This is a problem since eating an excess of sugar derails your fitness progress and quickly leads to an increase in body fat, and recent studies are proving that sugar is even more dangerous than we once thought.

Your risk of heart attack doubles when 20 percent or more of your calories come from sugar, according to a new study published in JAMA International Medicine.

That’s serious! So, with obesity and heart disease on the line, let’s uncover the 7 common foods that you didn’t know contain sugar. Avoiding these items will help to lower your overall sugar intake, increase your fitness results and improve your overall health.

1. Fruit Yogurt
Yogurt is packaged and marketed as a diet food for women, which is outrageous. The pretty little packages may be low in fat, but just one serving contains a whopping 19 grams of sugar.

2. Pasta Sauce
This one may come as a surprise since pasta sauce is considered to be a savory food, but alas, it has loads of sugar hiding in it. For every half a cup of store-bought pasta sauce, you’re ingesting 12 grams of sugar.

3. Agave Nectar
Many think of agave nectar as a free pass, since it has been so cleverly marketed as a health food, but sadly this sweetener is just as dangerous as white sugar. Agave nectar is 85% fructose.

4. Dried Fruit
Yes, even our fruit isn’t safe anymore. Most companies are adding extra sugar in with their dried fruit, making it as sweet as candy. Just 1/3 of a cup contains 24 grams of sugar.

5. Granola Bars
It may boast wholesome, whole grains on the package, but your favorite granola bar is hiding a sickly sweet secret. The average packaged granola bar contains 12 grams of sugar.

6. Energy Drinks
When you need an afternoon pick-me-up, think twice before reaching for that energy drink. Mega energy drinks contain up to 83 grams of sugar.

7. BBQ Sauce
There’s a reason that those BBQ chicken wings are finger licking good…all that sugar it’s hiding. A 2 Tablespoon serving will set you back 13 grams of sugar.

We encourage you to start eliminating the sugar-packed foods in your diet today. Your body and your heart will both be in better shape for it.

And let’s not forget the place that a challenging, consistent exercise program has in your quest for good health and a fit physique. Our Small Group Training programs are specially designed to blast fat and to build muscle in all the right places.