Attention, You Nibblers

by Maia Appleby

I often hear people say that, although they watch what they eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner, they just can't seem to lose any weight. Following this statement, many of them add that they nibble on the things they miss eating, figuring that just one bite won't make any difference. When you look at the big picture, one bite probably won't, if we're really talking about one bite.

Chronic nibblers, on the other hand, eat a lot more than they realize, and are often in denial about it. They consume excess calories several times each day without even realizing it, assuming that tiny amounts of this and that don't count. They do count, though. If you're nodding your head with a guilty grin on your face, you've taken the first step toward recovery.

Here are a few examples of what you're consuming when you sample some of the most tempting items you encounter throughout the day, and the number of calories they contain. Keep in mind that most of these are high in fat and sparse in nutrients:

One fried chicken wing: 200
One teaspoon of cookie dough: 170
One fried spring roll: 104
Mayo on your sandwich: 100
One square of cheese: 100
One tablespoon of either peanuts or peanut butter: 90
One cocktail meatball: 85
One pig in a blanket: 85
One spoonful of icing: 80
One lollipop: 50
One crab puff: 42
Five M&M's: 40
One potato chip with onion dip: 40
One potato chip plain: 32

How can this be remedied? Simply by recognizing it. Be mindful of every bite you eat, no matter how insignificant it seems. If it helps, keep a written log for a few days. You'll be surprised at how these little tidbits add up.