There are really secret ways in which you are eating more calories than you think. It can sometimes be challenging to know exactly how much you are consuming, especially when you don’t have much time to plan and cook your own meals. With work, school, family, and who knows what pushes us all in a million different directions, it’s hard to ensure you’re eating nutritious food.
To that end, it’s quite easy to eat more calories than intended, even if you have the best intentions. Let’s face it, not all of us are dieticians or nutritionists, so sometimes you just have to trust your instincts and hope that you are making the best nutritional choices possible for you and your family. And since everybody is unique in their own way, how different people react to different ways of eating can really vary.
Are you determined to stop mindless eating? Are you curious how calories can pile up despite your due diligence? Read on to find out the many ways you’re eating more calories than you think.
If you’re eating while distracted, you may eat more calories than you think
If there was one thing everyone had more of in 2020, it was time for our screens. Whether you’ve switched to Zoom meetings for work, your child is ready for virtual education, or you’ve learned TikTok dances to stave off boredom, you’ve probably trusted your devices more than ever.
However, if you forget to cut the chain when it’s time to eat, you may be eating more calories than you think, according to registered dietitian Erin Hendrickson. “When our mind is occupied with something other than the eating experience, it becomes a challenge for our brains and digestive systems to communicate properly,” she told Health Digest. “The same thing happens when we have lunch and dinner at our desks”. Eh, true. The same goes for your late-night Netflix snacks, something Hendrickson says he is very careful about. “According to a Physiology and Behavior study, people probably ate 36% or more calories while watching TV,” he continued. To counter it? Be careful about eating, Hendrickson advised.
If you believe the package, you might eat more calories than you think
Some groceries don’t need labels, like fresh broccoli or a bunch of bananas. This is because they are whole foods or foods that have not been manufactured. However, labels are required for foods that come in cans, boxes, or bags. So by becoming a savvy label reader, you can know exactly what’s in the groceries you buy – and according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, it’s an effective way to understand what you put in your body.
With that in mind, it’s also important to be aware of how certain products are marketed, as Dr. Vikram Tarugu, a Florida-based gastroenterologist, noted. “Just like you describe a meal as ‘healthy’, just seeing the words ‘low fat’ on a food label can make you think you’re eating a little healthier than you really are,” a- he told Health Digest. And it can cause you to consume a lot more calories than you think.
Consider SnackWell’s Devil’s Food Cookie Cakes, which according to their website are fat-free but still contain 14 grams of added sugar per serving. The devil really is in the details!
You may eat more calories than you think if you assume what you’re eating is good for you
Whole foods are some of the healthiest things you can eat, as noted by Healthline. To that end, it’s always good to make sure that you’re getting plenty of them in your diet. Think fruits and vegetables, nutrient-rich fish, whole grains, legumes, lean proteins, dairy, and seeds.
However, that doesn’t necessarily mean you should eat these foods with wild abandon, according to registered dietitian Jodi Greebel. “I often have people tell me they eat a whole avocado because it is a healthy fat,” she revealed to Health Digest. “But, while it is good for you, a serving should really be a small part of that avocado because of the high number of calories a whole fruit contains.”
The same philosophy should be applied to nuts and seeds that are high in fat, as you can eat more calories than you realize pretty easily. And while we all love potatoes, you’ll want to practice moderation with those as well, as noted by Harvard University.
You may be eating more calories than you think if you don’t get the dressing on the side
When you think of super healthy dishes, what’s the first thing that comes to your mind? If you said salad, it’s not surprising because many people will no doubt agree with you. And because many salads contain fresh leafy greens, a variety of greens, and sometimes even fruit, they can be a really great option, especially when topped with a lean protein, as noted by WebMD.
If someone else is making your salad for you, pay attention to the dressing. “If you don’t get the dressing, you’re eating more calories than you think because restaurants could use a lot more dressing than you would at home,” Summer Yule, a registered dietitian, tells Health Digest. “I noticed that I usually get a quarter cup of salad dressing when dining out.” Compared to the one or two tablespoons that Yule usually has at home? That’s the difference!
Do you eat out at restaurants often? You may be eating more calories than you think
Next time you head out to a restaurant with your friends or family, be as mindful as you can, Jamie Johnson, registered dietitian nutritionist, advises. “If you eat out often, you may be eating more calories than you realize because restaurant portions are typically much larger than what an actual portion should be,” she told Health Digest. And that’s distorted what many Americans believe is acceptable portion size, as noted by the National Institutes of Health.
If you head out knowing what a regular portion looks like, you’ll notice the difference, according to Johnson. “Grains should be a quarter of your plate, but Italian restaurants usually will give you an entire plate of noodles,” she continued. She added that such establishments might also offer you endless breadsticks, which can drastically increase your food intake.
Top it off with the fact that you’re more likely to drink more alcohol while dining out, according to a study in BMC Public Health, and the calories definitely add up!
If you cook with oils and fats, you may be eating more calories than you think
Let’s face it: fats are tasty. While a poached egg may be the healthiest option, fried eggs likely taste better. And there’s a reason butter made a comeback when people realized he wasn’t the devil, according to NPR.
Even if you are super conscious and only use olive oil when you sauté salmon, you may still be eating more calories than you think, as noted by certified personal trainer Jamie Hickey. “You can’t help but use some oil, but the calories in the oil definitely add up,” she explained to Health Digest. “Each tablespoon of olive oil has almost 120 calories, so even the ‘healthier’ oils add a lot of calories to your foods.”
The trick to eating only what you want when it comes to oils and fats is caution, Hickey adds. “Unless you’re ready to completely eliminate oil from your meal, you better be prepared to count every tablespoon you put in the skillet, on top of the baked chicken, or over your salad dressing,” he continued.
If you eat pre-packaged foods, you may be eating more calories than you think
Let’s say you are in a healthy food store and you want to eat something before you go shopping. You might be tempted to think that anything you get at the market, whether it’s prepackaged sushi, a frozen meal, or a takeout sandwich, is a calorie-conscious option. But according to registered dietitian Trista Best, overeating with healthy foods is a surefire way to eat more calories than you think. “This is especially true of ultra-processed health foods on store shelves,” she shared with Health Digest. “Many are high in refined carbohydrates, sugar, or alternatives to sugar and fat to provide texture and flavor.”
To avoid eating more than originally anticipated, Best says you should strive to be an informed consumer, even in the healthiest stores. “The calories, fat, and sugar add up quickly if we don’t pay close attention to the nutrition label,” she continued.
“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.”
Jim Rohn
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