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12 Healthy Foods You’re Overeating on Accident

Last Updated on by Amanda Brooks
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Too much of a good thing, it really is possible.

Too much sun = red lobster looking tan lines and lots of aloe
Too much birthday cake = stomach ache
Too much girls night out fun = a day in bed hiding from all light and sound
Too many squats = walking like a penguin the following day

So I suppose there is a case to be made for moderation…or more likely just awareness that sometimes what we think is a great healthy choice might actually be setting us back in our weight loss or fitness goals.

It’s Think Out Loud Thursday, so I’m letting you in on some personal mistakes with all the wonderful healthy foods that we seem to have portion control issues with or need a full diagnostic on the label before buying!over eating tips

GRANOLA

High in fiber a clean granola is wonderful for digestion, heart health and aiding in weight loss. Unfortunately, it’s ridiculously easy to eat more than a single serving of granola because it tastes like a little bite of carbohydrate heaven! A serving size is usually just 1/4 of a cup!!

Now compare that with what you likely pour in a bowl…yikes. A couple options are available to ensure you can still enjoy the benefits of this awesome food:

A. Pick a plain cereal like Cheerios or Love Grown Power O’s Plain and mix in that 1/4 cup granola for sweetness and more fiber
B. Put a 1/4 cup scoop in the bag and use it to top your yogurt or green smoothie

DRIED FRUIT

Pineapple is great for digestion, apricots are a good plant source of iron and well we’ve all heard about what prunes do for your bathroom habits right? I LOVE carrying dried fruit in place of gels during long runs, but you see that I’m using dried fruit to replace those sugar bombs of gel packets!

Noshing on it all day long means loading up on sugar, sugar, sugar and unfortunately without the wonderful satiating effects of the fiber in the whole fruit which means it can quickly become a high calorie snack.

PROTEIN BARS

Great for when you’re out on a hike, but maybe not ideal as a daily afternoon snack…especially if you’re choosing the one’s that are loaded with sugar and most of us are because they’re cheaper!

When we head out on a hike, I always have a Kind Bar, Vega Bar or Clif bar in my bag because I know they are dense source of nutrients and are made with quality ingredients. Because these bars taste like dessert as well, I often found myself munching on them as a mind afternoon snack…now I could definitely be making worse choices, but when you have access to whole foods that should be the default since most bars are around 200 calories.How to pick the right protein bar for your snackChoose the right bar:

  • Lookout for bars with additives, like isomalto-oligosaccharides which can cause digestive issues.
  • Lookout for “natural flavorings” which is often a label that could encompass MSG
  • Skip those with sugar alcohols which also cause digestive issues.
  • Compare the calories to the protein and fiber – there is a difference between a bar designed to be used for energy during a workout and one you’re noshing on as a snack (i.e. Clif Bars are amazing for a hike, maybe not as perfect for a sitting at your desk snack)

NUT BUTTER AND NUTS

If you’ve been duped in to eating low fat peanut butter, let’s start there…stop. It’s got more sugar and often other ingredients which make it less than healthy. Go for the real thing.Hilarious and true, we have a little too much of a love relationship with our nuts -- find out what other healthy foods you might be overeating

When you opt for the real thing, let’s talk now about quantity. It seems that many women have a love, love affair with nut butters and often it could be because they’re lacking fat in the rest of their diet which makes them not only craving the PB, but then devour it mercilessly.

A serving of nut butter daily is totally fine, but that’s 2TBSP…and maybe on those days it’s not also time to eat multiple servings of whole nuts. {Pleading the fifth on this habit}.

When it comes to nuts, they are all great for you! Just a few tips to make them the best choice:

  • Nut butters should only have 1 ingredient…nuts
  • Aim for whole nuts that aren’t roasted or salted
  • Enjoy cacao or other flavored nuts occasionally as a dessert

JUICES

We know I’m an uber fan of green smoothies, but I tend to shy away from juicing. For most people it spikes blood sugar which leads to feeling hungry shortly after and many store bought versions are using concentrate rather than fresh juices…soooo say buh bye to all the nutrients you though you were getting.Surprise health foods you're overeating and what to do insteadThe VitaMix is my favorite tool because unlike juice which strips out the fiber a smoothie is going to maintain EVERY bit of the fruit and veggie. I can shove a mass amount of things in to one of my green smoothies, but slurping my smoothie compared to eating all those foods in say a salad is way less filling.

HUMMUS

I’m a total uber fan of using hummus in place of salad dressing, but if you aren’t careful you can end up with a bowl of higher calorie food than you imagined. Not only that, but many store brands use preservatives and added oils to increase shelf life.

Authentic hummus is super healthy with quality fat from tahini or olive oil, protein from chickpeas, alkalizing lemon and anti-inflammatory garlic. Yes it’s easy enough to make at home!! When you start dipping away with those veggies, just remember 2 TBSP is roughly 80 calories and leave me some would you, it’s one of my favorite foods.

AVOCADO

Mom, this one is for you. YES it’s a healthy fat and YES we absolutely need it in our lives, but one regular avocado is almost 23grams of fat, which is generally almost half the fat most people need in day.

Like many of the other foods mentioned, avocado is all about portions. Folks on a high fat diet whom you see eating an avocado a day are NOT eating any processed carbs and very few complex carbs, so don’t be sucked in to the hype that you can have as much as you want unless you’re also following that dietary style.

A serving of avocado is considered 1oz or roughly 1/4 of California avocado. A sneaky way to bulk up your guacamole is to blend with sweet peas!! {I love sneaky vegetable recipes}

SPINACH

This one shocked me a few years ago, but it’s true! If you’re piling your green smoothie up daily with spinach and enjoying it in your salads this great veggie could actually lead to kidney stones.

This is one of the reasons it’s hugely important to ROTATE your greens. Don’t stop with the spinach, just aim for some variety so it’s not the only green your noshing day after day.

[bctt tweet=”Are you overeating these healthy foods? You might be surprised at what’s on the list!”]

RECOVERY DRINKS

Just like I am not a huge fan of energy gels, I’m not a huge fan of many recovery or energy drinks. Why?

It’s not that as athletes we don’t have a need for drinks with electrolytes and minerals to replace what we’re sweating out…but we don’t always need to replace all the calories we just burned and many of the 0 calorie options are brimming with sugars and bizarre sweeteners.

The bigger problem is sports drinks are being marketed to kids as a healthy alternative to soda, which they are in some cases…but the cheap one a teen is going to grab contains HFCS, high sugar and some weird additives to make it neon.

What to focus on:

Get a recipe for making your own sports drink here or spend a little time reading labels. I personally use Vega, but many of my running friends love NUUN ans Scratch Labs, which are all very clean products.

Use recovery drinks as they were intended, during and post exercise. Your normal workday doesn’t require a neon blue 240 calorie beverage to power through, assuming you aren’t a ski instructor.

SKIM MILK

I’ve got a number of reasons why I think dropping dairy is good for a lot of people, but let’s just focus on the issues of skim milk and all those icky fat-free cheeses.

A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that people who eat low-fat dairy products tend to be heavier than those who don’t because it’s less satiating and seems to encourage more carb consumption. Processing to remove fat, removes nutrients as well and yup unless you’re going organic there are a lot of hormones in that white stuff which we know makes us hold on to fat.Hidden sources of dairy

OILS

So you heard how amazing olive oil was and then coconut oil and of course you want to be healthy, so you started using it…a…lot.

And let’s be clear a number of studies have shown it’s great for heart health, brain healthy, it can lower cholesterol and help to control insulin levels, so it’s a clear winner in the fats category. The problem for many is well you already know…portions.

1 tbsp is 14grams of fat, so if you’re having 2 tbsp, along with that healthy avocado you’ve effectively eaten all of your fats for the day before you’ve even topped that salad with cheese. In many restaurants, when you get a salad with oil and vinegar dressing it’s up to 4 tbsps. Take control and ask for it on the side and in your cooking trying using 1 tbsp instead of 2 in the pan.

None of this is to say we need to FEAR food. Just that if weight loss is your goal, we have to be aware of portions and if health is the overall goal we need to know what’s in our food!

Still trying to figure out this whole process of running, fueling and losing weight? Checkout my brand new ebook to help you out!

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Author

Amanda Brooks
I am a running coach with over a decade of experience helping thousands of runners to achieve their goals from running injury free to crossing that marathon finish line with a PR. I’ve run over 28,000 miles in my own running journey since 2002. Run To The Finish is my place to share that love and my deep dive in to researching all things running. I hold multiple run coaching certifications, as well as a personal training certification. But it’s my ongoing desire to learn and progress as a coach that has allowed me to help runners from their 20’s through their 70’s! More ways to connect with me:

Reader Interactions

Comments

  3. christyruns

    You so hit the nail on the head with this one, I am certainly guilty of a few of those, but not the milk one, we only drink the creamy whole milk at my house. and no fat free dairy anything!

    Reply

  4. Kitchen Tornado

    I'm a fan of basic tools in the kitchen because I like things that have more than one function. BUT, I've always wanted to try a spiralizer!

    Reply

  5. SuzLyfe

    I definitely get too much spinach–it is the green that I buy–but I usually get other lettuces when we are out. Granola is a go to for me during marathon season simply for the calories, but I always choose a natural, lower sugar type.
    I just got a spiralizer attachment for my kitchenaid, but I need a new toaster oven. Love mine, and it is dying!
    My recent post The Moral of That Story is…

    Reply

  10. Georgina

    OH! And about the spinach…sooo interesting. I am a bit of a spinach monster (well I've calmed down now) and last year i was diagnosed with osteopenia (I'm 23…not ok!). I spoke to an RD and she mentioned that the amount of spinach I was eating was likely interfering with calcium absorption because of the phytates. Obviously this wasn't allll caused by spinach but I was blown away. Talk about too much of a good thing!

    Reply

  11. Lyndsay N

    I need new knives! All my kitchen things are hand me downs (recent grad). I have one of those hand held spiralizers lol it actually works pretty well and it was only 8$!

    Reply

  12. Stacia

    Definitely a Vitamix! Sipping down a veggie packed smoothie post run is way easier for me, now 6 months pregnant, to consume all of those much needed nutrients! My tummy is running out of room! ?

    Reply

  13. cassi9879b

    Wow, the spinach one surprises me too. I really don't have the counter space for additional kitchen tools so I haven't thought about what I could use to help eat healthier. I could always use a more powerful blender though.
    My recent post She's Got Legs

    Reply

  14. Brandi

    But peanut butter is soo good!!
    My kitchen definitely needs a chef to make healthy eating easier! But if I can't get one of those, we need new pots and pans.

    Reply

  16. Mona

    Great list – I've definitely overindulged with nut butters and granola! I've been thinking of getting a spiralizer for some time now:)

    Reply

  17. Carole

    I love almond butter and have recently been inducing a little too much! I would LOVE a Nutribullet to make my smoothies in the morning so much easier to make.

    Reply

  18. giannanicole22

    I love this, a great list. I always say to measure things out for portion sizes. To this day I measure the majority of my foods! Especially if I am in a hangry situation because then I will just nose dive into a container of almond butter or hummus and that never leads to a good outcome.
    My recent post Half Marathon Training: 1/11/16 – 1/17/16

    Reply

  19. Stefanie

    Definitely learned a few things today ;) I could totally use some 'real' pots and pans of different varieties instead of the one that I try to make work for everything lol

    Reply

  23. cherylann

    I have a vitamix and that's all I need for healthy eating in my kitchen. I have avocado almost daily. I need the good fat. I am trying to gain muscle!

    Reply

  26. luckythirteenrunning

    I was feeling pretty good about my choices until I hit the spinach bit. I'm not sure I'm happy about living in a world where I have to portion-control my spinach. I would love a spiralizer to do not only veggie noodles but also to make things like zucchini cakes easier, home made hash-browns (maybe w/ sweet potatoes?), I think the kids would dig spiralized apples. A vitamix seems like an essential – I just have the first model nutri-bullet, which is great for smoothies but just doesn't have as many features as the vitamix. I would also really like a big 'ol wok. My meals are super veggie-heavy – my family is vegetarian – and I do a lot of stir fries – it's impossible to get the needed volume of veggies for one meal into a normal-sized frying pan. Finally, I have somehow made it this far in life without a dedicated food processor (just the nutri-bullet!) which is pretty regrettable.

    My recent post ROD

    Reply

  30. jamesbestmusic

    I had been eating lots of nuts and raisins before realising just how many calories they contain.. I was really shocked. And I didn't know that about spinach!! I eat it all the time, I guess it's time to mix it up a bit..
    My recent post Running In The Dark

    Reply

  34. Beth

    You can eat too much spinach?! Now I'm glad I pay a little extra for the bags of mixed greens instead of just straight spinach. Thanks for all of the great info, Amanda!

    Reply

  35. Katie M

    A toaster oven would be a great addition to my kitchen so that I could bake veggies and other things for 1 person without turning on the "big" oven.

    Reply

  37. Stefanie

    I love your quote about eating the moderator with peanut butter! My good ol' stove is my healthiest helper. I saute veggies with water for a warm winter salad, i heat frozen berries for a sweetner-less jam and I make homemade everything to control the ingredients I consume.

    Reply

  38. Linda

    I love this post!!! My ninja is the most helpful thing in my kitchen… wait so is my scale ( that was i know Im not overeating ;)
    New follower !

    Reply

  40. Shannon

    Great informative post, Amanda! I know I love some of these foods and have to be watchful. Too easy to do it if you aren't paying attention.
    I'd love to have a blender. I'm able to use my landlord's right now, but I don't own one of my own and it's so vital!

    Reply

  43. Happy Fit Mama

    I was shocked by the spinach thing too. Good thing I'm a fan of ALL the greens! I couldn't live without my food processor. That thing does EVERYTHING for me. I use it at least 5 times a week.
    My recent post High Five Friday

    Reply

  45. Dorota | HappyForks.com

    Good idea and good list. I think that some of the products on your list may be dangerous not only when you eat too much but also when they aren’t good quality. Let’s start with dried fruits. Unfortunately, most of them have added sugar or are candied. You need to read the labels.

    You’ve written about quality of nut butter that is very important. For my it’s easier to make my own nut butter, than find a good one in the shop. I simple take a little bit of peanuts , half of them roast on a pan. Then I just put the nuts with a pinch of salt in blender. It take few minutes, until the mass get really smooth. Let me know if you try it.

    Reply

  46. sweetandstrongblog

    This is a great list! If I over eat any of these foods I definitely feel way to full about 20 minutes later. Lots of people think if it's healthy they can eat as much as they want, which isn't true. I need my Vitamix to stay healthy. I make a smoothie in it every morning and it just makes life so easy because it blends so well!

    Reply

  48. Jessie R

    Great post! I recently started rotating my greens between spinach and a variety of kale. I stopped making granola, which I had been putting in my yogurt, because I didn't really need the extra, and we ate it too fast anyways :).

    I don't have a spiralizer yet, that would be nice to add some spice to dishes, rather than always using spaghetti squash.

    Reply

  52. Jamie

    Great post! I eat a lot of all of those things — as that's basically all I eat as a vegetarian that tries not to eat too many carbs. I would love a better blender — a Vitamix would be amazing!

    Reply

  58. David

    We need a good food processor. I notice that we tend to gravitate towards foods that are easier to prepare, so if we had tools that made healthier foods easier to make, we would eat them more often.

    Reply

  60. Sam @ PancakeWarriors

    THis is the second time this week I have heard to cut back on the nut butter and nuts THE message is clear lol!! I love this yes to all of this ;) Thank you for sharing I'll be posting this on FB later this week!!

    Reply

  61. Julie Wood

    I love your list of healthy foods and try to get them in my diet all the time! I like making green smoothies, too! I would get a new Blender for making green smoothies with the gift card! Thanks so much for a awesome giveaway!

    Reply

  65. rachelantony1

    It is so easy to overeat all of the foods you mentioned because they are "healthy." I didn't realize the bad effects spinach can have! Great post :)

    Reply

  67. Emily Smith

    A Ninja blender would be awesome to have. My husband bought a juicer, but it's such a waste of produce, with a Ninja blender, it would just puree every tiny bit of the veggies and fruit so that nothing is wasted.

    Reply

  75. Wild Orchid

    My kitchen could use a really good high-speed blender! This would help me make delicious and healthy smoothies.

    Thanks for the chance to win!

    wildorchid985 at gmail dot com

    Reply

  79. Annie

    Love this post! I'm a dietitian and I think this is excellent information about foods that people think are so healthy – you can still overeat those! And eat all the veggies, of course. ;) I have recently realized the importance of a very good non-stick saute pan!

    Reply

  81. laurajacobson

    My New Years goal this year…is to learn to cook healthier for my family. I have so much to learn. I think that a blender would be a huge thing for me and really help. Although…your spiralizer looks so neat and would be so helpful too!
    landfjacobson @ charter . net

    Reply

  84. Jordan D.

    I adore my slow cooker and my Veggeti vegetable spiralizer, but I could really use a good food processor or a Ninja blender.

    Reply

  88. Kristen

    I already have many great tools. My top favorite tools are my Vitamix and spiralizer. One item that I'm lacking is a mandolin for quickly chopping veggies.

    Reply

  95. nashieeli diaz

    I love my food chopper to get veggies into my meals for my kids and it cuts the time down by a lot. I’m so guilty of the milk but I also tend to not each enough for the amount of calories I’m burning while working out and it’s been a vicious cycle. Thank you for this information, it’s very helpful. I did have a question on marathon training, what are your thoughts on splitting some of the long runs into 2 segments on the same day? I’ve read it can help prevent injury and also trains your body to run on tired legs. Or maybe someone else can comment, this is my second marathon.

    Reply

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