If you are trying to lose weight, but don't seem to be making much progress, you might need to take a closer look at your food choices. One of the primary roadblocks to successful weight loss is the consumption of "hidden" calories, which are calories that we don't take into account, but are still a part of our everyday diet.
It is important that you make informed food choices in addition to watching your portion sizes. So before you throw those "broken" scales out the window, take a few minutes to realistically assess your eating habits. You might also want to start keeping a food journal to help track what you eat for several days.
Shopping and Snacking
A day of shopping can make you work up an appetite. Unfortunately, many of the foods that are readily available at mall restaurants and food courts are loaded with fat and excess calories. Before you order a slice of supreme pizza with extra cheese or a double scoop ice cream cone dipped in candy sprinkles, consider that you are most likely getting your entire day’s worth of saturated fat in one sitting, and in some cases, even more.
If you feel the urge to grab a snack while shopping, you should opt for more nourishing choices, such as a plain soft pretzel or a plain frozen yogurt cup. You might also want to consider keeping low-fat granola bars or rice cakes handy in your car so that a calorie-controlled snack is always nearby.
Caution Around Coffee
Coffee, which was once a relatively low calorie drink, has evolved in the past few years. Today, people have options such as cappuccinos, lattes, and other coffee-based choices that make use of heavy whipping cream, chocolate, and other fat-and calorie-rich ingredients. The result, your old 5 calorie cup of coffee has now ballooned into a 500 calorie cappuccino made with cream.
This doesn’t mean that you have to go back to plain black coffee, however. You can request that your cappuccino be made with light cream or fat free milk, for example. Instead of gulping down a large latte, settle for a small size and take time to savor each sip.
Salad Smarts
Salad is another popular food that has begun to suffer from over-accessorization. People are no longer satisfied with a simple salad made of lettuce, tomato, and onion and sprinkled with a light vinaigrette. Today, salads are oftentimes topped with items that are high in fat, such as high fat cheeses, bacon, and fried croutons and then smothered in a dressing that is also high in fat and calories.
If you are ordering a salad at a restaurant, ask for the high-fat items to be left off of your salad. Request a light or fat-free version of your favorite dressing and ask that it be served on the side. This way you can dip each bite of your salad into the dressing instead of coating your salad with all of the dressing.
Practical Portions
Portion sizes have also grown dramatically in recent years. How often have you run past the corner bakery on your way to work to grab a muffin or bagel for breakfast? While you might consider your bagel to only be one serving, it could actually be closer to two or three servings, depending on its size.
Portion sizes in restaurants have also gotten out of hand. Many fast food restaurants now encourage their patrons to giant-size their meals for only a few cents more. Instead of a bargain, however, you’re only really getting a lot of excess fat and calories, in most cases.