Simple Tip for Easy Weight Loss: Cut the Sauces
klugity
Posts: 14 Member
For myself along with many other people we tend to look at supplemental food items such as dips, sauces, drinks, etc, as "no calories." It is easy to do and I still find myself telling myself, "well it's only ketchup - there's hardly any calories in ketchup." Now multiple times during the day I will use dips and sauces and not consider the calories adding up.
Let's look at this scenario even deeper to really be able to see how a few quick changes can go far.
If I eat lets say 6 meals a day- 3 small meals and 3 medium meals and during those 3 medium size meals I eat 6oz of chicken breast with 4 tablespoons of ketchup each meal. 4 Tbsp of ketchup = 76 calories.
76 calories (from ketchup alone) x 3 meals a day = 228 calories per day from ketchup alone!
Lets look even further in advanced...
228 calories per day (ketchup) x 7 days a week = 1596 calories per week!
As you can see, using high calorie sauces can add up really quick and this was only one scenario for one type of food throughout the day! There are plenty of alternative sauces out there for people who just need to spice up their food.
Some of my favorite alternative sauces to consider that have 0 or low calories include:
Yellow mustard
Dijon mustard
Steak Sauce (A-1)
Siracha
Frank's hot sauce
Walden Farm's salad dressing
Let's look at this scenario even deeper to really be able to see how a few quick changes can go far.
If I eat lets say 6 meals a day- 3 small meals and 3 medium meals and during those 3 medium size meals I eat 6oz of chicken breast with 4 tablespoons of ketchup each meal. 4 Tbsp of ketchup = 76 calories.
76 calories (from ketchup alone) x 3 meals a day = 228 calories per day from ketchup alone!
Lets look even further in advanced...
228 calories per day (ketchup) x 7 days a week = 1596 calories per week!
As you can see, using high calorie sauces can add up really quick and this was only one scenario for one type of food throughout the day! There are plenty of alternative sauces out there for people who just need to spice up their food.
Some of my favorite alternative sauces to consider that have 0 or low calories include:
Yellow mustard
Dijon mustard
Steak Sauce (A-1)
Siracha
Frank's hot sauce
Walden Farm's salad dressing
0
Replies
-
I do use a lot of ranch....thanks!0
-
But ranch is sooo good... Walden Farm's has a ranch that is pretty good and has a few other ranch flavors like chipotle ranch and some others I forget. Might want to give them a try!0
-
Just log the condiments like you log everything else and the problem is solved.0
-
Technically yes, this is true however we want our calories to come from healthier sources. Most sauces are sugar based which will supply us only a short term energy boost.
I appreciate the response!0 -
zachjdeering wrote: »Walden Farm's salad dressing
I was with you up to here.
then I had to jump ship. Because. no.Technically yes, this is true however we want our calories to come from healthier sources.
and also lol WUT??
healthier sources?
nothing wrong with sugar based products- and typically most products that wind up being low fat- have a higher sugar content to make them taste better- because low fat tastes like a%%.
0 -
Frank's = yum.
I just don't bathe my food in sauce and log it when I use it. Problem solved.0 -
You might want that, but that doesn't mean that I care about it at all. I'm trying to make this a long term solution for me, so cutting out all ketchup, BBQ sauce, or other high calorie sugar-based sauces would not work for me.Technically yes, this is true however we want our calories to come from healthier sources. Most sauces are sugar based which will supply us only a short term energy boost.
0 -
Yes. I've been doing this to cut calories. In place of ketchup and things, I've been using seasoning salts, mustards [usually yellow], and Louisiana hot sauces. I've tried using Mrs. Dash seasonings, but... they just taste like nothing to me.0
-
Agreed! I still use bbq sauce once in a while and ketchup but in moderation!
0 -
zachjdeering wrote: »Walden Farm's salad dressing
I was with you up to here.
then I had to jump ship. Because. no.Technically yes, this is true however we want our calories to come from healthier sources.
and also lol WUT??
healthier sources?
nothing wrong with sugar based products- and typically most products that wind up being low fat- have a higher sugar content to make them taste better- because low fat tastes like a%%.
You are correct most low fat are high in sugar and vice versa. Generally speaking though sugar based products are not "good" but can we still get away with eating them in moderation - absolutely!0 -
llUndecidedll wrote: »Yes. I've been doing this to cut calories. In place of ketchup and things, I've been using seasoning salts, mustards [usually yellow], and Louisiana hot sauces. I've tried using Mrs. Dash seasonings, but... they just taste like nothing to me.
That's great! I do the same thing. I have found it enjoyable to grab a random hot sauce off the shelf just to try something different. The Louisiana hot sauces are great!
Frank's ketchup style hot sauce is fantastic too.
0 -
I just made a salad with a dressing of sriacha and vegan mayo. 95 calories of yum. I logged it, it helps me get my fat intake where it should be. I'm not ever going to give up my vegenaise. So......No.0
-
Is this another thread that sauce is the devil?...get kind of tired of them. No wonder there is so many people with eating disorders, the boogey man going to get them if they eat certain foods and drinks. *rollingeyes*
OP: I eat what I want and weigh it and log it. Thank you.0 -
hot sauce on everything0
-
This content has been removed.
-
I haven't cut the sauces - I just log them.0
-
As my Dad always said, "Everything in moderation". I've now made this my mantra. Nothing is "taboo" in my healthier choices. I just log everything I eat, and don't deprive myself of a little ketchup or whatever here and there. As long as I stay within my calories for the day, it's all good.0
-
Is this another thread that sauce is the devil?...get kind of tired of them. No wonder there is so many people with eating disorders, the boogey man going to get them if they eat certain foods and drinks. *rollingeyes*
OP: I eat what I want and weigh it and log it. Thank you.
What people eat and people don't eat are their own choices. I am simply provided an example for people to understand how easy it is to "forget" about simple calories we use so often. I do this myself on a regular basis.
Hence simple "tip" - sauces are not a major contributor (generally speaking) to peoples weight gain / loss but it is such a simple fix that can help people tremendously in the long run.0 -
This reminds me of spam ads. "One easy trick for losing weight: Doctors hate it!"0
-
kaseyr1505 wrote: »This reminds me of spam ads. "One easy trick for losing weight: Doctors hate it!"
Was not my intentions!0 -
I couldn't get past chicken breast and ketchup. I'm sure your point was a good one, but chicken breast and ketchup? Nasty0
-
kaseyr1505 wrote: »This reminds me of spam ads. "One easy trick for losing weight: Doctors hate it!"
Or
Eat these three fruits, and blast away belly fat!
0 -
cbhubbybubble wrote: »I couldn't get past chicken breast and ketchup. I'm sure your point was a good one, but chicken breast and ketchup? Nasty
lol! Former ketchup addict... still recovering.0 -
Mushroom cream sauce - homemade with dijon and full fat cream (NOT Campbell's Soup) is my absolute favourite sauce.
OP - I get what you are trying to say - because I did that 5 years ago following the low glycemic diet. The problem is you are still villainizing a portion of your eating pattern. What happens when you get to your desired weight? You have no idea how to eat sensibly and the weight comes right back.
Log everything, be honest with yourself - eat at a defecit and lose weight.0 -
That sounds tastey!
That is the question and to be honest I have been a gainer and loser for years now. Maintaining weight would be very challenging since there are so many factors involved with weight.0 -
OP, thanks for posting this.
I used to think I should eat a salad with every meal, but when I realized how many calories Ranch dressing added, I decided I didn't want to spend my calories on something I didn't get that much pleasure or nutrition from. So I ixnayed salad.
Now I enjoy Ranch dressing in its proper context -- as dipping sauce for homemade potato chips.
I get to eat tasty tasty food and I get to stay within my calories. Win win!
0 -
I like using hot sauce and salsa. Also, I measure my sauces and count them in my calories.0
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.4K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.2K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.9K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 426 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.7K MyFitnessPal Information
- 24 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions