RIO Fitness Chicago® Exercise & Nutrition Blog

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Some "health" foods may be preventing you from losing body fat & could make you gain body fat.

1) ENERGY BARS usually contain protein and fiber (nutrients that help you feel full), but also may be loaded with calories. Remember, losing body fat & getting lean is all about burning more cal than you consume on a daily basis.

2) GRANOLA sounds healthy, but it’s often high in fat, sugar and calories. Low-fat versions often just swap sugar for fat and pack as many calories as regular versions.

3) SALADS. Salad toppings are killers. For example, the pecans and Gorgonzola cheese on Panera Bread’s Fuji Apple Chicken Salad (580 calories, 30 grams fat, 7 grams saturated fat) propels it into double-cheeseburger territory.

4) SMOOTHIES may seem like a great way to help get your daily recommended fruit servings, but the added sugars can make some smoothies the equivalent of drinking fruit pie filling. Some smoothies pack as many calories as a milkshake. Look for those made with whole fruit, low-cal yogurt and no added sugars.

5) YOGURT is a great way to meet your calcium needs, but can also give you a hefty dose of bad saturated fat. Enjoy a fruit-flavored low-fat yogurt, but understand that the "fruit" is really jam (i.e., mostly sugar). Opt for low-cal plain and stir in fresh fruit.

6) SUSHI ROLLS are usually fried tidbits and mayonnaise can really tuck in the calories. For example, a 12-piece Dragon Roll (eel, crunchy cucumbers, avocado and "special eel sauce") has almost 500 calories and 16 grams of fat. Try ordering just the piece of fish or something simple like a California or vegetable roll with cucumbers, carrots and avocado which supplies around 350cal and 7 grams of fat, and most of it is the heart-healthy mono unsaturated fat.