Food is a LOT more than just calories

 

We’re going to talk about something we saw pop up on our social media feed the other day.

 

It’s something that we first saw a few years ago … you’ve probably seen it too.

 

And we’re not going to lie, we skimmed through it because it’s interesting … but it also can give you a really limited view of the relationship between food and exercise.

 

OK … so we’re talking about one of those charts that outline the “burpee equivalents” for different foods.

 

Do you know what we’re talking about?

 

• A cookie = 141 burpees
• Small meatball sub = 402 burpees
• Big Mac = 506 burpees

 

We’ve also seen charts for how many miles it takes to walk or run off different foods:

 

For example, it takes:

 

• 1 hour and 23 minutes to walk off ¼ of a large pizza … or 42 minutes of running at 5 mph.
• And it takes 48 minutes of walking to burn off a blueberry muffin … or 25 minutes of running.

 

On one hand, this is interesting, because it makes you realize just how much of an impact what you eat can have on your body weight-wise … even though the numbers themselves are pretty meaningless…

 

Because there are a LOT of things that affect how many calories a person burns, from their:

• sex to
• their size to
• their age,
• and more.

 

But on the other hand, this approach overlooks something very important: the actual NUTRITION that different foods give your body.

 

Food is so much more than just calories and how much it takes to “burn it off.”

 

The food you eat is packed with vitamins, minerals, and other compounds that help

• 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 also can be filled with

• unhealthy fats,
• added sugars,
• excess sodium, and
• refined grains

 

that make it harder for your body to function at its best.

 

The idea is to eat MORE of the foods that add value to your body … things like

• veggies,
• fruits,
• lean proteins,
• whole grains, and
• healthy fats…

 

And also to eat LESS of those that don’t contribute to your health & wellbeing (like added sugars and ultra-processed foods).

 

Just something to keep in mind – because it’s not always about the calories.

 

So while those “burpee charts” are interesting, it’s good to keep in mind that it’s only a tiny part of the story!

 

 If you are looking for a proven way to learn how to eat real food to reach your goals, our From Stressed to Best Boot Camp may be able to help!

 

We have a step-by-step program designed to help you get in the best shape of your life so you can conquer stress and perform at your highest level. You can learn more here by CLICKING HERE.

 

REFERENCE:

www.rsph.org.uk/static/uploaded/26deda5b-b3b7-4b15-a11bea931dabf041.pdf