struggle with obesity, heart disease and diabetes and it is no wonder. Our fast paced society values instant gratification, so we crave fast food and our bodies suffer as a result. A healthy diet is one that is balanced and has variety. Sneaking a quick snack from time to time will not wreck your health, but making life-long smart food choices will improve your overall nutrition. If your looking to lose weight or just need to start eating healthier, start by cutting these nutrition nightmares from your diet. In order to lose fat and build muscle you must stay away from these 12 foods and remove them completely from your diet.

Deep fried fats and oils: Fats and oils heated to a high temperature raise bad cholesterol levels and are linked to cancer.

White flour: Wheat is a nutritious food until the bran and germ is removed, leaving behind a product that lacks essential nutrients. Refined flour products are also linked to an increased risk of heart disease.

Sugar: Everyone knows that the calories in sugar will make you gain weight, but many people are unaware that the fructose component in refined sugar will also raise your cholesterol.

Canned soups: Many popular soups found on grocery store shelves are amazingly high in sodium, fat and calories, particularly the cream varieties.

Donuts: There is nothing nutritionally virtuous about a deep fried refined white flour blob dipped in sugar.

Energy drinks: If you need a quick pick-up from one of the many popular energy drinks, be aware that you are also getting high amounts of sugar, caffeine and carbohydrates.

French fries: While they may be considered the perfect accompaniment to the hamburger, French fries get a bad rap due to astronomical levels of fat, calories and salt.

Granola Bars: While there may be some nutritious components to granola, most commercially available granola bars typically have about as much fat, sugar and calories as candy bars.

Dried Fruit: You may have munched on it during a hike, or packed it in your lunch, but you might want to forget it altogether. Dried fruit is often coated with sugar and is loaded with additives and preservatives.

Margarine: People used to buy margarine because they thought butter was unhealthy. It turns out that the trans fat in margarine is just as bad, if not worse and will increase your risk for heart disease.

Sodas: Sodas and colas are packed with tons of sugar and caffeine. Even diet sodas contain artificial sweeteners that may lead to long-term, unpleasant side effects.

Hot Dogs: There is nothing healthy about the hot dog. This summertime grill staple is loaded with preservatives, sodium and fat. Choose lean chicken or salmon for your next cookout.