I remember seeing a chart of “burpee equivalents” for food a few years ago.
Do you remember it?
- A cookie = 141 burpees
- Small meatball sub = 402 burpees
- Big Mac = 506 burpees
I’ve also seen charts that tell you the number of miles you have to walk or run to burn off different foods.
- 1 hour and 23 mins to walk off ¼ of a large pizza (or 42 mins of running at 5 mph)
- 48 minutes of walking to burn off a blueberry muffin (25 minutes of running)
It’s interesting to note that eating a certain way can affect your weight in a big way, even though the numbers themselves seem to be pretty insignificant. That’s because there are a lot of factors that affect how many calories you burn, including your sex, your size, and your age.
However, this approach overlooks an important fact: the nutrients different foods provide your body.
Food isn’t just about the number of calories it contains and how much exercise it takes to “burn it off.”
Food can help you build and power your muscles and bones, create and regulate hormones, boost your immune system, and help your cells and organs do their jobs.
And it can also be filled with unhealthy fats, added sugars, excess sodium, and refined grains that make it harder for your body to function at its best—which is why it’s important to make sure you’re eating foods that are as close to nature as possible.
The idea is to focus on eating MORE of the foods that add value to your body … like vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats.
And also, it’s a good idea to eat less of foods that don’t contribute to your health and wellbeing (like added sugars and ultra-processed foods).
Just something to keep in mind – because it’s not always about the calories!
Committed to your success,
Christina Sanghera
PS: If you are looking for a better way to reach your goals, we have a proven plan to help you feel stronger and fitter/reach those body goals/balance your hormones naturally/etc. Text Lifestyle Coaching to (916) 235-3453.
