How I Grocery Shop as a University Student

Hey guys, welcome back to the blog! Today, we’re talking about my favourite activity ever, grocery shopping. There’s just something about walking into a grocery store, pulling our a cart and picking out produce that de-stresses me. But, I realise that this isn’t the case for everyone. Often times, grocery shopping can be stressful especially if you’re a university students or you are on a budget and pressed on time. I”l admit that moving out and having to grocery shop for myself for the first time was a bit daunting, but I’ve slowly found the ideal method for my grocery shopping. However, I also realise that not everyone’s requirements are the same and that we all have different needs and spending budgets. This blogpost isn’t to sway or pressure you into any sort of habits, it’s simply to share a few tips that have helped me grocery shop in a healthy and sustainable way. So let’s get into it!

Tip 1: Set your monthly/weekly food budget

So, before you actually get into it, it’s good to set a realistic food budget for each month. This will vary for each person but it’s important to keep some room for flexibility since some months you might fluctuate around your budget. Food budget is probably the most important part of your financial planning after accounting for accommodation/bills, so remember to set a clear goal.

Tip 2: Decide how often you need to go grocery shopping

Some students prefer to go grocery shopping weekly while others prefer to go every two weeks or even once a month. I always separate my grocery shopping, with one trip a month focused on long term supplies and weekly trips for fresh produce. To help you decide how often you need to go grocery shopping, determine how much of what you need to buy can be stored for longer. If you buy a lot of fresh produce, it’s best to go weekly to avoid overbuying and your produce going bad.

Then you can schedule the days that you go shopping. As a university student, finding time to go grocery shopping can sometimes be challenging, but you never want to walk up to an empty fridge. I coordinate my grocery shopping according to my class schedule, but I try to avoid shopping on Fridays as most of the items are often out of stock by the end of the week.

Tip 3: Make a list!

I always keep a digital list on my notes app as well as a physical notepad in my kitchen. This helps me note down anything I might need throughout the week. Lists are great to ensure that you stick to buying what you need. It’s easy to get distracted when grocery shopping; you go for one thing and come back with ten. Make a list to buy the items you find necessary.

Tip 4: Don’t go Hungry

One of the best tips I learnt when trying to grocery shop is never to go hungry because you’ll end up buying random foods and snacks that you never planned on and may not be the healthiest options. So never go grocery shopping on an empty stomach.

Tip 5: Stick to frozen & prepped veggies

I like to stock up on prepped veggies to make cooking easier and faster as well as frozen veggies and fruits which are more affordable and last longer. I am selective when choosing which veggies and fruits to buy frozen, for example, broccoli, green beans, and carrots are some of the veggies I like to buy prepped. While I often get frozen berries for smoothies and baking.

Tip 6: Prep yourself

My last tip is to try and be as sustainable as you can when it comes to packaging, while you can’t completely avoid plastic at times at the supermarket, you can implement a few habits. For example, I always keep a few reusable shopping bags on hand for when I want to shop as well as smaller bags for produce. It’s also helpful to use a shopping basket than cart, I found that the more space I have, the easier it is to go overboard on the grocery shopping.

A note from the author

Thank you for reading and reaching this far, please like if you found something useful here today. I hope you follow for more lifestyle tips like these ones and join the healthboss community, xoxo.

Check out more posts like this one

Grocery Haul List – https://healthboss.blog/2020/03/25/healthy-grocery-haul-list-quarantine-101/

Healthy Food Staples – https://healthboss.blog/2020/07/05/healthy-food-staples/

How to Eat Healthy on a Budget – https://healthboss.blog/2020/09/20/how-to-eat-healthy-on-a-budget/

Why Healthy Eating Isn’t Realistic

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Hey guys, welcome back to the blog. In today’s post, I want to talk about something that isn’t usually addressed in the “healthy eating” world on social media. If you’ve been on social media at all in the recent years, you’d have seen how healthy eating trends have taken over millions of people, having them smash avocados on toast and bake their oats. While there’s nothing wrong with the trends promoted by fitness and health influencers, I can’t help but point out how their food content is often catered to the few. Which is to be expected as influencers can only show us their way of life.

However, this has created a discourse around what healthy eating is that doesn’t cater to everyone. It gives the impression that there is only way of eating well, a rather Western way. The healthy eating world on social media does not address how different cuisines come into play. For example, the foods in my culture never fit into the category of “healthy eating” because they are mostly carb-heavy and do not look like the foods posted by health influencers. So, where does someone who eats African, Indian or Chinese cuisine fit into the niche of healthy eating. Often times, when I’m at family gatherings, not one thing on the table fits what social media deems healthy. I realised that exposure to “what I eat in a day” content has somewhat influenced my perception on what is healthy food in a way that excludes all of our local dishes.

But, that isn’t how healthy eating is supposed to be. Healthy eating does not mean a Western way of eating with; a yoghurt bowl for breakfast, a kale salad for lunch, and salmon and asparagus for dinner. It can mean rice porridge for breakfast with, veggie noodle soup for lunch, and the same thing for dinner. One thing I found odd is that social media promotes cooking one thing for lunch and cooking another meal for dinner when I grew up eating the same meal for lunch and dinner. Similarly, the “healthy eating” category promoted on social media doesn’t allow for the different ingredients available in different areas of the world. Where I’m from, spicy pickled fruits are often added to our meals, and people use different ingredients such as cassava, breadfruit, a variety of grains, and a ton of chilli.

To put it in a nutshell, don’t let the portrayal of “healthy eating” online restrict your way of eating or your local cuisine. Instead, you can find ways to make your local dishes balanced with whole foods and substitutions. For example, by substituting regular sunflower oil in any local recipes with olive or avocado oil. The point is that there isn’t only one way of eating healthy and you shouldn’t have to abandon foods from your culture to be healthy. So next time you think about eating healthy, step away from the exhausted dishes online and make it your own.

A note from the author

I hope you enjoyed today’s quick post and found something useful from it. If you’d like to support my blog please like and follow for more and feel free to share your opinion on it. Thank you for reading, I appreciate each an every one of you, see you next time, xoxo.

Food Guilt: 5 Ways to Cope with feeling guilty after “Overeating”

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Hey guys, welcome back to the blog, today we’re talking about food guilt. You’re probably familiar with the term and with the experience of the feeling as well. I would define it as feelings of shame and regret after consuming foods we deem unhealthy or after eating what we think is too much. This is something I’ve experienced far more times than I can count and it has to be one of the worst feelings I’ve experienced. The thing is, the food doesn’t even have to be unhealthy to trigger the guilt, sometimes you can be eating healthy and nutritious meals and still feel guilty if you feel like you overate. However, food guilt is something created by our own minds, it is as real as we make it. Often times I’ve found myself struggling with regret after a full day of eating simply because I thought I had too many calories or wasn’t healthy enough. It takes a while to snap myself out of that dark hole of shame and criticism sometimes, which is why I wanted to share some tips that may help you deal with food guilt. Before we get into it, this is a disclaimer that all of these tips are based off of personal experience and are not a replacement for professional medical advice. If you are struggling with mental health or what you think may be an eating disorder, please seek help or further advice, thank you.

#1. Know Your Triggers

If you feel guilty after eating, it may be helpful to know what foods or eating habits trigger that guilt. For some people it may be eating junk food, processed foods filled with sugar, or foods they just think is unhealthy. It might be binge eating, or eating late at night for you. No matter what it is, it’s important to know what does it for you so you can analyse why you feel guilty.

My food guilt is triggered when I eat foods I do not eat on a normal basis, especially if I’ve done so over the course of a few days. This comes from a fear of overeating, which comes from a fear of weight gain. Even though there is absolutely nothing wrong with gaining weight, we’ve grown up with the idea that weight gain is something negative. It’s only now that this mindset is starting to shift but it is still easier said than done. So triggers are often foods or habits that society has perceived as negative and any guilt resulting from that is also naturalised. But guilt after eating isn’t something that is supposed to be natural. Identifying what triggers your food guilt is the first step to deconstructing the reasoning behind the guilt.

#2. Write & Reflect

One method that always helps is to journal your food guilt, writing down what you did that day and your emotions throughout. Often times you’ll find that writing it down helps you feel more accountable of what or how much you ate, helping you realise it isn’t as bad as your mind is saying it is. However, this isn’t the same as calorie or macro tracking, you would only write down the emotions in that moment, not track every day. Writing down what you regret and then throwing that paper away can help you acknowledge the food guilt and be more mindful so that you can put it past you.

#3. Validate Hunger Cues & Cravings

One of the biggest struggles when it comes to food guilt is knowing when you are hungry. Often times we reprimand ourselves for hunger, but hunger does not always mean boredom, stress, or needing water. A lot of the times you’re hungry because your body needs nourishment and it’s important to acknowledge these cues as well.

We’ve cultivated this idea that cravings are wrong, but rather than suppressing your cravings every time, it might help to give your body what it wants. This doesn’t mean mindlessly eating foods which may not be the most nutritive. Instead, it means having the occasional bowl of ice cream or pizza. If you incorporate balance into your life and listen to your cravings every once in a while, you’ll find it much easier to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

#4. Move Your Body

Moving your body after overeating or when you’re feeling guilty doesn’t mean running on the treadmill for 3 hours as punishment. Often times we feel down or lethargic because we haven’t moved our body that day and that can lead to feelings of guilt. Moving your body can mean anything from 5 minutes of stretching or dancing to a daily walk. If you suffer from food guilt, move your body not to burn calories but to feel in control of your body in that moment.

#5. Do not Punish Yourself

My last and final tip is to never punish yourself for bingeing or overeating. If you feel like you overate, then you can feel content that you enjoyed your food or simply move on from it. If you overate at a family dinner, realize that a big part of these experiences with family are tied to the food you had. If you binge ate everything and everything at 2 am and you don’t even remember what or why, then realize that your body needs fuel and you can always put that to good use layer on.

I hope you found something useful here today. Although I’m not an expert, I’ve had my fair share of food guilt and know that it shouldn’t be naturalized even though it is. Food guilt can be a habit passed down from one person to the other, but it should never limit how you live your life. At the end of the day, when you look back on your life, you won’t even remember the guilt. So ‘if it won’t matter in 5 years, don’t stress about it for more than 5 minutes’ – Dekker. Thank you for reading, xoxo.

Almond Chocolate Oat Cookies

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Hey guys, welcome back to the blog. Today’s recipe is a quick and easy oatmeal cookie recipe made with whole ingredients. They’re a guilt free treat that can be altered just by adding any toppings or flavouring you’d like. You’ll definitely want to make these on the regular, so make sure to save this recipe post.

Ingredients

2 cups fine oats
2 eggs
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp coconut sugar or xylitol (for a sugar free alternative)
1/4 cup chopped almonds
1/4 cup chopped chocolate (I used Nova’s sugar and dairy free chocolate)
1 tsp baking powder
1 pinch of salt

Instructions

Combine the coconut oil, sugar, vanilla extract and eggs.
Fold in the oats, almonds, chocolate, salt and baking powder.
Scoop out the cookie dough into equal balls and flatten onto a lined baking tray.
Bake at 180°C for 30 mins.

A super quick yet delicious recipe that you can enjoy guilt-free. I like to think of it as an everything cookie where you can add any toppings; nuts, seeds, dried fruit. Definitely try out this one and like if you enjoy it. Thank you for reading and follow for more recipes like this one, xoxo.

Healthy Sponge Cake Recipe

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Hey guys, welcome back to the blog! Today’s recipe is one you won’t want to miss. A gluten, sugar and dairy free sponge cake that is simple and quick. I’ve had my share of gluten free sponge cakes and I’ve tried multiple recipes but this is the best one I have ever made. As hard as gluten free baking can be, this cake is soft and airy and the perfect base layer for any cake. You can easily double the ingredients for a larger cake. I made a small batch when creating the recipe, but I will definitely amp it up for any celebration. The best part is that the cake is guilt free even though it doesn’t taste like it. It is great for those of you who want to enjoy a cake without any refined sugar or dairy. So here’s how you can make it!

Ingredients

5 eggs
1 cup gluten free flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1/2 cup xylitol or erythritol (you can also use a stevia mix)
1 tsp vanilla extract (or any flavor)
1 tsp baking powder

Instructions

Separate the egg whites from the yolks and place in different bowls.
Beat the egg whites until thick and fluffy. Should take about 3 mins on medium speed.
In the other bowl, add the sugar substitute to your egg yolks and mix well.
Add the flavor extract. I used salted caramel flavoring but you can also use vanilla or almond.
Over a double boiler, quickly whisk the egg yolk mixture for one minute until it becomes fluffy and runny.
Remove from the double boiler and mix in your coconut oil.
Add a spoon of the egg whites to the yolk mixture and fold in.
Incorporate the yolk mixture into the rest of the egg whites.
Sift in the flours and baking powder and fold gently.
Pour the batter into a greased cake mould and bake for 15-20 mins at 180°C.
Allow to cool before removing the cake from the tin and serving.

Tips

I find that pure xylitol works best in cakes as it is sweet enough without any bitterness. Avoid using pure stevia as it can be bitter, it’s preferable to use stevia blending with monkfruit sweetener or erythritol.
I find that almond flour adds the necessary fat and texture to the cake, it’s best not to substitute it for other flours. However, if you do omit it, increase the coconut oil to add more fat into the cake.

There you have it! This recipe is quick and easy and I hope you give it a try. Thank you for reading and please like and follow for more recipes like this one, xoxo.

Healthy Orange Cake Recipe

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Hey guys, welcome back to the blog. Today’s recipe is a new one, a gluten and dairy free orange cake! This simple recipe is a twist on my usual lemon bars. It is a soft, yet denser cake, covered with a sweet orange syrup. This is my first time experimenting with fresh oranges, without any orange extract. While you can add orange extract to boost the flavour, I’d definitely recommend adding freshly squeezed orange juice to this one. The recipe yields 9 servings but you can easily double it. The cake is best served warm and would pair great with fresh fruit. Here is how you can make it!

Ingredients

1/4 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup erythritol sugar
1 tbsp orange zest
Freshly squeezed orange juice (I used 3 oranges)
3 medium-sized eggs
1 cup almond milk (or any plant-based milk)
1 1/2 cups gluten free flour
1 cup almond flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp honey + juice from 2 oranges (for the simple syrup)

Instructions

Preheat the oven at 150ºC.
Whisk together coconut oil, eggs, sugar, and orange zest.
Mix in the orange juice.
In a separate bowl, mix the flours and baking powder together.
Sift in half of the dry mixture into the wet and fold in gently.
Alternate between adding in the almond milk and dry mixture until you get a smooth, thick batter.
Pour the batter into a lined baking tin and bake at 180ºC for 25-30 mins, until the top turns golden.
To make the simple syrup (traditionally made with equal parts sugar and water), slightly warm up some honey and mix in the orange juice.
Use a fork or skewer to poke small holes in the cake, drizzle the syrup all over and cut into squares before serving.

I hope you try out this recipe and find it helpful. I have a few more recipes coming out this month so keep an eye out for more gluten and dairy free baking. Please like and follow to support the healthboss community and thank you for reading, xoxo.

Healthy Chocolate Cake Recipe

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You need to make this recipe!

I’ve always been a fan of chocolate cake, I mean who isn’t? But, as much as I love it, I don’t always feel that great after eating it. While there’s nothing wrong with indulging in a traditional chocolate cake without any guilt, I still wanted to enjoy a version that didn’t throw me into a food coma. That’s why I wanted to create a chocolate cake recipe that was rich and decadent yet light and simple. I made this chocolate cake a while back for Christmas and it’s become a personal favourite since then. It is gluten and dairy free, as well as sugar free if you use a sugar substitute like I did. Most importantly it is super quick and easy to make. So here’s what you’ll need…

Ingredients

1 cup oat flour (simply blend some oats in a blender or food processor)
4 eggs
1 cup chocolate chips (I used pure chocolate pellets without dairy or sugar). You can also use roughly chopped dairy free chocolate (I like the one from sweet switch)
2 tbsp raw cacao powder
1/3 cup xylitol (or any sugar substitute)
1/3 cup almond milk
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 pinch of salt

Steps

Preheat your oven to 170ºC
Over a double boiler, melt the chocolate with the almond milk, stirring gently.
While the mixture is melting, separate your egg yolks from the whites.
Whisk the egg whites until they become fluffy and soft peaks form.
Once the chocolate has melted remove from the double boiler, allow to cool slightly and stir in the xylitol.
Now take your yolks and temper them by adding a spoonful of the chocolate mixture and combining.
Add the tempered yolks to the rest of the chocolate.
Sift in 1/3 of the oat flour, the baking powder, salt, and cacao powder into the chocolate. Fold gently until well combined.
Now add a third of the egg whites into the batter and fold gently. Repeat these steps until you’ve added in all your flour and egg whites. It’s important not to over mix, fold in the ingredients with a spatula to achieve the best results.
Once fully incorporated, transfer the batter into a lined cake tin and place in the oven.
Bake for about 30-45 minutes, once the cake is cooked in will be firm all the way through.
Allow it to cool before removing from the tin and slicing.

Tips

Double boiler: to use a double boiler simply boil water in a saucepan and place a heatproof bowl over it to melt the chocolate in.
Oat flour: when making oat flour it’s useful to make sure your blender is completely dry and pulse the oats. I love using oats for this recipe because it’s light but keeps the cake moist. I wouldn’t suggest changing out the flour.
Tempering your yolks is necessary to prevent them from cooking in the hot chocolate.
With this type of cake, folding your flours in is better than whisking because you don’t want to over-mix. You want the batter to be airy and not dense.

I hope you try out this recipe and let me know how you find it. I know how ‘guilt-free’ treats are hard to come by which is why I try to find the best alternatives to make my own. If you’d like to see more of these recipes and other tips on healthy baking, please like and follow for more, xoxo.

Getting Fit: Expectations vs Reality

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Getting fit isn’t as easy as it seems and a lot of us have gone through that phase where we just can’t seem to get it right. I know in the last 5 years, I’ve made a ton of mistakes and it led to plateaus in my fitness journey. Keep reading if you want to find out whether or not you are falling trap to one of these common fitness misconceptions.

#1. The Fast Fitness Journey

The first fitness expectation I want to clear up is the idea of becoming ‘fit’ fast; most searches nowadays look for ‘ways to lose weight fast’ or ‘ways to lose 10kg in a month’. However, you should know that shortcuts don’t last very long and they will most likely drain you out. While that 2-week diet may work in the short term, you’ll find that it isn’t sustainable and you’ll lose all of that “progress” you made in the first place.

Your fitness journey is more effective when it turns into a sustainable lifestyle and we should avoid promoting ideas of a quick journey. Most people are discouraged when they don’t see results quickly because they don’t realise how much time it actually takes. It’s been 5yrs since I started my fitness journey and I know it will never end because it has become a lifestyle. So the first step to your fitness journey doesn’t start in setting a number on a scale or pinning a ‘goal’ outfit on your wall. The first step is a shift in mindset. Realise that you want to achieve a sustainable, healthy lifestyle.

#2. Weight Loss vs Fat Loss

The second misconception is that weight loss and fat loss are the same thing. Let’s clear this up; fat loss has less to do with the number on the scale and more to do with changing your body composition. Weight loss can also mean muscle loss as people don’t focus as much muscle retention when trying to lose weight. While weight loss may be a better if you are at a certain point in your fitness journey, fat loss means you want to retain and build muscle and more muscle means a faster metabolism.

#3. The Ideal Body Image

There isn’t one. There is no secret to being fit because not everything works for everyone and because your definition of fit for your body, doesn’t necessarily match someone else’s. If you’re looking at someone and saying ‘I want to be fit exactly like him or her’ then get ready to change your whole lifestyle to match theirs (which is impossible) and even then you won’t be exactly the same because bodies are different. They’re supposed to be. Instead, find out what fit means to you, rather than picking someone else’s body, imagine your desired body and lifestyle onto your future self because that is the only person you should want to be.

#4. Everyone else Has Got it Handled

This is one is a personal favourite. I always thought fitness influencers and celebrities had it all handled. They were happy with their physique and had perfect healthy lifestyles. But we only thing that because that is what the media and social media shove down our throats. They show us the perfect selfies and bikini pics with perfect lighting and not one fault. So we automatically think that is achievable and then we wonder why haven’t we achieved it yet. But it’s not like that at all and I realised that after changing my exposure to media content. I followed people who I felt were truer to themselves and although yes they still posted perfect pics, they also acknowledged that they still struggled with their body image and criticism. So this is to tell you, even if you reach that goal weight or slim down to the ‘perfect size’ or build the perfect butt… you’re still going to struggle with your healthy lifestyle and body image from time to time. That’s simply because no one is as critical of ourselves as much as we are and because once you reach a goal it just isn’t enough. So my advice is to slow down, take a look at where you are and enjoy how far you’ve come for a moment without any judgement.

#5. Getting Motivated

My last fitness myth is a powerful one and it’s – relying on motivation to get things done. Let me tell you that motivation is a fickle thing and she will disappear on you on most days. Relying on motivation to get that workout in or make a healthy lunch will get you nowhere. Most of the time I don’t rely on motivation, I rely on a routine and habits. When your lifestyle is embedded with healthy habits you don’t question them, you just do it. Your morning workout shouldn’t be a question, it should just be a thing you do as part of your daily life. Of course you should plan around it and be flexible, but what I’m saying is that you shouldn’t expect to feel motivated to do it. In fact, you may be motivated once you start, so remember to just get started.

I hope you enjoyed today’s blogpost even though it was a quick one. Let me know what you think about it and if you have your own fitness misconceptions you’d like to share. Please follow and like for more posts and share with anyone you think needs to hear it, xoxo.

Check out this blogpost on 3 More Fitness Myths you need to know!

Crunchy Roasted Chickpeas Recipe

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For those times when you’re craving a salty, crunchy snack and you have a can of chickpeas just laying around.

Today’s recipe is a quick one but if you want a quick snack that takes minimal effort then keep reading!

Chickpeas are packed with fibre, protein and several vitamins, which make them filling and the perfect plant-based protein snack. I love including them in recipes for a vegan protein option and you can even add them to your salads. Chickpeas are a versatile ingredient and can be used in a number of recipes. When it comes to chickpea snacks however, it’s best to make your own at home. Store-bought snacks can contain a number of unnecessary ingredients so it’s best to avoid the processed kind. The best part is that you can make any flavour combinations you want depending on which spices you use to make this chickpea recipe your own.

Nutrition facts (1 Cup chickpeas)

Calories: 210
Protein: 10.7g
Carbs: 35g
Fat: 3.8g
Fibre: 9.6g
Sodium: 322mg

INGREDIENTS

1 can of chickpeas
1tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp thyme

Steps

Wash your chickpeas well and dry with a kitchen towel. I like to remove the skin to get the extra crispy.
Drizzle in your olive oil, (avocado oil is also an option) and add in your seasonings.
Stir until the chickpeas are evenly coated.
Bake in a preheated oven at 150ºC for about 1hr. Check on them and stir regularly to ensure they do not burn. Once they harden and turn golden brown they’re done.
You can store them in an airtight container for about 3-4 days.

Are Hidden Calories Hindering Your Weight Loss?

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If you’ve been diligent with eating healthy and tracking your calories for a while now, yet you still haven’t lost any considerable weight or fat, then hidden calories may be the reason why. We often think that when we’re eating ‘healthy’ then we should be losing weight. But weight loss and fat loss are a little more more complex than that.

Losing weight often comes down to calories in versus calories out. This means that to lose weight you would have to be in a calorie deficit, in other words, using more energy than you are consuming. When you are in a deficit, your body will turn towards other sources of energy, usually fat. This is where the difference between weight loss and fat loss comes in as the former usually does not focus on composition and the latter focuses on retaining muscle. But this is a bit more complicated and is meant for another post.

Moving on, if it all comes down to calories, then that means you can be eating healthy and not lose weight if you are in a calories surplus or on maintenance. This brings us to hidden calories; sometimes the foods we eat have way more calories than we think they do. This doesn’t mean they are bad for you, only that you have to be more conscious of your overall energy intake. You do not want to waste calories on certain things or think you are in a calorie deficit when the opposite is true.

So, let’s look at some of the hidden calories most common in our diets and what you may want to be aware of. Keep in mind that these foods are by no means bad for you. They are not ‘evil’, they are just higher in calories and when consumed in large amounts, add up to your overall calorie intake. I enjoy these things in moderation or I try to find lower calorie alternatives, but I do not obsess over them. The importance of your fitness goal is turning it into sustainable habits and eventually a lifestyle. So, let’s get into it!

#1. Dressings & Sauces

Eating a salad is healthy and most salad dressings and other sauces are considered healthy. However, dressings are often higher in calories than the whole salad, especially when you are eating out. For example, on average 1 tablespoon of vinaigrette has about 75 calories, similar to ranch dressing and 2-4 tabelspoons of that can add up. So skipping out on the dressing or opting for a lower calorie version may be a better option.

#2. Cooking Oils

We cook almost everything in oil and forget to calorie track it at times. Cooking a meal in 2-3 tbsps of oil does add calories to your overall consumption and may be the reason why you are not in a calorie deficit. 1 tablespoon of olive oil has about 120 calories and the same goes for avocado oil. You can simply be more mindful of the amount of oil you use and add it in your calorie tracking to be more accurate.

#3. Smoothies/ Smoothie Bowls

Smoothies and smoothie bowls are considered the epitome of health. It took the media by storm as every influencer started shoving smoothie bowls into their cameras. But it’s easy to loose track of how many things we’re stuffing into a blender or how many things are added to the smoothies we buy. When it comes to a smoothie, it’s best to keep things simple and aim for high protein.

#4. Almond/Peanut Butter

Almond butter is a staple in my grocery hauls. I love it it my oatmeal and on toast and you probably enjoy nut butters too. But they are higher in calories than you might think; 1 tablespoon of almond or peanut butter has about 100 calories. This doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it, but do so in moderation so that you can have more control over your energy consumption.

#5. Protein Snacks

Last on my list of tricky foods are protein snacks. Protein snacks are often marketed as ‘healthy’ and great for your fitness goals. But processed snacks sometimes contain a lot more than just protein, they are often loaded with sugar, preservatives, and calories. Whenever you buy them it’s beneficial to check the ingredients and composition so that you know what you are consuming.

I hope you enjoyed today’s post and found something useful from it. Disclaimer: I am not a nutritionist or dietitian and the tips I share are based from personal experience. Nevertheless, I hope you like and follow to join our health boss community, xoxo.