How bad is a daily bagel with cream cheese

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  • megareen325
    megareen325 Posts: 3 Member
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    I used to work in a coffee shop, and I LOVED bagels. Bagels for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, it didn't matter. Then we started putting calorie counts on all the food items we sold. YIKES. 1 bagel is the equivalent to about 3-4 pieces of sliced bread, anywhere between 200-400 calories. They are DENSE, and unfortunately those carb calories add up. It couldn't hurt to cheat every now and then, but if your ultimate goal is dropping pounds, it might not be the best food choice to go with on a daily basis.
  • howardheilweil
    howardheilweil Posts: 603 Member
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    I want to eat one bagel with cream cheese a day. For breakfast I have a slim fast shake, lunch I have grilled tilapia and spinach with a fruit salad. And for dinner I have a bagel with cream cheese and coffee. Am I sabotaging my weight loss by eating the bagel? I read somewhere that bagels have 700 calories in it. I don't know how true this is because my fitness pal says that a bagel is only 230 calories.
    Are you saying that you have the exact same three meals every day of your life? Why?

    To answer your question, no one can tell you if it's okay to have the bagel and cream cheese because no one really knows the amount of calories in that bagel or the cream cheese, we also don't know your overall calorie goals, exercise, etc... In general, you can eat anything you want as long as it fits your calorie and macro goals/requirements. Good luck!
  • Bella0531
    Bella0531 Posts: 309 Member
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    My local bagel place has the nutritional info posted on a small sheet of paper near the display case. Maybe ask someone there if they have the info available? If not, I'd just guesstimate using somewhere that gives the info (Dunkin' for example).
  • CallMeCupcakeDammit
    CallMeCupcakeDammit Posts: 9,375 Member
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    I agree with weighing. You don't have to get the bagel store to do it for you, get your own digital scale, unless you have one already, and weigh them before you eat them. Weigh your cream cheese, too, because you're most likely getting more than a serving if you use a tablespoon to measure it out. As an example, a serving of dry oatmeal is 40g or 1/2 cup. If you measure out a 1/2 cup of oatmeal and weigh it, it comes out closer to 50g. You can eat a bagel every day if you want to, as long as you're staying within your macros. Check this link out. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/925464-fitting-it-in-giggity

    ETA I also think you should ask them about the calories, but once you have that info you can weigh them yourself.
  • UmmSqueaky
    UmmSqueaky Posts: 715 Member
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    Nothing is bad so long as you plan your day and make sure it fits into it. For me, I'm not a big enough fan of bagels and cream cheese to have them more than a few times a year. I did have one last week, and mixed 1 oz of cream cheese with some jam so I got plenty of topping across the whole thing without half a pound of cream cheese. In the end, it was 550 calories, which is a bit more than I normally have for breakfast, but I compensated for that elsewhere in my day.

    If the local store doesn't know the calories, weigh your bagel and find a bagel in the database that has a similar description and weight.
  • popsicklestar
    popsicklestar Posts: 166 Member
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    My occasional bagel and cream cheese from the bagel shop is 450 calories. That is pretty typical for a bagel and cream cheese. So, that's a totally reasonable amount of calories for a meal. The problem is that the macros aren't that great. It's 54% carb 35% fat and 11% protein. So, it's high fat and high carb without much protein. It's fine if it's once in a while, but those aren't very good macro ratios for a daily meal.
  • dawnmcneil10
    dawnmcneil10 Posts: 638 Member
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    If you truly enjoy your bagel with cream cheese then I say make adjustements but don't remove it entirely. A bagel provides you carbs, protein and fiber so it's not "wasted" calories as some people will tell you especially if it satisfies you. You could cut down to 1/2 a bagel a day (the half that goes stale makes great croutons) with cream cheese, have that with your coffee and add a cup of fruit.

    My own personal choice is to still enjoy all foods I just make sure they fit into my macros. Bagels are high carb so I'm willing to balance out the bagel by having a low carb meal for say lunch.

    As far as caloric info I'd look at Brueggers or Einstein bagels, they're chains but they're probably the closest I've found to the bakery down the street in substance.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    If it fits into your calorie and nutrition goals, you enjoy it, and you don't have any negative effects from eating it, then it's fine. So the question is does it fit into your calorie and nutrition goals? It probably wouldn't fit mine because it wouldn't leave me room for enough protein. You'll have to decide for yourself whether or not it fits into yours.
  • cookieinbk82
    cookieinbk82 Posts: 320 Member
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    I want to eat one bagel with cream cheese a day. For breakfast I have a slim fast shake, lunch I have grilled tilapia and spinach with a fruit salad. And for dinner I have a bagel with cream cheese and coffee. Am I sabotaging my weight loss by eating the bagel? I read somewhere that bagels have 700 calories in it. I don't know how true this is because my fitness pal says that a bagel is only 230 calories.
    Are you saying that you have the exact same three meals every day of your life? Why?

    To answer your question, no one can tell you if it's okay to have the bagel and cream cheese because no one really knows the amount of calories in that bagel or the cream cheese, we also don't know your overall calorie goals, exercise, etc... In general, you can eat anything you want as long as it fits your calorie and macro goals/requirements. Good luck!

    Lately I have been eating the same thing everyday for about a month. I have lost a lot of weight during this time. However, I'm wondering if I could lose more weight if I cut out the bagel from my diet and replace it with something else.
  • funfang
    funfang Posts: 200 Member
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    We have the best bagels in the world (New York) and when I started working at my job, I was at least 25 lbs less. I have been eating a bagel a day for about two years. I'm working on trying to have it once a week but it's hard.

    Even if it's pumpernickel or whole wheat, it's still heavy. Like I said, if it fits your macros and you're already on the path to awesome fit monster, I say go for it, but it not, be careful.

    LOVE bagels!!!! Like so many other said, if it fits your calories, why not? You should be able to enjoy your food (life)!!
  • bfanny
    bfanny Posts: 440 Member
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    Only YOU can answer that, how is your weight loss going? If you are losing and that bagel is your reward/treat at the end of the day and keeps you happy/satisfied then absolutely Go for it!!!
  • delicious_cocktail
    delicious_cocktail Posts: 5,797 Member
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    On a scale of one to genocide, it's probably a 13-inning baseball game.
  • machfive916
    machfive916 Posts: 2 Member
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    I like Einstein bagels, but they are 260 calories. 1 oz of cream cheese (which isn't much) is another 100 calories.
  • Angela26point2finisher
    Angela26point2finisher Posts: 105 Member
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    Bagels make me gain faster than any other food. I avoid them and will pick a doughnut first. Depends on your goals, bagels are just not a very healthful option IMO, so I'd recommend more variety.
  • Cryptonomnomicon
    Cryptonomnomicon Posts: 848 Member
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    Pretty Bad, I heard they were rebooting Breaking Bad with a Bagel playing Mr White.

    6WEuZWW.jpg
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
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    Good, this is something I have experience with.

    A bagel a day with cream cheese, even if it's scooped, is still responsible for approximately 25 lbs in a year. If it fits in your macros, try it, but I am living proof that it's not a very good idea for maintenance if you are trying to lose. Ok, there are the tiny bagels made by Thomas' and that may be a better deal, but I like the "real bagels."

    We have the best bagels in the world (New York) and when I started working at my job, I was at least 25 lbs less. I have been eating a bagel a day for about two years. I'm working on trying to have it once a week but it's hard.

    Even if it's pumpernickel or whole wheat, it's still heavy. Like I said, if it fits your macros and you're already on the path to awesome fit monster, I say go for it, but it not, be careful.


    We have better bagels in Montreal.

    Also - the best bagel shops in the area are popular enough that they publish their nutritional information, so I can still get fresh made, amazing bagels, AND know if they fit my nutritional goals.

    Which they do - regularly.
  • angf0679
    angf0679 Posts: 1,120 Member
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    I want to eat one bagel with cream cheese a day. For breakfast I have a slim fast shake, lunch I have grilled tilapia and spinach with a fruit salad. And for dinner I have a bagel with cream cheese and coffee. Am I sabotaging my weight loss by eating the bagel? I read somewhere that bagels have 700 calories in it. I don't know how true this is because my fitness pal says that a bagel is only 230 calories.
    Are you saying that you have the exact same three meals every day of your life? Why?

    To answer your question, no one can tell you if it's okay to have the bagel and cream cheese because no one really knows the amount of calories in that bagel or the cream cheese, we also don't know your overall calorie goals, exercise, etc... In general, you can eat anything you want as long as it fits your calorie and macro goals/requirements. Good luck!

    Lately I have been eating the same thing everyday for about a month. I have lost a lot of weight during this time. However, I'm wondering if I could lose more weight if I cut out the bagel from my diet and replace it with something else.

    You are not tired of eating the exact same thing every day? I have some recipies that I make that can last 3 or 4 meals. If I can't freeze it, I have to have it 3 or 4 days in a row, and by the 3rd day I'm usually sick of it and want something else.
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
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    Bagels make me gain faster than any other food. I avoid them and will pick a doughnut first. Depends on your goals, bagels are just not a very healthful option IMO, so I'd recommend more variety.

    what on earth kind of bagel are you eating?
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
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    I want to eat one bagel with cream cheese a day. For breakfast I have a slim fast shake, lunch I have grilled tilapia and spinach with a fruit salad. And for dinner I have a bagel with cream cheese and coffee. Am I sabotaging my weight loss by eating the bagel? I read somewhere that bagels have 700 calories in it. I don't know how true this is because my fitness pal says that a bagel is only 230 calories.
    Any calories from Bagels are instantly turned to fat at a ratio of 1:2
  • jmv7117
    jmv7117 Posts: 891 Member
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    Check the nutritional info on the bag of bagels that you intend to use. That will give you the calorie content.

    If a bagel with cream cheese fits into your daily goal then by all means eat one per day. But would you not rather have some variety in your food? That said, I've eaten the same thing for lunch for a while now (until today as I think I've finally sickened myself of it!) so who am I to judge.

    Can I ask what your daily calorie goal is?

    I get the bagels from the bagel store in my neighborhood. So I don't have the nutritional information available.

    The bagel store knows the calories in their bagels. Ask them. If they won't tell you, ask them to weigh it for you (they have scales if they're baking anything onsite). If they won't do THAT either, then I wouldn't trust their food.

    Big bagels are about 400 calories. Smaller bagels are about 250. (edit to add: that's calories without cream cheese)

    Why should the bagel store know the calories in their bagels? It's a bakery that makes bagels. If you buy breads, bagels or other baked goods from a bakery there is no nutritional label and chances are excellent they have not even considered calculating the nutritional value. I have made homemade bagels, breads and other baked goods for eons and never considered calculating the caloric value. I'm not alone on this one...