Two Plus Two
Theres a certain truism that happens when you begin a workout program at a gym. I am only in day three of my membership, and my second visit, but already I am feeling the effects. Not just the decreased level of stress and overall feeling after a workout, but there is one thing that you are faced with as you stare down at the electronic dashboard in front of you - the calories burned counter.
Oh sure, you can switch it off, or make it count something else, but as you watch TV, listen to your iPod, or daydream while walking or biking, you have to occasionally glance down at that calories burned counter. And there lies the key.
As you wipe the sweat from your forehead with your sleeve, you look down and see the little counter has only advanced 2.4 calories since the last time you looked. Ok, so I’ll keep going. A few minutes later, 4.7.  It is that damn calorie counter that all of a sudden provides the key to weight loss - knowing what something “costs” you.
One can of Mt. Dew (regular) = 140 calories. 1.5 miles of walking at a 4 MPH pace.
Bam.
Big Mac … ok, I don’t even want to think about it. Someplace on the Internets said you would have to walk 10 miles to work off a Big Mac alone, let alone fries and drink.
Suddenly, everything you eat is a number. And some people think that is bad, but me… it really puts things into perspective. Where once it was “can I monetarily afford it?” - now it is “How much will I have to walk to burn this off?”
Granted, you have a base metabolism that burns 2000-3000 calories by itself depending on your level of activity during the day. So if you ONLY have a big Mac, that is probably going to satisfy your “calorie count” for the day… but if you eat 3 meals (and have snacks like everybody suggests) then you really do need to be careful. Eating out for lunch at KFC is not on anybody’s weight loss plan.
So yes, in only my 2nd trip to the gym, I am beginning to fully appreciate what it takes to burn calories. That little number on the treadmill is way too slow. Time to slow down what goes in as well.
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