Put Down That Nutrition Bar!
Do you turn to nutrition bars, snacks or other foods with packaging that speaks of “fitness” benefits? Think Wheaties, “The Breakfast of Champions;” Clif Bars, marketed to outdoor enthusiasts; PowerBar, targeted to athletes; or Bear Naked’s “Fit” Granola.
Put them down! A new study in the Journal of Marketing Research demonstrates that such “fitness branding” encourages consumers to eat more of those foods and exercise less.
Yes, fitness foods encourage us to eat more & exercise less!
In the study, participants were given a trail-mix snack labeled as either “Fitness,” which included an image of running shoes, or “Trail Mix.” The people were asked to pretend they were preparing an afternoon snack at home, and were given eight minutes to taste and rate the snack. Later on they were then given the option to exercise on a stationary bike.
The researchers found that the “Fitness” label had a significant effect on consumption and exercise. The participants who were trying to watch their weight ate substantially more of the “Fitness” snack and worked out less during the exercise phase of the study.
Ouch!
As an aside, many foods marketed as “fitness” healthy are very high in sugar. For instance, a Clif Coconut Chocolate Chip Energy Bar has 22 grams, the equivalent of nearly six teaspoons, of sugar. Read nutritional panels to get the real story!
3 Tips For Healthier Snacking for Weight Loss & Fitness
1. Make A List of Your Favorite Healthy Go-To Snacks — Here are some of my favorites. Be careful with portions. We tend to underestimate our eating and overestimate our exercising!
- Greek Yogurt with Fresh Fruit and Nuts
- Hummus with High-Fiber Chips and Baby Carrots
- Apple Slices with Peanut Butter
- High-Fiber Whole Grain Toast with Avocado
2. Eat Throughout The Day — Find the time to eat meals and snacks — or even (hark!) graze — in order to maintain your energy throughout the day. This will prevent the overeating that comes with not eating at consistent intervals during the day.
3. Get Clear About “Why” You’re Eating — Are you hungry? Many people who experience weight fluctuations fall victim to triggers — those buttons that turn on the “I’m hungry” signal, such as anger, frustration, boredom, sadness, feeling rewarded or even just witnessing other people eating. It is possible to interrupt those thought patterns once you key in the “why.”
For more on Healthy Eating:
Stop Counting Calories and Enjoy Your Food With 3 Easy Mindset Shifts
Want The Golden Key to Weight Loss, Heart Health & Digestive Ease?
The Myth of Calories In, Calories Out
I love apple slices with peanut butter! I look forward to trying the other snacks you mention. YUM!
I’d love to hear what you come up with, Jill! Enjoy!
Wow! I never thought of it this way, but it totally makes sense. Thanks for the reminder of the importance of exercise, in addition to watching what we consume. 🙂
You are so welcome, Sheila! Thank you for taking the time to read and comment. Have a happy, healthy day!
Great post – someone needed to expose this marketing mischief and I’m glad it was you! You might consider making the next thing on your list of dragons to slay baby food with sugar in it. We get babies hooked early on sugar, salt and white flour and then bemoan the fact that the people in this country have health issues! Anyway, I’m ranting. Thank you for the post! xox, Reba
Oh, I LOVE the idea of writing an article about the sugar in baby food! Thank you for the suggestion. (And rant all you’d like!) xo
Lots of good tips in this article that promote self-awareness and mindful eating. It not only encourages you to get out of autopilot when eating “fitness foods” but also helps you make conscious eating choices about what, when, and why you eat through out the day. Thank you Melissa!
Dr. Hamilton, thank you for your thoughtful comment and support. Yes, self-awareness and mindful eating are two important keys to changing our relationship to food … forever!
Excellent post Melissa. The health industry is filled with unhealthy choices, it is so important to take charge, educate ourselves and read labels.
You are so right, Rachel. Misinformation everywhere! We’re working together to bring about healthy change. Thank you for your thoughtful comment. xo
My go-to snacks are some of your favorites! Apples/Peanut Butter, Avocado on toast (or just sliced up with oil, salt & pepper), hummus & carrots. After a workout, I used to eat those bars, but it’s hard to find ones that are gluten free & not full of sugar. Now I rely on a handful of almonds!
Fantastic post Melissa! I remember my Gran telling me about a woman she worked with who gained weight when she started eating granola bars. That was back in the 70’s, so I guess you could call them an early version of the “health” bars of today 🙂 So many of us are seduced by packaging. Reading labels is the first step to awareness and making better snack choices. And of course moving more. Thank you! xo
Yes! So funny! I remember my mom telling me that granola bars were nothing more than glorified candy. Your Gran and my Mom were onto something! And clearly, so were Madison Avenue and the the package goods companies. Fast forward several decades later and here we are. Thank you for sharing your childhood memory! xoxo
Melissa,
I enjoyed your article very much. I did not realize they were so high in sugar, not to mention that they encourage us to eat more and exercise less.
I’ll be giving my diet some more thought.
Thanks,
Laura Beth
Thank you, Laura Beth. I am happy the article served you well. Start by reading the labels. Every 4 grams of sugar = one teaspoon of sugar. Happy Eating!