How to Select a Bar that is Heart Healthy
It seems like we a constantly on the go, which makes quick and easy snacks a regular part of our daily routine. This is why bars are so popular; however, I don’t want you to assume a granola bar is automatically a heart healthy choice. Let’s cover what you need to look at when selecting a bar in a little more detail.
Carbohydrates
The high carb bars were originally intended for endurance athletes that require high energy food (i.e. high calorie food) to support there high levels of activity. This is not what you need to make it through everyday activities. Look for a bar that provides 40% or less of it’s calories from carbohydrates.
Protein
Find a bar that providers between 15 to 20 grams of protein per bar. Soy is frequently used as a protein source in bars. Due to the potential negative side effects of a diet high in soy, I encourage you to look for a bar that does not include soy. Instead, look for bars that utilize whey as the primary protein source.
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Weight Loss: Are you sabotaging your results?
If losing weight was easy, we wouldn’t be facing this obesity epidemic in the U.S. There are so many factors working against us that successful weight loss is a struggle. It doesn’t help if you are self-sabotaging your own efforts to lose weight.
Here are 5 ways you may be hindering your weight loss success:
- Liquid calories
All calories add up and you may not realize how quickly liquid calories add up. Think about what you add to your coffee in the morning (or throughout the day!), any juice you drink with breakfast, sports drink or soda you may grab as a “pick me up”. . . all those calories add up and can add up substantially.
- Ordering a salad because it’s a salad
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Is your granola bar a candy bar in disguise?
There are all kinds of nutrition bars available, from energy bars, to protein bars, to weight control, to gluten free, to breakfast bars, and the list goes on. Unfortunately, many of these supposed “nutrition” bars are really just glorified candy bars.
What to look for when selecting a nutrition bar:
Sugar – Look at the nutrition label and see how many grams of sugar there are per serving. . .and does a full bar equal 1 serving? Select a bar with 5 grams or less sugar per bar.
Fiber – Don’t rely on fortified bars to meet daily fiber needs. Isolated fibers, such as inulin, chicory extract, and oligosaccharides do not necessarily provide the same benefit as foods naturally rich in fiber. Select a bar that provides ~3 grams of fiber. Ideally this fiber will come from whole grains, dried fruit, and/or nuts included in the bar.
Vitamins and Minerals – Don’t use a nutrition bar to try and meet 100% of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamins and minerals. Look at the food label and see if it’s providing 100% of the RDA. There are potential side effects from consuming too much of certain vitamins and minerals. Select nutrition bars that do not provide 100% of the RDA for vitamins and minerals.
Hidden Calories in Beverages
If you are working to lose weight you need to make adjustments to your food choices. However, don’t forget what you drink has an impact on your success also. There can be a surprising amount of calories in beverages.
Let’s say you are reducing your calorie intake to 1500 calories per day. If you stop at Starbucks for a 16 oz Vanilla Frappucino with 2% milk, a 12 oz. can of Dr. Pepper with lunch, and a 16 oz. sweetened ice tea with dinner, you’ve consumed around 565 calories just from what you drank. . . and this is assuming you consumed water between meals. That leaves you just 935 calories to “spend” on food for the day if you are going to achieve your goal of 1500 calories per day.
1. Portion size
Keep your portion sizes small. For example, you do not need a 12 ounce glass of juice in the morning, cut back to 6 ounces of fruit juice or better yet replace the juice with a piece of fruit. A 12 ounce glass of juice contains 192 calories.
2. Read food labels correctly
4 Steps to Overcome a Weight Loss Plateau
Hitting weight loss plateaus are a part of the weight loss journey. Don’t let them discourage you!
Here are four areas to begin evaluating first so you can overcome this hurdle and continue losing weight:
1. Too few calories
Hidden Calories: Watch out!
There are some changes you may make in an attempt to be healthier than can actually be sabotaging your weight loss efforts. Let’s discuss some hidden calories that may hide in some supposedly “healthy” choices.
Bagels and Muffins
Muffins and bagels have changed drastically over the years. In the past, if you grabbed a muffin at your local coffee shop they would’ve been about the size of a tennis ball. Nowadays muffins are closer to softball size, while bagels have increased an average of 4-6 inches in diameter.
The increased size equals a dramatic calorie increase. One standard muffin or bagel can provide 400-600 calories.
If you’re in a hurry and the only option is to grab breakfast on the run, choose to eat half the muffin or bagel and save the rest for another day.
Salads
Just because it’s a salad doesn’t mean it’s the best choice on the menu.
