Did you know that to burn off a single large chocolate chip cookie you would have to briskly walk for 75 minutes, or that to burn off the calories in one large mocha coffee you would have to lift weights vigorously for 40 minutes? A bagel with cream cheese will cost you 180 minutes of yoga. When it comes to calories, clearly it is a lot easier and faster to consume them than it is to burn them off. That is why you won’t be able to outrun a bad diet.
While it is possible to “exercise off” our bad food choices, it is not very practical. Why isn’t it realistic to exercise away every extra calorie? Most of us don’t have the time. It may take four minutes to eat a 350-calorie piece of cake, but someone who weighs 150 pounds would need to walk for more than an hour and a half to burn it all off and get back on track. That’s why the best approach to eating is to aim for balance: Eat healthy meals and snacks, be aware of portion sizes, and aim for at least 30 minutes a day of physical activity.
When it comes to maintaining weight, there’s a simple equation: energy in = energy out (calories eaten = calories burned). If you want to lose weight, calories out must be more than calories in. If you want to gain weight, calories in must be more than calories out. Each of us needs a certain number of calories to keep our bodies healthy and our cells functioning. In addition to these basic functions, we also use calories to walk, stand, and work. Everyone has different calorie needs, but the bottom line is that if we eat more than we use, we gain weight — unless we work off the extra calories. Exercise and activity can be used to burn calories, but how many calories you burn depends on a lot of different factors like age, gender, body fat percentage, and more. It also depends on how hard you are exercising and how long you exercise for.
Whether your goal is to lose weight, improve performance, and feel good set-up a time for a free consultation with Michelle, at mfurbush@nullwtsc.com.
12 Week Transformation
Choose to Lose
NESTA Fitness Nutrition Coach, NASM Certified Personal Trainer, LES MILLS BodyPump, RPM, and Core, Spinning Certified, AFAA Group Fitness Instructor
Specialty Areas: Full Body Transformation, Sports Specific Trainings, Training Young Athletes, and Group Exercise
Philosophy: Michelle has over 15 years of fitness experience. She loves inspiring and empowering people of all ages to achieve their optimal health and goals through their fitness and nutrition journey. Michelle has a passion for fitness and aims to educate and coach clients to reach their peak health and wellness.
