When you’re trying to improve your fitness levels, it’s impossible not to work on your diet wellness. Without the right balance of healthy foods, all that time you spend working out won’t make a bit of difference to your wellbeing. But what if the fitness foods you’ve been eating aren’t actually that healthy? We spoke to wellness expert Maria Trimarchi about common fitness snacks and eating styles that should be approached with caution.
1. Smoothies: According to Trimarchi, ‘Smoothies sound like a healthy snack or meal replacement, and they can be – if you go about it the right way. But because some smoothies contain more sugar than fresh and frozen fruits, yogurt, and skim (or non-dairy) milk, they can easily turn from diet-friendly to diet-busting as fast as you can say chunky monkey. From one shop, a 20-ounce cherry smoothie with bananas and papaya juice, for example, has fewer than 300 calories, while a 20-ounce peanut butter plus chocolate smoothie nearly tops 700 calories. The best smoothies are those with no more than 17 calories per ounce (which means you’re looking at 340 calories for a 20-ounce smoothie) and no less than 4 grams of fibre per serving. If you’re having a meal-replacement smoothie, aim for at least 5 grams of protein and 5 grams of fibre per serving.’
2. Energy Bars: Trimarchi notes, ‘Most energy bars are intended for athletes or for those who are serious about their workouts – some are intended as meal replacements. Some energy bars are more like candy bars, sneaking saturated fats, sugar and hydrogenated oils into their ingredients – the calories can equal popular chocolate candy bars. Calorie to calorie, a PowerbarProtein Plus Chocolate Brownie energy bar, for example, has 360 calories while a Snickers bar, in comparison, has 250 calories. Unless you’re engaging in high-intensity training workouts, neither is a good snack option. Both have more sugar than recommended per day for an adult woman. Make sure the energy bars you nosh on are snack-sized – that’s between 100 and 200 calories per bar – and keep the sugar and carbohydrates low. Compare nutrition labels to find the better bars. And if you’re engaging in high-intensity workouts, look for energy bars that deliver a good protein source.’
3. Sports Drinks: ‘If you’re trying to eat well, don’t derail that healthy diet with sports drinks,’ warns Trimarchi. ‘Sports and energy drinks are popular among adults and teens, and in 2011, Americans spent roughly $9 billion on them. But what you’re getting is more sugar and more empty calories – for many of people it’s more than what they’re burning (and that’s what leads to weight gain). Let’s look at two popular sports drinks. One bottle (20 ounces) of Powerade contains 125 calories and 34 grams of sugar, which is about 8 teaspoons of sugar. Compare that to 20 ounces of Gatorade, which contains 130 calories and 35 grams of sugar, about 8.3 teaspoons of sugar, and you’ll begin to see why nutritionists recommend water over sports drinks. Just like energy bars, sports drinks are designed for replenishing the bodies of athletes; if you’re not engaged in high-intensity activity, you can skip them.’
4. Going Vegetarian: Trimarchi points out, ‘Eating a plant-based – even a mostly plant-based – diet can help keep you thin, keep your cholesterol levels low, and may even help you live longer. This way of eating can also help lower your risk of developing several diseases, including some cancers. There are more than 7 million Americans who consider themselves vegetarian, but not all of them eat their fair share of vegetables. And without a healthy, balanced diet, a vegetarian diet may not be any healthier than that of a meat eater. The problem is processed, high-fat and high-calorie foods. Some vegetarians, especially those who are newly converted to the diet, rely on processed foods, such as fake meat products, carbs (think white rice and pasta), cheese and junk foods. And regardless of whether you eat meat or not, if you eat processed foods you add unnecessary salt, sugar and fats to your diet — which also adds unwanted pounds and increases your risk of chronic illness.’