Beware of Phantom Calories

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There is plenty of evidence to suggest that most people consume much more unhealthy food than they realize. These “Phantom Calories” sneak into our diets in unexpected ways often causing us to ingest hundreds or even thousands of extra calories over the course of just a few days.

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Here are some of the most common Phantom Calorie culprits:

Liquid Calories - Most people make the mistake of thinking that liquids can’t make you gain weight as much as solid foods. In actuality, 200 calories from a glass of juice can make you gain weight just like 200 calories from a cupcake. Calories can even sneak into non-caloric drinks when you alter them to taste better - like when you put sugar and cream in your coffee.

Your Kid’s Plate - People who have children are especially prone to eating more calories than they expect. When you go on a diet you typically make one meal for yourself and something different for your child, but many parents make the mistake of nibbling on their kids’ food or even finishing off what their kids don’t eat. Go ahead and just save their food for later. They will eat it when they are hungry again, and your thighs will thank you for this.

Unplanned Snacks – Sometimes it’s just plain hard to avoid bad foods. Even when you are trying to eat right, there always seems to be people offering you tempting and delicious food at work, social events and maybe even in your own home. It’s hard to say no when things look so good and it’s easy to just go along with the crowd. You have to make a conscious decision to plan your “cheat” meals or snacks and try not to deviate from the plan.

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It’s strange how unexpected food can creep into our diets. If you think you’ve been eating right, but you haven’t been making any progress in your weight loss, it might actually help you to keep a food journal for a day or two. Just record every little thing that you eat along with the approximate calorie values if you can. You may just be surprised by how much extra food you’re consuming without even thinking about it.

About Cafe Physique:
The mission of Café Physique is to help clients reach and exceed their personal fitness and nutrition goals. If you’re in need of an a nutritionist in Atlanta or an Atlanta personal trainer – Café Physique is the perfect solution. We offer Atlanta yoga instruction, Atlanta prenatal workouts, and Atlanta personal training. We also have private sessions of pilates that Atlanta residents are raving about. We invite you to let a member of our Atlanta registered dietitian staff or personal training team develop and implement a realistic and healthy lifestyle plan to meet your personal goals.

Cafe Physique Welcomes National Nutrition Month!

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March is National Nutrition Month, and this year's theme is 100% Fad Free. We are all encouraged to stop looking for the "quick fix" fad diet and instead focus on developing an overall healthier lifestyle that will lead to long-term weight maintenance.

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Here are 34 healthy eating tips from the American Dietetic Association:

1. Keep your freezer stocked with frozen vegetables and your pantry stocked with canned vegetables to whip up quick, nutrient-rich meals.

2. Make pasta primavera and serve more vegetables than pasta.

3. Clean out your freezer and refrigerator by tossing half-used bags of vegetables or a lone carrot into homemade soup.

4. Use spinach instead of lettuce on sandwiches.

5. Start your meal with broth-based soup to fill you up before the main course.

6. Only snack if you are physically hungry, not because the clock tells you it is time to eat.

7. Eat fresh, canned or frozen fruits for a sweet dessert.

8. Treat your family to fruit kebabs: Thread pieces of pear, apple, melon and pineapple on skewers and serve for dessert.

9. For a quick healthy dessert, slice an apple, sprinkle the slices with cinnamon, and microwave for about 50 seconds.

10. Try drizzling olive oil and red wine vinegar on a salad instead of a full-fat salad dressing.

11. Use mustard instead of mayonnaise on sandwiches.

12. Try Canadian bacon or ham on pizza instead of pepperoni or sausage.

13. Enjoy high-calorie foods in moderation; moderation isn't deprivation.

14. Compare brands and choose the one lowest in sodium.

15. Give kids control in the kitchen by asking them to help prepare meals.

16. Try edamame (soybeans in the pod) with a reduced-sodium soy sauce for an appetizer.

17. When making tacos or burritos, serve plenty of the good stuff (tomatoes, beans, salsa, corn and cucumber) and let everyone assemble their own.

18. Bake chicken fingers and serve with honey mustard or barbecue sauce.

19. Snack on nuts, but limit yourself to one serving (24 almonds, 47 whole pistachios, 18 cashews, 30 peanuts, 20 pecan halves, or 14 walnut halves).

20. Make lunch your largest meal of the day and eat a smaller dinner.

21. Most people have a core of about 10 recipes they rely on; break the cycle and try one new recipe every two weeks.

22. Use your plate as a food guide: one-quarter of the plate for meat, fish, or poultry, one-quarter for starches or grains, and half for vegetables.

23. Pace your eating with the slowest eater at the table, not the fastest.

24. Drink low-calorie beverages with meals (unsweetened tea, water with lemon, or diet drinks).

25. Munch on veggies like carrots, sugar snap peas or grape tomatoes when making dinner to avoid the temptation to nibble on other ingredients in the meal.

26. Try baked tortilla chips and salsa instead of fried chips with cheese sauce.

27. Dip strawberries or apple slices into fruit-flavored yogurt for a sweet treat.

28. Let kids dunk and dip their foods: animal crackers in low-fat pudding or mini-toaster waffles in cinnamon applesauce.

29. Stuff a pita pocket with cottage cheese and Granny Smith apple slices.

30. Add dried cranberries and almonds to quick-cooking oatmeal and microwave for 60 seconds.

31. Top English muffins with pizza sauce, part-skim mozzarella cheese and bell pepper for a quick pizza.

32. Let kids use cookie cutters to cut sandwiches into fun shapes.

33. Be 100 percent fad-free; use common sense when judging diet and health book claims.

34. Remember you don't have to eat perfectly at every meal; balance your food intake throughout the entire day.

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Because I am shamelessly addicted to all things "Hollywood," even I am sometimes sucked down the pipe dream of hot fad diets. Who wouldn't want to lose 20 pounds in 2 weeks or fit into a bikini by Friday? This year's National Nutrition Month theme is really keeping me grounded and reminded that "slow and steady wins the race."