Some thoughts and discussions from me.
Burning Off the Cookies
Good morning, my friends! I hope you’re having a lovely week so far.
Mine’s been filled with writing assignments, online clients, in-person clients, and teaching – with a side of volleyball and housework. We are finally getting window treatments in our home today, and I’m very much excited not to have to dart around like a ninja after each shower, haha! Unfortunately, it’s been raining here in Colorado this week, so mountain adventures have been nil. This weekend though, it’s on.
So today’s topic is one that I actually touched on in Monday’s post on a whim – burning off food calories with exercise.
[Tweet “Burning off the Cookies – via @TrainerPaige”]
We’ve all been there…
WHY did I eat that whole bowl of ice cream? Ugh, I’m fat. I’ll just run a couple extra miles tomorrow.
or
I can have three more oreos if I make it to tomorrow morning’s spin class!
We’ve also all seen the graphics meant to be a friendly reminder to us to make us have second thoughts before we eat that cookie/large fry/cheeseburger/etc.
Eeeeek. I was hesitant even posting that graphic on my site, because I am so vehemently against that way of thinking. Why?
Why should we not equate food calories to exercise?
Because it equate exercise with punishment. Punishment and scare tactics for eating that pie. If you eat that slice of pie, 10,000 burpees are in your future! Think twice about that!
No. Just no.
This just further enhances the chances of exercise leading to burn out. To making those who don’t really like exercise in the first place stop doing it or become even more of an all-or-nothing aspect in their lives.
I’m much more in favor for equating exercise – whether it’s cardio or strength training – with bettering your health, your ability, your physique, and your strength, and NOT with punishment for indulgences.
Listen, I get where they’re coming from. It’s not that the aim is to induce unhealthy relationships with food, calories, and exercise. It’s to get you to think twice about how much you’re actually eating, and how much you actually burn off with exercise. Because in general, people think they burn more than they actually do during our workouts. In reality, 30 minutes of cardio burns between 200-300 calories, which hardly puts a dent in that slice of double oreo cheesecake.
(hey, that picture is from this video!)
I’m not saying that to bum you out. I’m saying it because including the proper conditioning and strength workouts in our routines in a consistent and progressive matter will make us stronger, fitter, and yes – increase our metabolism over time – so that you should be able to enjoy a treat every now and then.
And if you really want that cookie, and want to “make up for it,” I’m all for that – in moderation.In fact, I applaud you for not thinking “welp, I blew it! Better have another one!”
I’m completely team “indulge every now and then without consequences or feeling bad,” but there are also times when we can fit it in our daily plan. For those times, instead of having that mentality – and instead of thinking about ways of “burning off the cookies,” think about how you can fit it into your daily meals that day. Maybe you pass on the mayo and eat your sandwich open-faced at dinner.
OK – I digress. Now I’m getting off on another tangent 😛 We’ll just end it here, and open it up to what you guys think. I’d love to hear your opinion and input! Please let me know in the comments below.
[Tweet “Burning off the Cookies – via @TrainerPaige #fitfluential”]
What are your thoughts on the “burning off” calories with exercise mentality?
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amen sister friend! I wrote a similar post a while back – exercise is never punishment! It’s a privilege!
Lindsay @ Lindsay’s List recently posted…healthy road trip snacks (featuring eggland’s best)
I agree with you. The minute I make workouts about needing to “fix” what I ate, all the fun gets sucked out of them.
Fiona @ Get Fit Fiona recently posted…Calgary International Beer Fest 2015
I always cringe when I see those “this many ___, burns this many calories”! Ugh!
When I workout regularly it actually makes me want to eat healthier. I crave healthy foods and processed foods just don’t sound appetizing, but when I do indulge I do feel better about it if I have a tough workout the next day!
Completely agree!!! Pass the cookies haha
I totally agree with you on this, though I have to admit I sometimes am guilty of trying to beat my poor eating habits with exercise because I enjoy exercising more than I enjoy not having the wine or cheesy food I want. I’ve really been trying to focus on improving that lately.
Kacy recently posted…Getting to Brazilian Wine Country
I am definitely all about focusing on NOT living in black and white terms, and this definitely includes the exercise/food exchange mindset. I agree that associating food “slip-ups” with extra exercise creates a punishment/shame cycle and agree that there are healthier ways to balance it all out. It’s good to talk about these things, because with social media those types of “fitspo” memes and gifs are all over the place, and they totally send (and advocate) the wrong message! Great post! 🙂
Erin@BeetsPerMinute recently posted…Literally Beets Per Minute #WIAW
Love this post. Hate perpetuating the idea of exercise as punishment.
I plan for indulgences; as in, checking the dessert menu at a restaurant before I decide whether to order a glass of wine. If there’s something yummy and chocolate, dessert it is! If not, I’ll drink those extra calories instead.
Tamara recently posted…6 tips to build your confidence in the gym
LOVE THIS!!!! Love your information and philosophy on fitness and health! I teach PE in high school and one of my classes is an all girls fitness class – the “if you eat…. then you do…” mentality is how they think because society has allowed this perception of health. It is so frustrating and heart breaking that this is how our younger females are being taught to look at food and exercise.
I cannot stand those stupid charts telling you how much you need to burn for whatever you eat…It drives me NUTS. We are allowed to indulge. we are allowed to feel full and bloated, and we are allowed to eat crap if we want…just not everyday. HAHA! Life is too short to not enjoy the good and sometimes bad food and we shouldn’t feel like we have to punish ourselves for doing it. Great post friend!
She Rocks Fitness recently posted…Post Workout Silk Smoothie