12 Healthy Foods That Cause Sneaky Weight Gain

For many people who are trying to lose weight, they swap their takeout for a wrap or smoothie not realizing how many calories some of those "healthy" meals can pack. We'll break down 12 "healthy" foods that can cause unwanted weight gain and what you can do to make sure you are eating as nutritiously as possible.

1.  PROTEIN SMOOTHIES

It's true, Smoothies are one of the first things people go for when they are trying to eat healthy. But did you know that a store made smoothie can contain 600+ calories? Protein Smoothies are not necessary for everyone. Do you eat meat? Are you getting enough protein from other sources? These are all questions you should ask yourself. If you are looking to add more nutrients, follow these basic rules:

1. Always add something green (spinach, kale) 

2. Have the bulk of your fruit be a dark berry. I use berries and 1/2 a banana for sweetness. 

3. NEVER use juice! Juice is extremely high in sugar. If you want it sweeter, try adding some liquid stevia. 

4. Use a milk alternative instead of dairy. Not only will this be easier on your stomach but it will be much lower in calories as well. 

Check out this simple Blueberry Breakfast Smoothie

2. NUT BUTTERS (PEANUT, ALMOND, SUNFLOWER)

 

So I don't think it's news that nut butters are extremely high in fat. Not all fat is bad, and in fact, I think it's good to add foods like this in moderation. But when you're putting Peanut Butter on your morning toast. are you actually using a 2 Tablespoon portion size? Probably not. Next time you go to slather on the nut butter, try measuring it out so you know how much you are using. You could save yourself hundreds of calories.

A good substitute for peanut butter is peanut butter powder. It is great in sauces and smoothies. Mix the peanut butter powder with water and drizzle over pancakes, apple slices, or toast!

3. PREMADE SALAD DRESSING

This is another one of those items that you are probably using more than you need. We tend to over dress our salads, adding hundreds of additional unwanted calories. If you are ordering a salad out, ask for the dressing on the side. You can dip in each bite and drastically reduce the amount of salad dressing you are using.

Making dressings at home is a great way to keep track of the ingredients and calories. Try making some of these low calorie dressings: Healthy Balsamic Salad Dressing

Low Calorie Asian Salad Dressing 3 Minute Skinny Caesar Dressing

4. COFFEE

 Coffee, by itself, is not bad for you. But start adding in seasonal creamers, sugar, keto collagen creamer, and flavor shots and you've basically just had a whole meal. If you are looking for something a little sweet and creamy, try using Monkfruit sugar, cinnamon, and extra creamy Oatmilk. This is my go-to morning combination. If you're on the run, a good Starbucks order is a small Almond Milk Latte with one pump of the sugar free cinnamon dolce syrup. You won't be disappointed!

5. THE "HEALTHY" WRAP

This is seriously one of the biggest health food lies on the planet. Wraps are in NO WAY healthy. They are often FULL of chemicals. Ever think it's weird that a package of store bought bread or wraps can sit on the counter for a week, 2 weeks, and not go bad? Yeah, that's not normal.
One wrap averages 200-300 calories, exactly the same as 2 slices of bread. Then you have cheese, mayo, avocado, meat. Sandwiches can easily run you 600+ calories not including that drink and bag of chips you're eyeing.
My suggestion, if you're going to get a wrap, FILL it with veggies, lean meat, and maybe skip the cheese. I often use avocado instead of cheese because it still adds the creamy element. I like to keep pre-mixed condiments in my fridge. My favorite is light mayo with Dijon mustard and the other one I love is Sriracha mixed with light mayo. Most of the time I will try to swap a wrap for sourdough or some sort of homemade bread.

6. GRANOLA

I don't know how many people I've told this to, but there is a 99% chance that the Granola you're eating is NOT healthy. It's probably packed with sugar and fat. If you like Granola, read the labels!! I try to only buy ones that have less than 150 calories per serving. Seems reasonable, right? Well it's actually quite hard to find. Lately my favorite has been the Dark Chocolate SuperFoods Granola from Aldi. It is only 130 calories per serving and I actually eat it at night as a dessert!

7. PROTEIN AND POWER BARS

Yes, Protein Bars will fill you up, but no, they are probably not healthy. Most have a ton of chemicals, additives, and loads of sugar or bad sugar substitutes. The best source of protein you can have is a hard boiled egg or lean cooked protein like chicken breast or a white fish. If you do like having bars on hand, check out these healthier options: The 5 Healthiest Protein Bars
A good snack to pack as an alternative to a protein bar are these homemade protein bites
 

8. NUTS AND SEEDS

 

Trail mix, nuts, and seeds are a great snack. Full of healthy fats, Omega-3 fatty acid, fiber, and protein. High fat foods are ok to eat, but take a minute to figure out what a serving size is. We'll use Almonds as an example. A serving of Almonds is 1/4 cup for 160 calories. That's roughly the size of the palm of your hand or enough to fill a shot glass but most people eat way more  than a portion size. Nuts, trailmix, and seeds are often snacked on mindlessly. 3 handfuls on the way home from the gym could easily be over 500 calories. 

9.SALMON

Salmon is extremely healthy. One serving of Salmon contains 26g of Protein, Omega-3's, and only 1g of Saturated fat. The thing is, a serving of Salmon is 200 calories for 4 oz, raw. That's about the size of the palm of your hand, or a deck of cards. Compared to chicken breast, which is about 1/2 the calorie count, Salmon is a little on the higher side but the health benefits outweigh the calories and fat. I like to eat Salmon with lighter sides like a veggie packed salad, roasted vegetables, or some brown rice.

10. OLIVE OIL (OILS IN GENERAL)

Oils and fats are a very important part of our diet. It's important to know the difference so you can make healthier decisions. Below is a chart by Life Styles in Nutrition that shows you the breakdown of each oil and fat.  Healthy fats are key for brain development, so look for options low in saturated fat and high in monounsaturated and poly-unsaturated.

I recently started measuring my oil when cooking. It's easy just to drizzle some in a pan before a stir-fry but do you really know how much you're using? Before, I would use at least a Tablespoon minimum, even if I was cooking just for me, but I have learned that usually you only need half of that, maybe even 1/4. Once you measure enough times, you'll learn what a better portion size is and you can start to eyeball it as you cook. Amazon sells this great Oil Container with a Measuring Spout right on it!

 11. STIRFRY  

 

Ah, Stirfry, the "healthy" dinner. Well, it definitely can be healthy. The secret goes back to #10, oil measurement. If you stick with lean protein, minimal amount of oil, and sauces that aren't premade or high in sugar, stir frys can be one of the healthiest dinners around. You are getting lots of good protein, fresh veggies, and plenty of fiber. If you want a way to cut down on the carbs, try mixing your cooked rice with some cooked cauliflower rice. It's a good way to hide even more veggies.

Check out this great Stirfry Sauce for only 56 calories a serving

12. JUICE

I'm going to add juice to round up the list. (Sorry for all of you morning OJ drinkers!) Juice is VERY high in sugar. An 8oz serving of Orange Juice contains over 20g of sugar. That's almost 5 teaspoons! And who drinks exactly 8oz? A 12.5oz box of Apple Juice contains 46g of Sugar. That's 1/3 cup of sugar! Even though the sugar is coming from fruit, sugar is still sugar and it's best to limit the amount you have. The American Institute for Cancer research actually recommends that a serving of juice is 4oz, that's 1/2 a cup.

Try this instead, have your breakfast with a glass of water and some cut fresh fruit. I like to mix higher sugar fruits with low sugar fruits. High sugar would be Apples, Bananas, Oranges, Pears, and Grapes. Low sugar fruits include Strawberries, Blueberries, Melon, blackberries, and grapefruit.

Disclaimer** All information in this article is my opinion. This is just what works best for me. If you have concerns about your diet, please contact your doctor.