Sneaky Foods

Those 'whole grain' herb crackers/pita chips are a lie!! I was craving something crunchy/salty and I'd usually go for potato chips, but I wanted a better 'replacement' - there's pretty much the exact same amount of calories per ounce (14-16 crackers/chips) in those things! I ended up being able to squeeze them into my daily allowance, but 1-2 oz of food really isn't a fulfilling snack for a grown person IMO.

But on the opposite scenario, I've had things that are lower in calories than I expected, too. I got some Philly Cream Cheese (chocolate flavoured) and figured it'd be REALLY decadent and therefore high in calories - but it only had 100 calories per two tablespoons! Compared to 190 for two tablespoons of peanut butter, and 230 for hazelnut spread! I am very happy to make that delicious switch

Candy has been the worst sneaky food for me! I'd grab a few pieces out of the candy jar at work thinking it'd be harmless and then when I'd go to log it realize I'd eaten a whole meal's worth of calories :embarassed:

The calories in a muffin blows my mind. It's like magic, as soon as it gets made into a muffin, its calories double.

Candy gets me too, a couple jelly lollies and wham - there goes my surplus for the day!

Coffee - even a skinny latte can set me back a large amount of calories - I've learned to drink it black or with just a dash of milk.

Pasta. So easy to consume an epic amount of calories - I mix it half half with steamed veg now to bulk it out.

EDIT to add: I don't avoid any of these things (except the coffee, and that's mostly because I don't like it well enough to spend the calories), I just make them fit in my day or don't eat so much of them.

Restaurant salads! It's the cheese, croutons, fruit, meat! My favorite salad -- Pecan Crusted Chicken Tender Salad at O'Charley's -- is 1420 with the Balsamic Vinigrette. I used to eat it all the time! Along with a couple of their rolls at 130 each! Even when I get a side salad now, I always ask for no croutons, no cheese. Just the veggies. Dressing on the side and I dip the tines of my fork in the dressing and then stab a bite.

But on the opposite scenario, I've had things that are lower in calories than I expected, too. I got some Philly Cream Cheese (chocolate flavoured) and figured it'd be REALLY decadent and therefore high in calories - but it only had 100 calories per two tablespoons! Compared to 190 for two tablespoons of peanut butter, and 230 for hazelnut spread! I am very happy to make that delicious switch

Sounds yummy. I'll have to try it.

For me, it was peanut butter. I didn't realize how much was a tablespoon, and I'd eat big spoonfuls right out of the jar as a snack.

Then I got a food scale. I still eat peanut butter, but I weigh it every time.

Peanut butter got me too until I got a food scale, and this will sound strange but vegetables and fruits. Believe it or not the standard medium sweet potato doesn't seem to exist in the grocery store and neither does an acorn squash, or banana for that matter. The sweet potatoes I was eating would be about 2 servings if I looked at it and thought it was medium and the ones I perceived to be small were about 1.5. Nuts were a big thing too. Man I love that food scale after getting it.

I don't avoid anything. I just weigh it all to make sure I have the proper serving sizes. (My biggest surprise was cereal serving sizes.)

I am starting on a 20 gram a day carbohydrate limit. You can deduct your fiber from your carbs. Trouble is many foods I consider healthily and low cal or full of carbs. No yogurt even non-fat, no cottage cheese, limited fresh fruit to start. Lots of vegetables, believe it or not fat is kind of ok. Hamburger no bun, topped with spinach, mayo (yes a couple tsp of mayo, cheese another thing that is ok, onion, pickle, just no carb. Chicken salad with mayo again (not drenched) cucumber, celery, onion on a bed of lettuce. Almost eat things you would never eat. I come 200 to 500 calories below what is in my program but won't lose a pound if there are carbs in those calories. Good luck and hang tough.

I also get amazed at restaurants and their versions of things that are commonly healthier. Balsamic vinaigrette in my fridge? 20 cals a serving. Same kind of dressing at a local restaurant? 150 cals a serving. I've gotten to where I pretty much look up everything possible.

For me the sneakiest foods have been things like coffee creamers and dressings. What I thought was 2 TBS of dressing was actually 3-4. Those calories can add up quick not to mention the added fats and sugars.

Pretty sure the point of MFP is not avoid foods because of their calories but to include them in your daily goals?

^ This!

Yup, some of the first things people learn when changing their habits is that a) healthy doesn't mean low in calorie and b) even most healthy foods have to be eaten in moderation.

The yogurt parfait that surprised you? Probably had 2-3 times the yogurt than in a healthy "serving" and if there was granola, well, granola comes in anywhere between 150-400 calories per OUNCE depending on the style/flavor/brand, and most parfaits I've seen at restaurants or convenience stores use 3 times that amount (and not the lower calorie variety). I make my own yogurt parfait all the time, it comes in around 350 calories: 5-6 ounces of yogurt, one ounce or less of granola (and I look at labels and usually don't bring home the higher calorie kinds) or other cereal for crunch, and maybe some berries or melon. Sometimes, if I've been low on protein and high on carbs that day, I skip the granola and add about a half ounce of sunflower seeds or crushed almonds or pistachios instead.

Many delicious looking store bought muffins, if you look at the serving size, are meant to be at least 2 servings. Please, who's eating half a muffin!? (MFPers, that's who, lol)

So yeah, you don't have to cut all those things out, but beware portion sizes. It's a learning process. After a while, you'll be able to look at most things and have an understanding of what a reasonable portion should look like...but even then, I still check labels.

If you are used to eating larger portions, it may seem challenging to reduce the amount you are used to eating. You can do things like mix granola with a lower calorie, higher volume cereal (adding a half a cup of Cheerios, for example, only adds 50 calories, but could double the volume or your snack) or have half of the muffin, with a cup of berries. You can still have those higher calorie items, just have less of them, and then add some lower calorie item to make your meal or snack feel like it's enough food.

Many delicious looking store bought muffins, if you look at the serving size, are meant to be at least 2 servings. Please, who's eating half a muffin!? (MFPers, that's who, lol)

So many packaged foods do this and it irks me lol. Like Pop-tarts, Yakisoba's, those "individual" bowls of Campbell's soups. They package it to look like individual portions and then you read the number of servings and it says 2 or about 2. :grumble:

Like so many people learn using this site, that's why it's SO important to read labels carefully and measure/weigh everything.

I was actually kind of surprised at how much more an actual serving of peanut butter or nutella is than the amount that I put on a piece of toast. I usually weigh out the equivalent of a tablespoon and that's about as much as I used to put on without measuring (or course, that doesn't count what I would eat out of the jar…)

Pasta was one on the worst - cheese I was actually kind of surprised, again, at how much larger an ounce was than I thought. Still less than I would like to eat sometimes, but certainly enough for a sandwich.

Agree^. Some of my surprises were actually like yours. Peanut butter and cheese "servings" are SO much larger than I use, and I LOVE peanut butter and cheese. Once I got my scale, I found out I really only use less than a tablespoon (1/2 of the 2 T. serving on the jar) for a sandwich. Hmmm, it wasn't the PB that made me fat (well, it was EVERYTHING, but I digress). And cheese? Well I pretty well was always using 1 ounce servings, naturally. Hmm.

I was surprised mostly by my meat portions. I LOVE chicken and steak, and what I thought were "deck of cards" appropriate portions were likely 6 oz. or more (umm, I could totally pack away a 12oz. steak). And, smothered in butter and oils and cream sauces. WHOOPS! Meats, always weigh your meats, folks! And be sure to use the appropriate "raw" or "cooked" database item as needed for the situation.

PS: Bacon (2 slices) IS "healthier" calorie wise than two sausage patties (YMMV on brand, size etc.). Who-da thunk it? BACON forever!