Unusual suspects: Foods to watch out for

Muffins: Sure that muffin looks harmless, with its crisp ridges and blueberry centre, but that little teeny tiny muffin can pack in as many as 900 calories. That’s almost half of your daily recommended calorie intake! When eating on the run at places like Tim Horton’s or Starbucks, it’s best to opt for non-baked foods such as a sandwich or yogurt parfait to reduce calories and increase nutritional value. Or, better yet, pack your lunch!

Movie popcorn: Popcorn has always been marketed as a healthy snacking alternative, and generally it is… As long as you’re eating the low-cal, no butter, portion-controlled sizes at home (who actually eats just one cup of popcorn anyways?). However, movie popcorn can be one of the worst things for you (don’t even get me started on extra butter!). A large popcorn can contain as many as 1600 calories, and a small can have around 400. The best alternative: pack a baggie of reduced salt, 100 calorie popcorn from home and sneak it in (this is frowned upon, I know).

Mixed nuts: Yes nuts are good for you and very high in protein and filling fibre, but pay close attention to portion sizes. People who eat nuts generally aren’t conscious of the amount they eat because they assume nuts are healthy and thus low-cal. However, only a handful of almonds contains around 250 calories. While this isn’t inherently a bad thing, eating more than the serving size can lead to weight gain.

Cheese: Cheese is another calorie-rich snack that often gets too much credit. While cheese does contain protein and calcium, it is not the best source of either and has way more calories than most people suspect. A small one-inch cube of cheese has around 250 calories (depending on the kind), and generally people consume more than that. If you love cheese (and really, who doesn’t?), opt for low-calorie pre-cut slices so you’re more conscious of serving sizes.

Chocolate bars: Obvious, I know. What I didn’t realize until a few weeks ago, however, is that chocolate bars are now sold in double-portion sizes. Even though the wrapper may say it is only 250 calories, this may only be for half of the bar. For this reason, it’s always a good idea to pay close attention to labels. Also, try satisfying your chocolate craving with a handful of dark chocolate chips.