04 Aug Eat this, then do that …

Have you ever over-indulged at a meal and wondered later just exactly how much will I have to work out to burn this off?
Most of us probably have had that type of experience, but really had no idea what the answer is.
HealthPoint in Ohio recently printed a list of several interesting examples of just what it takes to work off some selected high-calorie meals or snacks.
We’ve all seen the calorie counts of certain fast-food items before, but to contrast them by how much exercise it would take to burn them off provides quite an eye opener.
Without further adieu, here you go. If you eat this, then do that (stats are based on a 200-pound male) …
* Eat a McDonald’s angus bacon cheeseburger (790 calories), then run for 65 minutes at 65 mph.
* Eat a Whitman’s six-piece chocolate sampler (408 calories), then do 93 minutes of yard work.
* Eat a piece of apple pie (411 calories), then do 97 minutes of yard work
* Drink a Starbucks caramel macchiato (190 calories), then walk for 35 minutes on the treadmill.
We are all going to have diet slip-ups at times and that’s understandable. It’s important to note, too, that depending on your metabolism rate and how good of shape you’re in you can even burn some calories while at rest.
However, this list definitely should make people stop and think how much exercise one trip through a fast-food drive-through can undo.
Stop and ask yourself next time the urge for a double-cheeseburger or fancy dessert comes: Is it worth it?

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.com