4 Foods That Secretly Are Adding "HUNDREDS More Calories Than You Think"
So, you are trying to lose weight, and despite the fact that you are eating a lot less, the numbers on the scale just aren't dropping. It could be because you are eating stuff that is secretly calorie-heavy. Kat Best is a holistic nutritionist, personal trainer, and online coach who takes a "no BS" approach to nutrition, fitness, and wellness. In one of her viral videos, she unveils a handful of unsuspecting foods packed with calories. "The longer you track food, the easier it is to be less precise and you could easily be eating HUNDREDS more calories than you think. If you notice you have amazing progress the first few weeks and then a few months in it gets super slow, your food log accuracy is the first place to look," she writes in her Instagram post. Here are the foods you need to look out for, according to Best – and what you can do about it.
Apples
An apple a day may keep the doctor away, but according to Best, you need to understand that the fruit isn't a zero-calorie, zero-carb food. She notes that a small apple = 77 calories, 21g carbs and a medium apple = 95 calories, 25g carbs.
Peanut Butter
Peanut butter may be a great source of protein, but with that comes calories and fat. "2 tbsp peanut butter = 190 calories, 16g fats" and "4 tbsp peanut butter = 380 calories, 32g fats," Best writes.
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Wine
Sure, a glass of wine per day might offer health benefits, but it will also add to your calorie count. "5 oz wine = 125 calories" and "8 oz wine = 200 calories," says Best.
Pretzels
You might want to think twice about reaching for a handful of pretzels. "1 cup pretzels = 110 calories, 24g carbs" and "2 cups pretzels = 220 calories, 48g carbs," says Best.
Just a Few of These Can Take You Out of Caloric Deficit
She goes on to explain that "if your calories (in a deficit) are 1700" and you eat an extra 393 calories, "now you're at 2093 which is not a deficit and no weight loss occurs,' she explains. "This leads to increased frustration, hopelessness and confusion on why it's "not working" but the answer almost always is…you're not in the caloric deficit you think you are!"
Audit Your Intake, She Says
"If this resonates with you and you've been tracking food for a while, you may have gotten a little too forgiving and are logging the intake you WANT to have not what you ACTUALLY are having," she writes. "What to do about it? For one day, try to focus in on your portions as if it was day 1 again. Do a little audit."
Weigh Food and Track Everything
"First thing is to pull the food scale back out and begin weighing for portion control," she says. "Make sure every bite (yes your kids mac and cheese adds up) is accounted for. Track cooking oils, sauces, condiments that may have worked their way out."
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An RDN Agrees
The Diet Diva, Tara Collingwood, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD/N, ACSM-CPT, a Board Certified Sports Dietitian, agrees that calories can often sneak up on you. "We think we are eating the serving size on the package when indeed we can often be eating a lot more, especially in the examples she gives with peanut butter (and other spreads), beverages (especially wine!), and even foods like cereal, rice, etc. The actual serving size on the package is quite small compared to the portions we are used to putting on our plates. Unless you weigh and measure, you don't know for sure how much you are eating," she says.
💪🔥Body Booster: If you aren't losing weight, take a day and do a thorough audit of your diet.
