When you’re working toward weight loss, every calorie counts. Keeping a food journal is an excellent first step if your goal is to shed excess weight. But, tracking calories is only part of the equation. You can balance your daily calories through exercise and other physical activity. Considering that balance can be very helpful for getting into mindful eating habits. When you eat a donut or an extra slice of pizza, how much exercise will you need later? Of course it depends upon the food and the intensity of the exercise. This calculation is made simpler by nutrition websites that translate calorie info into approximate exercise duration. Here, Dr. Christine Ren-Fielding shows how much exercise it might take to burn off your favorite foods.

Calories and Exercise Duration for Weight Loss

So, how much exercise does it take to burn off your favorite foods? Please note that all these estimates are for a 35 year old female who weighs 144 pounds. Still, this will give you a good ballpark figure.

Donuts

Planning to indulge on a donut? Even a simple glazed donut will require 50 minutes of walking on the treadmill to burn off the extra 190 calories. Be prepared to increase that if you choose a donut with filling or a topping. It’s best just to let these sit on the table in the office lounge for someone else.

Fancy Coffee

For some, a latte is a part of the morning routine. Eliminating this helps immensely with weight loss because these and other fancy coffees have so many calories. Without whipped cream or additional sweetened flavorings, a large latte has 275 calories. This will require either a 32 minute jog or a 76 minute walk to burn off.

French Fries

It’s hard to resist a full order of fries if you’re already out for a burger. A lot of people continue to munch on them long after they’re full, too. But, a large order of fries can be upwards of 500 calories. This alone is the recommended daily caloric deficit for weight loss, so this is not a wise snack. To burn off an order of large fries takes more than two hours of walking!

Weight Loss with Dr. Christine Ren-Fielding

When you’re ready to begin your weight loss journey, please contact the NYU Langone Weight Loss Management Program. We offer guidance on nutrition and exercise and provide emotional support. Our medical teams also include some of the foremost experts in bariatric surgery including Dr. Christine Ren-Fielding. To schedule an evaluation, please contact our offices by calling 212-263-3166 or emailing weightloss@nyumc.org.