Get to know the calorie count of your favorite foods.
Knowing the numbers plays key role in weight-loss efforts
As much as we have discovered in the nutrition and fitness world, there is still one old rule that remains true: Counting calories helps people lose weight.
It’s not groundbreaking, sexy or cool, but it is the truth. Still, there are more interesting ways to reach the same goals: I offer you calorie awareness. It’s different from calorie counting, and I’ll tell you how.
Being calorie aware is a way for people to be educated and empowered to make the right food choices and health decisions. By understanding calories, and becoming more aware of how many calories are in the foods you eat, you gain the knowledge and power to make more healthful choices. However, Americans are grossly underestimating how many calories are in their food.
The first thing to know is that calories are energy. We need them for our bodies to function properly. However, calories are the perfect example of “having too much of a good thing.” Too many calories, and your body will start going haywire. The number of calories you should consume each day is different for every individual; if you would like to know exactly how many you need, I suggest meeting with a dietitian. But broadly, if you are looking to shed a few pounds, these three food groups are worth examining: beverages, sauces and the “good” fats.
1. Beverages
When I worked at Texas Children’s Hospital with adolescent weight management, the very first lifestyle change we would encourage was no more soda.
Your beverages should essentially add zero calories to your day. That’s right, none.
So, for all you basic witches out there with your Pumpkin Spice Lattes, know you’re drinking 380 calories in one grande, which also includes 50 grams of sugar. That is more than twice the calories in one can of regular Coke (140). Even if you order a “skinny” PSL, that is still 260 calories with 49 grams of sugar.
Scientific evidence shows that by decreasing your calorie intake by 300 to 500 calories per day, you will lose one to two pounds per week. This is what I mean: Just by eliminating your one daily pumpkin spice latte, you are likely to lose weight.
But it’s not just lattes, it’s any sugar-sweetened beverage. This includes lemonade, Gatorade, juice (even if it is 100 percent organic), smoothies and even juice cleanses. All of them have calories, and you should know how much you’re drinking.
Restaurants are required to have the calorie information either posted online or accessible to you in some way. If you have trouble, ask our good friend Google, which will give you at least a ballpark estimate.
Caloric beverages also include alcoholic ones. I’ve written about this before, but for a quick refresher: If you cut out a daily glass of wine and limit your drinking to a couple of beverages once per week, you will lose weight. I am not saying you can never drink any of these beverages. Special occasions and holidays are appropriate times for people to splurge and enjoy a beverage, but not every day is a holiday. Understand that by choosing to drink your calories, you are taking in more than you would if you chose water, a diet drink, a Powerade Zero or a
Vitamin Water Zero … I could go on.
2. Sauces
This includes salad dressings, dipping sauces, cheese sauces, gravy and pasta sauces. Have you ever felt inclined to look at how many calories are in one packet of Chick-fil-A sauce? Or Polynesian Sauce? Did you know those had calories? They do! In fact, they have a lot. One packet of Chick-fil-A sauce has 140 calories, almost the equivalent of one chicken strip or five nuggets. This means that adding sauce doubles your calorie intake.
Do you know how many calories are in ketchup? Ten. That’s it. Salad dressings are similar. There are 75 calories in a tablespoon of salad dressing. But most of us use more than that. The next time you order fettuccine sauce, take a look at that calorie count and see if you want to consider something else.
3.“Good” fats
This is a tricky group because fish (particularly salmon), avocado, coconut oil and olive oil, nuts and seeds are technically nutritious. They have a lot of vitamins and minerals, some are a good source of fiber that can help with digestion, and some are good sources of omega 3s to help with brain function. But they are still high in calories, and you should be aware of how much you consume.
Avocado toast is a popular option these days. There are about 130 calories in half an avocado. Compare this to a ½ cup of blueberries, at 41 calories. Sunflower seeds are a popular topping for avocado toast. I like to call them little fat balls. There are 204 calories in ¼ cup of shelled sunflower seeds. That’s more than the avocado! Luckily, most restaurants don’t put ¼ cup of sunflower seeds on your salad. This is the same for other nuts and seeds such as almonds or cashews. Nuts make a great snack — in the right portion . There are 207 calories in ¼ cup of almonds. So, if you are going for a more filling snack, try raw veggies, which have fewer calories but tons of fiber to help you feel full.
If you are ready for small lifestyle changes that can help you maintain or lose weight, take a look at these areas of your diet and see where you can become more aware of what you are taking in. There are tons of marketing schemes out there to make some foods seem healthful, but you should be educated to make the decision that is right for you and your lifestyle.
Maddy Falivene, MS, RD, LD, is a dietitian and spin-class instructor in Houston who has a graduate degree in clinical nutrition.