But Why Am I Still Gaining Weight?
“But Why Am I Still Gaining Weight?”Alice Henneman, MS, RD, LMNT, Extension Educator for the University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension in Lancaster County, sees a common dilemma in our busy lives.Meet a modern-type of eater: the just-one-biter. The just-one-bitersounds something like this: “I never eat between meals.” “I rarely have dessert.” “Almost everything I eat is lowfat.”Do you ever hear (or perhaps say) these comments, which are often followed by: “But, why am I still gaining weight?”The answer is often in those tiny bites of food we might overlook throughout our hectic days. For instance:Bite 1: One-fourth cup of orange juice remains in the carton. You might as well finish it, right? (Calories: 26)Bite 2: Two tablespoons of granola are left in the box. It’s hardly worth returning to the cupboard. You add it to your serving of cereal. (Calories: 64)Bite 3: You add two teaspoons powdered cream substitute in the coffee at work. Someone made really strong coffee today. Adding creamer is the only way you can stand the taste. (Calories: 20)Bite 4: You take just a small sample of the cake in the break room. Well, maybe a second sliver would be okay too! (Calories: 73)Bite 5: You forgot to ask them to leave the mayo off your sandwich today. (Calories 100)Bite 6: Add two mints. You also forgot to have them leave off the onion! Better have a mint or two for your breath, just in case. (Calories: 20)Bite 7: You take a chocolate kiss from your secretary’s candy jar. You have to crank out a big report this afternoon. This is for medicinal purposes only! (Calories: 25)Bite 8: A second chocolate kiss from your secretary’s candy jar. You finished the report-- what better way to celebrate? And besides, it’s just a tiny piece of candy. (Calories: 25)Bite 9: There you are with a handful of peanuts. The gang has gotten together for a quick drink after work to celebrate completing the report. You just order mineral water, but surely a couple tablespoons of nuts can’t have many calories. (Calories: 105)Bite 10: You have a small sample of cheese on a cracker at the grocery store. (Calories: 55)Bite 11: One-fourth cup macaroni and cheese, leftover from your toddler, is hardly worth the effort to refrigerate. (Calories: 108)Bite 12: You sample two ounces of fat free chocolate pudding from a new recipe- after all, it is fat free. (Calories: 50)The grand total extra calories for the day: 671!!If these extra calories are eaten daily, it might be possible to gain as much as a pound a week! On average, an additional 3500 calories above your body’s needs can lead to a weight gain of one pound.If you or someone you counsel has been adding mystery pounds, consider counting the calories in those tiny bites. Here are some additional tips to help turn the scales:• Plan and carry better snacks with you to avoid being hungry and yielding to high calorie temptations. Rice cakes, instant cup-of-soups, whole grain crackers, apples and bananas are but a few ideas to help you avoid the break room treats and other not-so-healthy choices.• Make yourself write down every just-one-bite. You’ll probably cut back on those bites just to avoid recording them.• Only eat if you’re sitting down. You’ll feel pretty silly sitting on the floor by your secretary’s candy jar!• Do certain recipes continually make too much? Remove temptation by making less.
