Everyone has their weaknesses. Everyone has bad days. Everyone strays from their ideal eating plan from time to time. When trying to lose weight, it is important to realize what the consequences are. Often, we think a small indulgence might not do any harm. Or we think we can add a little to our workout that day to make up for that small snack we had. The problem becomes that we don't realize just how much extra we will have to do.
An average 150 pound person can burn approximately 100 calories doing the following activities:
Walking for about 26 minutes.
Speed walking for about 17 minutes.
Running for about 12 minutes.
Circuit training for about 11 minutes.
Weight training for about 29 minutes.
If you are currently trying to lose weight at a rate of two pounds per week, you need to get rid of 7,000 calories per week (3,500 calories are in a pound a fat). That's 1,000 calories a day. We could say that we will eat about 500 calories less per day and exercise to burn the other 500. This equates to about 60 minutes of jogging or one and half hours of speed walking for example. We can reduce this time by being more active throughout our day. Take the stairs at work, parking further away or even chase your kids around in the yard.
The problem becomes when we choose snacks that are high in calories and fat and lack the nutrients that our body needs. For example, when you treat yourself to a large coffee with cream and sugar and a donut you will need to burn an additional 440 calories on top of the calories that you are already trying to burn to lose weight. This is an extra hour and 15 minutes of speed walking! Is it worth it?
That is only one example. Half a dozen chicken wings can contain as many as 600 calories which will take you almost three hours of weight training to burn off. A small popcorn at the theatre will take you almost an hour of continuous circuit training to get rid of. Even a small size ice cream treat could take you more than two hours to walk off.
Be conscious of what foods you are putting in your body. Do you know how hard you will have to work to get rid of those calories? And, do you have the extra time in the day to add on to your already hectic workout schedule? It is time to really consider whether or not it is worth it!
Say it! Mean it! Do it!
