The other day, I saw a YouTube advert that I was just about to press skip on, but it made me pause.
It was for a salad but from a fast food chain company.
It gave me a flashback to how impactful these adverts can be in making people believe they should consume them if they are to be “healthy.”
I had this 1:1 client many years ago, and she was doing great.
We saw weight and inch loss weekly, and the results spoke for themselves.
But, like many of us, when we start seeing progress, she wanted to push things even harder.
She came to me one day and said, “Do you think I should start having chicken salads for lunch to speed things up?”
Now, on the surface, this sounded like a solid plan.
Chicken salad sounds healthy, right?
What could go wrong with lean protein, lots of greens, and low calories?
So, I said, “Sure, if that’s what you enjoy, it could be a good move.”
Little did I know, she wasn’t exactly talking about homemade salads with grilled chicken breast.
Fast forward a few weeks, and another client of mine, who just happened to be friends with her, dropped a little truth bomb during one of our sessions.
Apparently, she’d been eating the Subway Chicken & Bacon Ranch Salad most days for lunch.
The crazy thing was that she was adding extra ranch sauce because, as it turned out, she actually hated salad!
The dressing was drowning those poor veggies, and the calorie count was skyrocketing.
That ‘healthy’ salad wasn’t so healthy after all.
Needless to say, her weight and inch loss slowed down dramatically from this daily lunchtime choice.
But she isn’t alone—because haven’t we all been there?
Eating something we don’t even like because we think it’s “good for us.”
I did it when I first learned how it all worked and what you need to eat to get in shape.
Forced down quinoa bowls and kale smoothies, grimacing through every bite.
But I’ve learned over the years, and I try to tell as many people as I can, that forcing yourself to eat foods you hate because they’re labelled as healthy will never be sustainable.
Plus, some of these so-called healthy foods aren’t always as low-calorie as we think.
Take that Chicken & Bacon Ranch Salad, for example.
Without the dressing, it’s around 460 calories.
It’s okay, but add that extra ranch, and you’re easily pushing 600-700 calories.
Now compare that to something like the Subway Sliced Chicken Sandwich.
It’s 310 calories and gives you a solid 25g of protein.
It’s a simpler, tastier option that would have probably suited my client better and not sabotaged her goals.
This brings me to a bigger point: just because something is labelled as healthy doesn’t mean it’s low-calorie.
We fall into these traps all the time.
Healthy salads, protein-packed mueslis, or cream-based pasta dishes—they all sound good, but they can be loaded with hidden calories.
They’re absolutely fine to enjoy once in a while.
But if you’re looking to lose a few pounds or inches, it’s worth keeping an eye on the calorie content.
You don’t have to be afraid of food or obsessed with counting calories, but awareness goes a long way.
And when in doubt, lean meats like chicken, turkey, tuna, or prawns are almost always a better choice.
They’re loaded with protein, which is essential for keeping you fuller for longer, but they don’t have all the extra calories of heavier options.
Just make sure to skip the extra sauces, dressings and mayo!
So next time you’re thinking of going all-in on a salad you don’t like, just to “be healthy,” remember that taste matters too.
You can get plenty of protein from meals you actually enjoy—like that sliced chicken sandwich, for instance.
But you’ll be more likely to stick to your goals in the long run.
At the end of the day, it’s not about depriving yourself.
It’s making smart, sustainable choices that fit your lifestyle and don’t make you feel like you’re missing out.
So, enjoy your food, choose the leaner proteins, and be mindful of the hidden calories.
You’re making a better decision for your body and your sanity!
Ryan