Imagine Fitness

Do you really know what you are eating?

Now this may sound like a strange question, since most of us are conscious of the types and amount of food we eat. We know not to eat most white refined foods, like white bread, white pasta, white crackers and so on. We try to eat some fruit and veggies daily. But what about when we open a package of food? Whether it be a can of soup, or dressing for our salad, did you stop and read the nutrition label BEFORE buying it?

Reading the label requires a little detective work. First, what is the portion size that the label states? Is it for the entire container, or only a small portion of it. In order for the numbers to appear lower in fat and calories many companies drastically reduce the serving size to make the numbers look better. In fact most serving sizes are measured in 1/2 cup or 30g sizes, in reality most people would eat twice that amount.

For example low fat frozen yogurt, a serving size listed on the label is 1/2 cup. Now who eats just a half a cup of frozen yogurt? Nobody I know has that amount of willpower to actually measure out a half cup, and put the rest back in the freezer. More likely we will eat easily 1 cup or more. However, if you went by the label you would feel good about yourself thinking you only had 100-120 calories, when in reality you had a 200-300 calorie snack. Then you wonder why the weight is not coming off.

Another example is cereal. Most labels list a serving size as 3/4 cup. If you have ever taken a measuring cup and poured in 3/4 cup you realize that is not enough to fill you up. So you do what most of us do, you grab a bowl and start to pour in the cereal until it ‘looks’ about the right amount. You may be surprised to find out that you have poured in about twice the serving size.

This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t read the labels on packages, you should ALWAYS take a moment and read what it is you are really eating. Be aware of the serving size and take into account what you really eat, then when you total up your food at the end of the day you have a realistic idea of where your calories are coming from. Try this for a week and you may be surprised to find out that you have been suffering from portion distortion. Don’t be fooled, be smart, a little knoweledge really can go a long way.

Shelley Healy

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