They sneak up on you before you even realize what hit you. Those foods that call to you from the grocery store shelves ? they?re labeled ?healthy?, ?light?, ?reduced-calorie?, ?fat-free?, and ?cholesterol-free?. Somehow, just putting them into your grocery cart makes you feel virtuous. So how can it be that you?re eating these foods and your pants still feel snug and the scale hasn?t budged?
It?s time to start reading more than just the words chosen by the manufacturers? marketing team. Unless it?s water, diet cola, or some other zero-calorie beverage, the foods you?re eating STILL have calories, and at the end of the day, calories always count. And just because the word ?healthy?, or any derivative thereof appears on the label doesn?t always mean it?s the best choice.
?Healthy?, ?organic?, and ?cholesterol-free? probably give folks the most difficulty. None of these labels signifies a reduction in calories. Therefore, eating an entire bag of organic, cholesterol-free, blue corn chips still deposits the same or similar amount of fat and calories as a bag of Doritos. The main difference will be no artificial ingredients and no trans fats (but check the ingredients label to be certain), and no cholesterol. But then, unless they?re fried in lard, corn chips NEVER have cholesterol. So while they?re certainly a healthier choice, don?t be fooled into thinking you can eat all you want ? check the nutrition facts label to see what constitutes a serving size for that particular food, and the amount of fat and calories that come with it.
Keep the following in mind:
> Organic doesn?t mean no saturated fat (think ?organic? pepperoni pizza).
> Natural doesn?t mean no sugar (think frozen fruit pops with ?natural? fruit).
> Light or lite doesn?t mean calorie-free (think ?light? ice cream)
> Wheat doesn?t mean 100% whole wheat (think ?wheat? bread where the brown color comes from caramel coloring)
Cathy Leman is a registered, licensed dietitian and certified personal trainer, and the founder and owner of NutriFit, Inc. Her passion is helping women learn to be as healthy as possible through sound nutrtition education and fitness training. NutriFit, Inc. specializes in customized nutrition counseling and in-home personal training for WOMEN of all ages. Visit http://www.EatWellGetStrong.com today to learn how Cathy can professionally and competently guide you to reach your fitness and health goals, or email Cathy at nutrifit@sbcglobal.net. | |
