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The Hidden Calories in ‘Zero-Calorie’ Foods: Unveiling the Truth

Hey there Auburn / Opelika fitness enthusiast!

I read a crazy story this morning that I had to share….

This guy (who we’ll call “Ted”) had been a relatively healthy weight his entire life. He worked out on a regular basis, and seemed to have a decent understanding of the foods he ate.

About 6 months ago, Ted found something he fell in love with: “Fruit Adventure Tic-Tacs.”

Ted said on any given day, he’d eat 200 – 400 of these little things. He loved the way they tasted, and the “crush” they made when he bit down on them.

His consumption of tic-tacs continued daily for the past 6 months.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago, and Ted found himself about 40 pounds heavier than he was last year. When he finally realized it, Ted went to the doctor.

After Ted explained that there was no difference in his exercise or eating habits, the doc took him through a series of tests, looking at a variety of metrics. Unfortunately, the doctor found zero issues with Ted’s lab work, and referred him out to a specialist.

As Ted waited in the doctor’s office to be released, he found himself chatting with the nurse, who happened to catch him pull out a pack of Tic-Tac’s.

“I love those little things!” she said, to which he noted “Me too! I eat like 10 packs of them a day.”

Her face went from a bright tone to a confused one in an instant. She mentioned that those tic-tacs probably contributed to his weight gain.

Ted instantly rebutted, saying that they couldn’t have possibly made him gain weight, they have zero calories!

Fun Fact: In the U.S., foods with less than 5 calories per serving can be labeled as having 0 calories per serving.

The nurse explained to Ted this concept, and after a quick google search, found that Ted had been consuming an additional 400-800 calories in tic-tacs every day for the last 6 months…

No wonder he was gaining weight, he was eating copious amounts of candy, every single day of the week!

Since learning this, Ted has cut out the tic-tacs, and lost 5 pounds in the past week.

Don’t get tricked by deceiving labels… things like tiny candies, condiments, even SPLENDA has calories.

Save yourself the weight gain, and do a quick google search if the label says “0 calories.”

Keep moving… Stay moving… Stay healthy!

In good health,

Cam Peavy & The Infinity Team

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