It's so easy to grab, shop and go... especially when we think our food choices are low calorie. Tag words that seem healthy, can often end up as 'wanne-be' nutritious pitfalls. Low-sugar, fat-free, enriched, natural, organic, vegan, gluten-free... all language that can trigger busy moms to grab those seemingly, low-calorie products, to support a healthy, busy lifestyle.

The same goes for quick snacking on the run; Frozen yogurt, ready-to-go salads, gluten-free muffins. They certainly sound healthy, but the whopping amount of calories found in some of these options, will make you cross them off your food list forever.

Frozen Yogurt

Don't let the name fool you! Easily accessible at most busy shopping plazas, unsurprisingly, most are full of sugar and fillers. Add your favorite toppings to the cup and watch the calories soar beyond what can be found in a burger and fries.

Vegan/ Gluten-Free Baked Goods

Although you will not find certain ingredients such as wheat, eggs or milk in some of these cookies and muffins, you can find sugar... and lots of it. After careful analysis, many of these items can sometimes double the amount of calories found in their original versions. While these recipes can allow those with foods restrictions to indulge, I do not recommend them for mainstream dieters trying to keep calorie counting under control.

Nuts

Nuts do have many heart healthy properties, but they are the highest-caloric macro-nutrient we have. With an alarming 9 calories-per-gram of fat, portion control in a-must when indulging in handfuls of almonds and other caloric-dense nuts.

Salads

Eat with caution! Salads, especially those that are pre-packaged with toppings and dressings, can be extremely naughty. If in a pinch, and you need to grab a pre-packaged salad, you can easily save hundreds of calories by removing the toppings sprinkled on the top of the vegetables, such as cheese, nuts and tortilla strips. Another calorie saver is to trash at least half of the salad from the packet.

Smoothies

They sound heathy, but not all smoothies are creating equal. Avoid smoothies blended with fruit in syrup, frozen yogurt and processed nut butters, both when avoided can slash the calories tremendously. 

Lisa is a local fitness expert and proud Mom of 2, with a passion to inspire Moms and kids to be healthy and fit. When she is not training her clients, or developing cutting-edge wellness programming exclusively for La Camarilla Racquet & HealthClub, she shares her knowledge in many national fitness magazines and websites such as Oxygen, Max Muscle, M&F Hers and Brooke Burke’s ModernMom.com. www.LisaRobinsFitness.com