After finishing my workout at a neighborhood gym, I frequently treated myself to iced tea at a nearby coffee shop. A couple of my classmates almost always beat me there, and by the time I arrived they would be settled in with their pastries and soft drinks.
When
I stopped by their table to chat one day, they told me that this was
their reward for an hour of exercise. I've made this mistake as well.
That is, I've allowed myself some extra treats because, as I tell
myself in the moment, I exercised especially hard earlier in the day.
Exercise is wonderful for our bodies in many ways. But
the truth is that even an hour of doubles' tennis doesn't burn that
many calories, and if I indulge in treats, I'll sabotage my weight
loss efforts.
Although it isn’t an exact science, the Mayo Clinic has fairly good estimates, and you may be surprised at how much exercise it takes to burn off even one donut. For example, given my weight and walking speed, I’d need to walk at least an hour to burn off a plain donut. A sugared-donut would be even more!
I'm sharing this fitness tip so you won't make this common mistake.
Photo courtesy of Rodrigo Roveri
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