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Family Health Magazine
DIABETES

Tiny Bites = Big Calories

“I never eat between meals.”
“I rarely have dessert”
“Almost everything I eat is low fat”
"So why am I still gaining weight?"

To answer this question, we must zoom in close to check those ‘tiny’ bites of food that are overlooked throughout the day. For instance:

Bite 1:
One-quarter 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 is hardly worth returning to the cupboard. You add it to your serving of cereal.
Calories: 64

Bite 3:
Someone made really strong coffee at work today. You add two teaspoons of powdered cream substitute. It’s the only way you can stand the taste.
Calories: 20

Bite 4:
You take a small ‘sample’ of the cake in the break room. Well, maybe a second ‘sliver’ would be okay too! Calories: 73

Bite 5:
Oops! You forgot to ask to have the mayo left off your hamburger at lunch. Calories: 100

Bite 6:
You also forgot to ask them to 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 the candy jar at the front desk. You have to crank out a big report this afternoon. This is for medical purposes only. Calories: 25

Bite 8:
A second chocolate kiss from the candy jar. You finished the report – what better way to celebrate?
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 order mineral water, but surely a couple of teaspoons of nuts cannot have many calories.
Calories: 105

Bite 10:
Cheese on a cracker at the grocery store. It’s just a small sample.
Calories: 55

Bite 11:
Two tablespoons of macaroni and cheese. You are trying out a new recipe. You taste as you cook to get the seasonings just right.
Calories: 54

Bite 12:
A quarter cup of macaroni and cheese. Your new recipe tastes great, but there is a little left over. It hardly seems worth the effort to refrigerate, and you hate to toss it.
Calories: 108

Grand Total of ‘Extra’ Calories for the Day: 675

If these extra calories are eaten daily, it might be possible to gain as much as a pound a week! On average, an additional 3,500 calories above your body’s needs can add up to a pound of weight gained.

Reprinted with permission of Calgary Health Region.