There’s nothing worse than feeling like you’re doing everything right with your diet and not seeing the scale budge. There are a few reasons for this but what I’ve found to be the most common is the consumption of “hidden calories”.

Hidden calories doesn’t mean the food is sneaking into your mouth (that would be a scary thing to worry about). They’re really just calories that fly under our radar and we don’t account for them. 

So we might think that we’re eating 1500 calories but in reality, we’re actually eating 2000+ calories without even realizing it!

Luckily you’re here reading this so you can avoid falling for that same problem. Here’s a list of where those extra calories are hiding and what you can do about it.

Drink Calories

Calories from drinks are sneaky because we don’t think they can be that many calories, but the average grande order at Starbucks is 450 calories! The same is true for most smoothies, fruit juices, and protein shakes you might order too.

Simple Solution: Instead of ordering drinks that are as many calories as a small meal, aim for low/no-calorie alternatives. Swap out sugar for 0 cal sweeteners, whole milk for almond milk, and soda for diet soda. This can easily save you 100’s of calories a week.

Dressing and Sauces

Drowning your salad in dressing is an easy to make a low-calorie salad 300-500 calories. The same is true for sauces and condiments. This isn’t to say you shouldn’t have them but to be smart about it.

Simple Solution: If you can, opt for 0 calorie dressing and sauces. If not, ask to have the sauce and dressing on the side. This way you can dip your fork or food and only take what you need, reducing your calorie intake drastically.

Healthy Eating

You might be shocked to see this, but healthy doesn’t mean low-calorie. Lots of healthy foods can be high calorie including those acai bowls, fruit smoothies, avocado toast, and more.

Simple Solution: Be mindful of fatty foods (avocados, nuts, etc) and try to eat your fruit/veggies instead of drinking them.

Portion Sizes

This one is the sneakiest of them all. You might think you know how many calories you’re eating but in reality, you’re probably off by 70% (!!!).
Let’s use peanut butter as an example. Here’s a side by side of two scoops of peanut butter. 

 

They look similar, but the image on the left is 25g of peanut butter (1 serving) while the image on the right is 47g. Even though they LOOK the same, one is DOUBLE the calories! If you eyeball your food you’re guaranteed to eat way more calories than you realize.

Simple Solution: Weigh out your food (measuring cups and spoons won’t cut it) for a couple of months to get more specific with your intake. If you’re not ready to weigh your food, start having your meals with smaller plates and utensils to reduce intake.

Cooking Oils

That’s right, the oil you cook your food in counts. If you pour your oil you could be adding 100’s of calories to your day without even realizing it. 

Simple Solution: Swap out pourable oil for cooking oil in a spray bottle. Just make sure not to spray too long otherwise it’s the same as pouring too much.

Snacks and Nibbles

The problem with snacking is that it doesn’t fill you up so you end up snacking more throughout the day and overdoing it. For the parents out there, finishing your kid’s plates multiple times a day adds up too. 

Simple Solution: Ditch the snacking and make your meals bigger so you’re fuller for longer. For the parents, hang in there and try to be mindful of the nibbles or you can reduce your meal intake in anticipation of the nibbles.

You’ve probably found 100’s of hidden calories after going through this article that are going to help you lose more weight faster! However, if you still feel like you’re doing all of these and not losing weight then it might be time to start getting professional help. Our nutrition coaches are here to help you out, schedule a free strategy call today to help you pinpoint your main struggles and create a plan custom-tailored for you.