This image is floating around social media at the moment. It is supposed to represent how many kilometres you need to run to burn off each pictured food item.
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Let’ break it down and sort out fact from fiction
1) Let’s assume Sally burns 2000 calories per day
Sally burns MOST of those calories via just being alive and going about her normal day to day activities.
If one of the above items fits into Sally’s 2000 cal plan, then Sally doesn’t need to do any extra activity to burn it off.
See also – How many calories do I burn each day?
2) It makes the assumption that only certain foods need activity to be burnt off.
News Flash!! – If you burn 2000 cals per day and you consume 2500 cals, then you will need to do extra activity to burn off the excess – – even if it came from “healthy” food.
Otherwise the excess calories will be stored on your body as either A) body fat or B) lean muscle (only if you have been consuming enough protein and overloading all of your muscle groups on a regular basis)
See also – Is this healthy food making me fat?
3) We all burn calories at different rates, depending on our size, age, health and body composition
The amount of time it takes 82kg Sally to burn off 500 calories will be totally different to how long it will take 110kg Bob to do the same. Not to mention 55kg Annie.
4) It sets up the idea that food is a reward and exercise is a punishment.
Neither of which is true or helpful
5) On the positive side, it highlights the fact that it takes a LOT of time to burn of EXTRA calories via exercise
This may stop you from mindlessly consuming more than you need.
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Take home message
- Any food can fit into your eating plan without causing weight gain, as long as you are within your calorie limits
- Any food can cause weight gain if you eat more calories than you burn (even healthy foods)
- It takes way more time and effort to burn off extra calories consumed than it does to eat them
- Stop viewing foods as good and bad. Start looking at how you can fit all foods into your budget
- No doubt 500 calories of chicken and broccoli dinner will keep you a lot fuller and provide more nutrients than 500 calories of chocolate cake. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t have the chocolate cake every now and then, without negative consequences if it fits into your daily budget.
Related posts
- The controversial No Diet Diet
- Free training – how to lose weight without going on a “diet”
- Work with me. How I can help you lose weight and get in great shape
With 20 years experience, Chriss Tinslay is one of Australia’s leading Personal Trainers.
Chriss started her career into the fitness and personal training industry in 1994 as a receptionist at the local gym she attended and loved.
She quickly went on to become qualified and registered as a Master Trainer with Fitness Australia. Chriss has now helped1000’s of people transform their bodies and lives.
She now runs regular face to face and online fat loss coaching programs.
Chriss believes that fitness and fat loss should fit into your fabulous life, NOT take over it. You can connect with her on Facebook where she shares useful tips each and every day