When I decided I wanted to slim down a bit for summer, I did everything right: I upped my cardio, started lifting heavier, and continued eating food that I considered healthy. After a few weeks of seeing only change in my muscles, not the rolls covering my abs, I decided to look deeper into the nutrition facts on the things I was consuming. Let’s just say I’ve never felt so betrayed by my morning coffee. Here’s 5 places where carbs were hiding:
Starbucks Doubleshot Protein Drinks:
Vegetarians are naturally drawn to things that have extra protein in them, right? So, if you saw a coffee that would wake you up and provide 20g of protein, you’d drink that in a New York minute…right? I would. I did. For like, weeks. I loved these things. I used to drink them for breakfast in the car on the days when I had to roll out of bed at 7 A.M. and get going. Too bad they have 34 carbs in a single 8-ounce serving.
Raisins:
If you’re trying to slim down, it’s important not to skip breakfast — a meal in the morning will kickstart your metabolism and keep it moving all day. I love putting raisins on my oatmeal. They add just a little bit of sweetness, and a little bit is all I need. You know what I don’t need, though? The 22 carbs that come in a single-serve box. Don’t need those. If I’m going to take carbs from grapes, it’ll be in a box of wine, not a box of raisins.
Bananas:
The fitness models on Instagram that put 2-3 whole bananas in their morning smoothies are drinking more than 105 carbs for breakfast, once they add in the other fruits and blend up. An average banana has about 27 carbs. I don’t love the taste of bananas to begin with, or the texture of most smoothies. Hmm…smoothie or pasta? I’ll take pasta for 105 carbs, thank you very much.
Naked Smoothies:
The average Naked smoothie contains between 55 and 65 carbs per serving, and that’s in a “no sugar added” version. A decent-sized serving of whole wheat penne pasta is only 41 carbs. I know I keep comparing things to pasta. That’s just how I live. When someone offers me a beer, I’m like, “Do you know how much pasta is in that can?”
Sprite:
Every time I hear somebody say, “I only mix my alcohol with Sprite, because it’s caffeine-free,” I cringe. Sprite is caffeine-free, but also contains 37 carbs in a 12-ounce can. So, yeah. You could mix your vodka with Sprite…or you could take your shots straight, and have a piece of pizza (for one less carb) at the end of the night…I know which one I’d pick. While you’re at it, check the carbs in other brands of soda too.
If you’ve been trying to slim down and aren’t seeing the results you want, even though you’re eating well and exercising regularly, you might want to check into the carb content of the health foods you’re grubbing on and decide if the carbs are worth the protein, potassium, or other nutrients.