Are Calories Sneaking Up on You?
“It’s just one bite.”
“I’d love a sip.”
“Sure, I’ll have a taste.”
Bites, sips, and tastes. These small moments of consumption seem harmless enough, but in fact, 25 calories here and 50 calories there can add up quickly without you realizing it. And if you’re watching what you eat—whether to lose weight or maintain your current weight—it’s important to take all those bites, sips, and tastes into account.
Think about when you’re cooking and tasting as you go. Or when you’re at a restaurant and you taste your friends’ meals. One bite or sip here and there doesn’t seem like much (and sometimes it isn’t), but over the course of the week—or the day if it’s an occasion like a wedding or Thanksgiving—all these tastes can easily add up to a whole meal’s worth of calories. That’s OK if you’re planning for it. It’s not so great if you’re working hard to keep your calorie count to a specific range.
Consider these sneaky calories hits:
2 ounces of orange juice = about 28 calories
2 ounces of soda = about 24 calories
1 ounce of red wine = about 23 calories
1 ounce of Italian bread = about 88 calories
1 pat of butter = about 35 calories
1/2 ounce of pasta = about 50 calories
1/4 slice of pizza = about 70 calories
1 ounce of mac and cheese = about 46 calories
1 ounce of sirloin steak = about 38 calories
1/4 of a banana = about 25 calories
1/2 ounce of chocolate layer cake = about 59 calories
1/2 ounce of cheesecake = about 50 calories
So, whenever you’re cooking, sharing, or thinking, “I’ll just have one bite of that cookie,” remember that bites, sips, and tastes add up—not just to delicious moments, but also to extra calories that you may not want.
