This familiar inquiry is something I’ve been hearing from my clients lately as a response to my probing into their diets, inquiring about “extraneous” calories from salad dressings, sauces, dips, cheeses, creamers, spreads, etc. So, what’s the deal? Is it really worth it to give up that slice of cheese on your sandwich at lunch or the creamy dressing on your evening salad?…You bet!

We all know that it takes burning a whopping 3,500 calories (500 calories for 7 days) to lose one measly pound. If that were easy, I wouldn’t have a job. In other words, every little thing counts when it comes to downsizing your diet.

Even if you’re eating a well-rounded, nutritious diet, you may be consuming too many extra calories from pointless condiments and toppings. Picture this:

At breakfast you have whole grain toast with cream cheese and a large mug of coffee with cream. The fiber from the toast is terrific but 2 tablespoons of cream cheese can add up to 100 calories and 10 grams of (mostly saturated) fat. Onto the cream…2 to 3 tablespoons will cost you 60 calories. So in one meal you added 160 extra calories of crap.

At lunchtime you are starved. Surely a piece of cheese and mayo can’t possibly kill your turkey sub sandwich. Depending on how much is on the sandwich, you could be mindlessly adding 150 calories to your otherwise perfectly healthy mid- day meal.

So far, that’s 310 “extras” and it’s not even dinner yet. It’s been a long day and you decide to treat yourself to dinner out. There are countless mistakes to be made at a restaurant. Be prepared with these tips:

Skip anything that’s crispy or deep-fried. If you are having a burger, consider eating half of the bun or discarding it. Order a salad, with low-fat dressing on the side.

Steer clear of mayonnaise, cheese, crispy noodles, croutons etc. If you’re ordering fish or poultry, ask for it to be broiled, steamed, baked, or grilled. Hide from cream-based soups and order broth or vegetable-based soups instead.

Sideline creamy sauces. Ask for all dips, spreads, salad dressings, and sauces ON THE SIDE. I promise you, this will make a difference in your diet.

Say “dry” when it comes to toast and baked potatoes.

Just saying no to certain extras may not seem like it will make a big difference. However, these small shifts add up, and more importantly, they can be a precursor to more significant lifestyle changes.

Advertisement