Hot Topic: How much does exercise offset those holiday meals?

You're with friends and family that you haven't seen in some time. Frequently, the focal point of the gathering is the meal. Well, what does the meal add up to in calories and how much exercise do you have to do to burn those calories? Here's some food for thought, caloric potential 0.00 Calories.

ITEM	AMOUNT	CALORIES
red wine	3.5 ounces	75
white wine	3.5 ounces	80
regular beer	12 ounces	160
light beer	12 ounces	95
80 proof alcohol	1.5 ounces	95
90 proof alcohol	1.5 ounces	110
egg nog	8 ounces	340
cola	12 ounces	160
fruit soda	12 ounces	150 -180
fruit punch	6 ounces	85
whole milk	8 ounces	150
2% milk	8 ounces	120
skim milk	8 ounces	85
canned cranberry sauce	1 cup	420
bread stuffing	1 cup	420
black eyed peas	1 cup	190
string beans	1 cup	45
brussels sprouts	1 cup	60
red cabbage	1 cup	20
carrots	1 cup	35
corn	1 cup	135
peas	1 cup	125
mashed potatoes milk and marg.	1 cup	225
sweet potatoes baked canned	1 potato 1 cup	115 260
white meat turkey	3 ounces, (2 slices, 1/4")	135
dark meat turkey	3 ounces	160
roast beef	3 ounces,(1/4" thick)	315
gravy	1 cup	190
cheese cake	1 slice	280
apple pie	1 slice (1/6 9" pie)	405
pumpkin pie	1 slice	320
choc. chip cookies	4 21/2" diameter	180
sugar cookies	4	235
oatmeal cookies	4	245
shortbread cookies	4	155

Now if you add up that holiday meal, along with the drinks, and deserts - and this doesn't even include those caloric depositories called appetizers - a realistic intake is over 2000 calories at a single sitting. That's right, 2000 calories. When we calculated this we considered 2 beers, 1 glass of wine, 1 piece of apple pie and no cookies in our total!!

If you are a 150 pound person feeling a little guilty about all that, you might consider taking a walk. If you walk 3 miles in 45 minutes (not too shabby, and you've waited at least one hour since eating) you will have burned off less than 1 sixth of that meal - 300 calories. That's the bad news.

Here are some other equivalents for exercise for a 150 pound person in better than average condition. (These are approximations and will vary from one individual to another, but you'll get the point)

EXERCISE TYPE	TIME	CALORIES
walk, 15 minutes/mile	30 minutes	200
golf, walking	270 minutes	600
jogging 10 minutes/mile	30 minutes	330
skiing alpine x-country	120 minutes 60 minutes	600 420
tennis, singles	60 minutes	420
basketball	60 minutes	540
rowing	30 minutes	350
stationary cycling	45 minutes	450
weight lifting	60 minutes	350
stair climber	30 minutes	300
chopping wood	45 minutes	333
raking leaves	120 minutes	400
snow shoveling	30 minutes	350

Conclusions

Excess intake of calories around the holidays is only partially offset by exercise. The levels of caloric expenditure above are for a relatively fit individual, and it is unlikely that someone who does little physical activity will be able to attain these expenditures. The best plan is to exercise restraint in eating and drinking. It will take as much exercise exercise as one individual can normally do in one week to work off one average holiday meal.