Foods that are WAY too easy to overeat!

August 14th, 2018

There are several foods that you can easily overeat.  I recommend that if you do indulge in them, to be mindful of your portion size.  I recommend sharing them with friends, putting them in smaller size containers, or just avoiding them completely.  While I am not a proponent of wasting food, given some of the giant portions that food sometimes comes in, it may be a better solution than to ingest calories you may find it difficult to burn off (or may never burn off).

• Movie popcorn- these often come in ridiculously huge tubs and we unconsciously shovel handfuls into our mouths since we are distracted by watching the movie.  It’s very easy to consume 500+ calories in one sitting (one whole day’s worth of calories for the average person should be no more than 2000 calories).  Get the smallest size, share with a friend, or ask for an empty drink cup so you can pour the popcorn into a smaller container.  Another option at some theaters is kid’s size popcorn bags.
• Watermelon- it’s so delicious especially during the summer.  However, each slice can have in excess of 100 calories.  Try to limit it to one slice.  Watermelon is one of a few fruits that can be very high in sugar and calories.
• Nuts- they are a part of the Mediterranean Diet and are great for raising your HDL (good cholesterol), however, they often come in tubs which make it too easy to grab many handfuls.  Nuts are extremely high in calories.  A proper portion size of nuts is one palmful or approximately 12 nuts.  If you do buy nuts, scoop them out into small dishes.  I have a set of sauce dishes approximately 2 inches in diameter which almost always yields 12 nuts, and I do not refill the dish after I finish them.  Another option is to eat pistachios or peanuts in the shell as it takes much longer to eat.
• Chips- we often reach into the bag unconsciously until it is empty!  I would really try to avoid all chips, personally, I find carrots and hummus (or fat free salad dressing) to be much more satisfying.  As an alternative, I recommend purchasing small “snack bags” and portioning them out into single servings.
• High calorie beverages- these include juices, sodas, and alcoholic drinks.  Because they are liquids, we can ingest many of them in a short amount of time.  Much of the current obesity epidemic is from these sugary, high calorie drinks.  If you must have juice, dilute it with seltzer water or water (about 50/50).  You will still get the taste but half the calories. Try making your own fruit-infused water.
• Unwrapped chocolates- you get to a party and there is a bowl of brightly colored candy coated chocolates, you find yourself grabbing handfuls at a time and shoveling them into you mouth.  Sound familiar?  Opt instead for chocolates that are individually wrapped in “small sizes” instead.
• Peanut butter- this is a very high calorie food.  Many times, when medical missions go to countries where people are starving, they will often bring peanut butter to help people gain weight and provide sustenance.  Limit your intake of this high fat food by spreading a very thin layer on your food.  Oddly enough, jelly or fruit jam is less in calories and fat and would be a better choice for your sandwich or bagel topping.
• Giant coffee drinks- the ubiquitous coffee chain (whose symbol is a mermaid) sells sugary creamy coffee drinks laden with sugars and fat.  They come in HUGE sizes which can ruin your diet in an instant.  If you must get one of these, get the smallest size and ask for a separate cup so you can share it with a friend.
• Dried fruits- every try to eat 10 fresh plums in 2 minutes?  It would pretty much be impossible unless you were a champion food competition eater.  However, could you eat 10 dried prunes in that same time?  Most likely so.  They have the same calories!  Prunes are essentially plums that are dehydrated (water is removed).  I always recommend fresh fruits as opposed to dried fruits whenever possible.  I do like dried fruits when I’m traveling and may not have access to fresh fruits or if they would be too heavy to carry (while hiking), but I portion them out into small plastic snack bags. When eating dried fruits, try to drink extra water to allow them to rehydrate in your stomach, making it easier to digest.