Calorie shocker!

iplayoutside19 · August 2013

I'm in my first week of trying to get fitter. My first steps are to do more exercise, which I'm sticking with and doing well with.

I first thought I won't change my diet because even though I eat junk food I'm not overweight (poor excuse I know)

Since joining here and updating my food diary however I have come to realise just how much rubbish I do eat - and there are some foods/drinks I've added and looked at the calories and thought NO WAY it cannot be that much surely?!? Needless to say I am very unaware of what I put into my body and this IS going to change. I'll stick with my usual diet for the next week to see exactly what foods I need to cut back on and what foods I could do with more of.

Anyway, I was just wondering, when you first started eating healthy were there any foods/drinks that you thought were pretty low in calories and were shocked to find out how many they actually contain.

For me I was really shocked at how many calories orange juice contained.

Welcome, Even though I obesse when I started, I also logged a week with my normal diet before making changes. And when I made them it was a little at a time. And over time I got to eating pretty healthy. However, there still isn't a whole lot I won't eat. Just less of it.

My biggest sticker shocks were Salad Dressing, anything at Quiznos, and how many calories salads at FF places have.

ashandstuff · August 2013

How high in calories my gluten free premade foods are. One bagel WITHOUT any toppings or spreads is 350 cals!???? Um no thanks.

xX_PhoenixRising_Xx · August 2013

I was a bit shocked the other day that a regular creme brulee latte from a local chain coffee shop is nearly 500 calories. The large is close to 700. That's not including any cream in the drink either. I wasn't expecting it to be low calorie, but wasn't expecting it to be that high either. A mocha for example is 240 calories for a regular size. Although since the creme brulee latte was so sweet I only wanted about half of a small size, I'd hazard a guess that all the calories came from sugar sugar and more sugar.

ninjakitty419 · August 2013

Before i started using MFP, I honestly thought a good, healthy breakfast consisted of: milk and cereal, orange juice, toast, maybe an egg. I thought chicken nuggets were healthy because they were chicken. And I certainly didnt realize just how many calories or how much sodium was in fast food.

ShadeyC · August 2013

Here's another Shocker, Quinoa are crazy high in cal's

but also super high in nutrients...

THIS^ Quinoa is GOOD though because it has fats and protein that means you don't have to add all the extra stuff to get the requirement you need. You can put more veges etc with it and know you're not losing out on the protein and fats front.

KellySue67 · August 2013

I know it seems daunting and overwhelming to see the number of calories you are eating in your food, but it does not mean that you have to give up all of your favorite things. It's all about moderation. Eat less. I have learned to weigh and measure everything and while it does seem that some portions are small compared to what you were used to eating- that is the problem. We don't truly understand the size of a proper portion. Cereal, for example, is typically 2/3-1cup depending on the cereal. Add 1/2 cup of milk or soy milk or whatever. I find that I can eat bran flake- 90 calories per cup + 1/2 cup milk= 45 calories (for skim), I usually add 1/2 cup of blueberries or strawberries at about 45 calories and then greek yogurt(on the side- not in the cereal) (either Dannon light and fit at 80 calories or Chobani bites at 100 calories)- it's a great breakfast and only between 260-280 calories. You just need to think smart about how much you are eating. That doesn't mean you should fill your day with tons of junk food, but it's ok to have a little bit now and then. Plan it in to your eating for the day, and don't be afraid to try new things. I have found that I really enjoy lettuce wraps in place of my bread at lunch.
Eat well!

ninjakitty419 · August 2013

You're smart to be getting a handle on this whole food-labeling thing before you get any older! I've been reading labels for years and thought I was pretty savvy. Then, one day I was standing in line at the grocery and picked up a packaged large cookie. The calories didn't look too bad, until I read closer and discovered that a "serving" was 1/2 a cookie! Who ever ate half a cookie? Certainly not me. I'm glad I didn't buy the damn thing! I guess the lesson here is Read the Label, the entire label including "Serving Size".

This! Half a cookie indeed! Lol
I have had to really take a look at what a serving size is as I am discovering that MY serving size is often double what it should be.

jjnt007 · August 2013

Mine was a cobb salad and a roll from cotton patch. Who new there was so much sodium in a healthy salad. Not so healthy after all.

oldandhealthier · August 2013

Totally agree about the orange juice but if you think calories are shock you need to brace yourself when you get a food scale for portion size.:frown:

aprileko71 · August 2013

It's never the calorie count that shocks me. It's the sodium.

Yes!!! Especially even when eating out something healthy.

nursenelson · August 2013

my shocker is sodium
Salt is in everything and so high!

ShadeyC · August 2013

My "OH-MY-GOD-THAT-HAS-HOW-MANY-CALORIES-IN-IT" moment was with bagels. Some days (pre-MFP, of course) I'd eat TWO WHOLE bagels. Seriously. And more often than not, those two bagels both had cream cheese on them. The first package I bought since starting MFP were 250 calories per bagel. Add on my favourite flavour of cream cheese and now my 'snack' is bordering into an entire meal.

I have learned that I can still enjoy a bagel, though. I usually only have a half and I measure my toppings so no surprises. Plus, I use cream cheese as a treat instead of a regular topping.

I LOVE bagels with cream cheese. This would be one of my all time favourite breakfasts, and I find it hard to eat a proper breakfast.
Bagels are incredibly high when you consider that they're the 'base' of a 'meal'.
I don't do bagels as snacks but I can squeeze them in as breakfast.
Having said that, I go nuts on cheese.
I will cut out everything else for cheese :P

seabee78 · August 2013

I ordered a "mini sized" M&M chocolate blizzard from Dairy Queen, and realized that it was 370 calories after I ate it! If you order the "small size", it's a whole 660 calories! Good thing that I ordered the mini size. Geez, I really have to avoid these kind of sweets. :noway:

LOL. I know it. I thought I'd do good steering clear of the Blizzards and getting a small dipped cone instead...cha ching! 320 calories later for the small.

Guess it wasn't that much better.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics · August 2013

Like a jar of nuts. Has anyone ever gotten a jar of nuts and counted out X amount of pieces?

I actually do this with almonds all the time! 27 almonds makes a great, filling snack for ~150 calories!

You should try weighing them instead. I found out quickly that counting out cashews was giving me more calories than I was counting. It's always better to weigh, but it's especially better on the high calorie stuff like nuts, avocado, ice cream, etc.

lady6starlight · August 2013

A big shocker for me were the McCafe Frappes. They always made me sick and now I know why. They're like 450 calories each? What on earth do they mix them with, lard?

MsMimidoll · August 2013

Being as how I've dieted and calorie counted on and off for the last 22 years I know the calorie count of most things I eat. Luckily I rarely eat out, and am limited in the kinds of fast foods I can eat.( Im a vegetarian so I won't eat anything if there's a chance there's any meat products in it...you don't know how much i miss fast food fries.) But still , I'm stiiilllll overweight :-/

GettingMooreInShape · August 2013

Condiments! Salad dressings continue to shock me every time I look up nutrition facts on them. Especially blue cheese dressing.. mmm.. mayo is higher than I originally thought too.