Calorie Killers: Foods You Should Never Mindlessly Munch
Foods That Are Secret Calorie Killers - Page 11
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When you’re on a diet, counting calories can be frustrating. But when it comes to these foods, it might be necessary. These everyday fixings we all have for breakfast, lunch, and dinner have a surprising amount of calories — and not in a good way. Even a few handfuls of some of these snacks can put you 600 or more calories over your goal. And if you haven’t dragged out the measuring cup it can be easy not to notice — except when you stop seeing movement on the scale.
Don’t have time to over-analyze everything you eat? Try separating these into portion sizes as soon as you get them home. Then you can just grab a snack pack on the go without having to do any math.
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Cereal
It says 180 calories per serving on the box, but that can be just a cup of cereal (or less). Fill up the big bowl and you could be eating three times the calories (and that’s not counting the milk).
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Restaurant Food
The secret to why most restaurant meals taste better than what you eat at home? Lots of butter and oil. If the calorie count isn’t listed on the menu, you could be unknowingly putting a big dent in your diet — even if you have a salad.
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Chips
Is it easier to accidentally finish a bag of any other food? It’s better to count out a serving or two before you settle on the couch to watch TV.
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Diet Snacks
Be sure to check the serving size. Some diet snacks cheat the margins by making the serving sizes very small.
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Wine
Wine only has around 120 calories per serving, but a serving size can be a lot smaller than you think. Fill up the big wine goblets after work and you could be adding several hundred calories after dinner.
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Pasta
The box of spaghetti always measures in ounces but how often do you weigh your noodles? You may want to if you’re watching your calories. A 2 oz. serving has over 100 calories and is just about 1/2 cup.
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Drinks
At Starbucks, “just a cup of coffee” can be a grande Frappuccino with around 400 calories.
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Salad Dressing
Did you know that one tablespoon of Ranch dressing has nearly 100 calories? Drench your salad and it won’t stay healthy.
Instead, pour out a little, put the salad in Tupperware and shake it. You’ll distribute the dressing evenly without ruining your diet.
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Sweeteners
Two tablespoons of sugar has 100 calories. Lose track of how many heaping ones you put in your coffee, oatmeal or cereal and you can start your breakfast several hundred calories ahead of where you thought you were.
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Fast Food
Not all fast food choices are bad. When you have to splurge, look through the online nutrition facts first. Swapping between a cheeseburger and a Quarter Pounder can save you hundreds of calories.
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Nuts
Almonds are healthy, but a healthy handful can have 600 of the 2,000 calories you’re supposed to have in a day. When it comes to this healthy but fattening snack, it pays to count each nut.
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Granola
Stick to the bars instead of eating this straight from the bag. A cup of granola on your yogurt can add over 400 hidden calories to your breakfast.
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Dried Fruit
Did you know that a healthy handful of Craisins can have nearly 600 calories? Absent-mindedly munch on two or three and that’s most of your calories for the day.
Snacks like these are better in snack packs that come 100 calories per bag.
