How to Avoid a 1,000-Calorie Salad

My friend has been making a big effort to eat healthy and lose a few pounds. Although she exercises and her dietary choices are great, in the beginning of her quest, the needle on the scale wasn't going down, and her frustration continued to go up. One busy Saturday, we were running errands together and stopped at our favorite healthy grocery store. She met me at the table, pointed to the beautifully colored salad that she had before her and said "See, I've been eating this salad daily and still no weight loss!"

Jackpot -- I had figured it out. In my head, I calculated the calories in her daily salad and revealed the scary number to her. She was shocked.How could something so healthy have so many calories? How could she have been fooled all those weeks in thinking that the salad bar during lunch was the key to weight-loss nirvana, and how could she improve?

[Read: The Anatomy of a Healthy Salad.]

If you're making a conscious effort to eat healthier but still can't lose weight, your daily trip to the salad bar might be to blame. While salads can be a very healthy option, not all of the options included in salad bars are conducive to weight loss, and even the healthiest options can pack on a lot more calories than you think. In the world of weight loss, the old adage that "a calorie is a calorie" is actually true. If you eat 500 extra calories a day from either carrots or cookies, those extra calories get stored as fat. When is " a calorie is a calorie" not consistent? When we're talking about effects on blood sugar, as well as disease management and reversal. The benefits associated with eating fresh veggies are huge but can quickly get washed away by high-calorie salad bar crashers. If you aren't selective with the ingredients you scoop onto your plate, you could quickly end up with a 1,000-calorie salad, defeating the purpose of getting a salad in the first place.

Don't give up on your salad bar adventures. Salads provide a great avenue for consuming enough fruits and vegetables a day, which everyone benefits from -- not just from a weight perspective but also for a longer, healthier life. A 2013 study that included 71,706 Swedish adults found that those who ate three servings of vegetables per day lived an average of 32 months longer than individuals who never consumed their veggies. To truly "win" at the salad bar, you'll need to master two things: avoidance of unhealthy salad toppings and portion control with oils and carbohydrates. Here's your game plan on how to do it.

Avoid these foods at all costs:

Bacon Bits

For anyone serious about getting healthy and losing weight, bacon is not even a consideration.

Croutons

Popular crouton brands in the United States have about 30 to 40 calories per serving. That doesn't sound so bad until you consider than one serving size is two tablespoons, which translates to approximately four croutons. Adults tend to top their salad off with more than four croutons, which can add more than 100 calories of refined carbohydrates. Essentially croutons are just that -- crunchy, refined carbohydrates that add calories without any fiber to help you feel full after the meal.

Crispy Chicken

Placing a bed of lettuce underneath freshly cut pieces of crispy chicken is an adult's way of disguising their chicken nugget lunch order. Before you pat yourself on the back for getting a salad for lunch and adding crispy chicken pieces, check out the difference between a popular fast food chain's salad with crispy chicken and their 10 piece chicken nugget. If you're a fan of chicken, you might want to opt for grilled next time...

Chicken or Tuna Salad

Chicken and tuna straight from the can are not a bad option to add to your salad. Generally, however, the chicken and tuna salad sitting in the salad bar contain more than just canned meat. The mayonnaise and dressings added to chicken or tuna salads can pack on extra calories very quickly, and therefore are not the best option.

[Read: Healthy Substitutes for Mayonnaise .]

Reduced Fat Dressing

Skip the high-calorie creamy dressing and even the reduced-fat dressings for a healthier alternative. High-fat creamy dressings are screaming weight loss interference, and reduced-fat dressings are not much better. Sugar is often listed as the second or even first ingredient.

Include these foods -- but not too much:

A light bulb full of black beans

Beans and legumes are an awesome nutritional addition to any salad. The recommended serving size for beans is about half a cup, which is comparable to one light bulb. A half-cup of black beans provides about 120 nutrition-packed calories, with approximately six grams of fiber and eight grams of protein. Enjoy these benefits, but aim for no more than a light bulb serving.

Half tennis ball of brown rice (1/4 cup)

Compared to croutons or wonton noodles, brown rice is a much better option -- it provides a source of whole grains and is rich in fiber and other nutrients for fewer calories. A diet rich in whole grains like brown rice is associated with a higher intake of fiber, a key component to successful weight loss. According to nationally representative data published in January 2014, only 7.7 percent of adults (greater than 19 years old) consumed at least 3 ounces of whole grains per day. Improve your intake of whole grains with one-fourth cup of cooked brown rice, which contains approximately 50 calories, and ditch the croutons for good.

[Read: Salad for Breakfast, 4 Ways.]

A deck of cards of grilled chicken (3 to 4 ounces)

If you're trying to lose a few pounds, lean protein will be your best friend. A 2010 study in the journal Obesity found that lean protein sources helped individuals feel fuller after a meal. As an added bonus, a 2012 study linked chicken consumption with a reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease.

The size of your fist of sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are a healthy addition to any salad, because they're rich in potassium and vitamin A. With a starchy vegetable like sweet potatoes, portion control is key because the calories and carbohydrates will shoot up as quickly as the weight of your salad (if you are paying by weight, this matters, too). The United States Department of Agriculture nutrient database shows that one cup of a cooked sweet potato contains 180 calories and 42 grams of sugar. With sweet potatoes, the calories matter just as much as the carbohydrate content because it's higher in sugar. While these sugars are naturally occurring, a large portion can cause a spike in blood sugar, which is dangerous to any diet -- not to mention risk of Type 2 diabetes. Aim for a quarter cup of cooked sweet potatoes, which will provide 45 calories.

[Read: Four Veggies That Deserve More Love .]

A golf ball of cranberries

Dried cranberries are perfect for adding nutrition, color and sweetness to any salad. Cranberries are a nutritious fruit that contain chemicals called proanthocyanidins, which are thought to kill the bacteria that lead to urinary tract infections. While they can provide great nutrition benefits, they're also high in calories and sugar. Try not to add more than one ounce, which is equivalent to a golf ball.

A golf ball of an avocado

A 2013 pilot study found that individuals who ate half an avocado with lunch were less likely to feel hungry five hours after the meal. Despite the fact that the study was funded by the Haas Avocado Board and included a fairly small sample size, the results appear promising.

Avocados have two main nutritional properties that may be associated with weight maintenance -- a high fiber content, in addition to a high monounsaturated (healthy) fat content. Both factors are associated with increased feelings of satiety and more stable blood glucose levels. While avocadoes provide great benefits, it's important to remember that they also contribute calories and fat. Add about 1/8 of an avocado to your salad for great nutritional benefit -- without the cost of excess calories.

[Read: Unusual Uses for Avocados.]

A thumb of olive oil and vinegar

Try topping your salad off with a portion of olive oil and vinegar that would fill your thumb (about a tablespoon) and enjoy benefits that go much further than just your waistline. A recent study found that individuals who ate a Mediterranean-based diet, mainly composed of unsaturated fat from olive oil, were about 30 percent less likely to develop diabetes over the next four years of the study, compared to those on a low-fat diet.

While olive oil has many nutritional advantages, remember that it is higher in total fat and calories. Adding too much will contribute too many calories. Avoid dumping the oil on your veggies and instead, drizzle a small amount for big taste.

One last thing to remember is this: If you're going to pile on top of your greens, get a smaller container to do so. Many salad bars have at least three size options to choose from. Common sense dictates that using the smallest one will save the most amounts of calories!

[Read: How to Make Healthy Choices at the Salad Bar .]

Brigid Titgemeier, nutrition assistant at the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute, contributed to this article.

Kristin Kirkpatrick, MS, RD, LD, is the manager of Wellness Nutrition Services at the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute. She is an experienced presenter, an award-winning dietitian, an author and a regular television guest on both local and national shows, as well a contributor to several national magazines and newspapers. The Huffington Post recently named Kristin "one of 25 diet and nutrition experts you need to follow on Twitter." Kirkpatrick's career began in Washington, D.C., lobbying for Medical Nutrition Therapy reform, and from there she went on to become the Regional Coordinator of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute's Hearts N Parks program in Maryland. Follow her on Twitter at @KristinKirkpat.