Sometimes thinking of the big picture is hard to do. Time goes by quickly though, and our food choices add up for the good or the bad. Here’s the breakdown of four “treats” that a lot of us give ourselves and what it adds up to by the end of the year…
The After Dinner Ice Cream Treat
Having a few spoons of ice cream after dinner every night probably doesn’t seem like a big deal. Here’s the break down on a single serving…
Ben and Jerry’s Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream
Single Serving: 15g fat, 25g sugar, 280 calories
Every Day for a Year: 5475g of fat, 9125g of sugar, 102,200 calories
What That Means: It is the equivalent of 12 pounds of saturated fat, 20 pounds of sugar, and eating 50 extra days of food (based on average 2000 calorie day).
The Daily Glass of Wine Treat
There’s a lot of people that love to enjoy alcohol on a regular basis. There are conflicting reports on whether or not this is a healthy habit, it is a decision that needs to be made for yourself. Here’s a look at the calorie amounts of one (measured!) glass of wine a day…
Single Serving of Wine (5 fluid oz): 123 calories
Every Day for a Year: 44,895 calories
What That Means: Using an average 2000 calorie day, this would mean you have consumed 22 extra days worth of food with your daily glass of wine. IF BY CHANCE you have more than 5 fluid oz in your glass, please adjust accordingly…
The Bagel for Breakfast Treat
Refined carbohydrates have a negative impact on just about every facet of health. If you’re still eating bagels, muffins, or toast every day, here’s an overview of what things look like by the end of the year…
Single Bagel (not including toppings): 245 calories and 45g of carbohydrates
Every Day for a Year: 89,425 calories and 16,425g of refined carbohydrates
What That Means: In bagels alone, you have consumed an extra 44 days worth of calories (based on 2000 calorie day) and have consumed over 36 pounds of refined carbohydrates. Yes you have to eat something for breakfast, so choose real food with ZERO refined carbs!
The Sugar In My Coffee Treat
“I have to have sugar in my coffee!” You can have all the sugar in your coffee that you want to…just be aware how it adds up. Refined sugar is directly linked to every chronic disease facing our families, including diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Here’s the breakdown…
One Sugar Packet: 4g sugar per sugar packet
Every Day for a Year: 1460g of sugar
What That Means: If you use one sugar packet each day in your coffee you have consumed an extra 3 pounds of sugar for the year. This one is easy math: one extra packet (or coffee) doubles the sugar. Thinking of this habit in terms of pounds of sugar may help you think twice.
