More effective than calorie count postings at restaurants (PIC)

[JEDI]

http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/16/health/understanding-calorie-info/index.html?hpt=hp_c3

Researchers say that showing people how much activity they'd have to do to burn off certain foods may change their behavior more than showing them the number of calories in each item.

another example:
number of minutes someone would have to run or the number of miles they would have to walk to burn off 250 calories in bottle of soda


when nyc forced big chain restaurants to post calorie count, I didn't think it would work.
people will just eat it anyway.

now the trick is how to incorporate the 'activity needed' wording into the pic on the menu.

and I think minutes to run is the best 'warning.' people can relate to it.
not many can relate to jumping rope.

 

[vi edit]

I've been saying that for years. Snickers bar or 30 minutes on a treadmill. You pick.

It's so much easier to simply not consume the calories than it is to burn them off. Weight loss starts with your mouth, not your legs.

 

[moonbogg]

I agree that it is shocking to see how far you need to run to burn off a few cookies, but if you do it regularly the benefits seem to take over somehow so long as you don't pig out like crazy.
Also, If you show people that they need to run 15 miles just to burn off their dinner at Denny's, people will be morally defeated and will totally give up hope. They won't even try. Who the hell wants to run 15 miles? A few people do, and none of them have weight issues.

 

[manimal]

I've been saying that for years. Snickers bar or 30 minutes on a treadmill. You pick.

It's so much easier to simply not consume the calories than it is to burn them off. Weight loss starts with your mouth, not your legs.

pretty much. Lat night after a late consult I had Jack in the Box at midnight. Felt like SHIT in the morning and had to spend an hour on the treadmill to feel human. Its like my body said FUCK YOU YOU MUST SWEAT

 

[Kaido]

Neat idea, but remember all the crazy commercials they posted for getting people to quit smoking? People just kept smoking anyway. The desire to overcome addiction has to start internally. It's like a motivational poster..."if all it takes to motivate you is a pretty picture"...

 

[moonbogg]

pretty much. Lat night after a late consult I had Jack in the Box at midnight. Felt like SHIT in the morning and had to spend an hour on the treadmill to feel human. Its like my body said FUCK YOU YOU MUST SWEAT

An hour on a tread mill? Damn I can't do it. If I am using my legs to move me, I need to be going somewhere. Also, if your legs carry you somewhere and you want to give up, you are forced to use them to carry you home. Its a safety mechanism to fight fatness. Focus on getting to the half way point, the rest will happen on its own unless you call a fucking taxi.

 

[Kaido]

I've been saying that for years. Snickers bar AND 30 minutes on a treadmill. You pick.

ftfy :awe:

 

[vi edit]

ftfy :awe:

Heh. I've actually drank a beer, and worked out on an exercise bike while watching football.

 

[highland145]

The 1st 2K are freebies so stop there.

 

[Mermaidman]

I get the point, but do these things account for baseline metabolism?

 

[Rakehellion]

I like that the calories are posted in plain view so I know I'm getting the most meal for my buck. I just mentally calculate the highest calories-per-dollar (CPD) and I'm all set.

Same as when TV ratings were introduced. No need to sit through a boring episode of Game of Thrones to know there will be a tit shot.

 

[vi edit]

I get the point, but do these things account for baseline metabolism?

Does it really need to? It's a guide and nothing more. For years people have had caloric content thrown in their face but very few people actually have any idea how hard it is to really burn calories.

It's great that people exercise and that should always be encouraged, but it's so easy to "undo" that exercise (from a caloric standpoint) by having a bottle of Coke or a candy bar or a bag of chips from a vending machine.

 

[Kaido]

Heh. I've actually drank a beer, and worked out on an exercise bike while watching football.

'Merica

 

[darkewaffle]

I think it's a good approach. Burning calories takes more time and effort than one might realize.

 

[Phoenix86]

I've been saying that for years. Snickers bar or 30 minutes on a treadmill. You pick.

Why would you pick one or the other? :hmm:

 

[brianmanahan]

Junk foods are fine as long as they don't make you go over your calories for the day. It takes just as long to burn a 100 calorie apple as it does a 100 calorie candy bar.

 

[slayer202]

I get the point, but do these things account for baseline metabolism?

this is what I was going to say....

what would happen if you exercised enough to cancel out all the calories you eat?

 

[Exterous]

Great now I want pizza instead of the burger I'm going to have for lunch.

Maybe I'll stop by Costco so I can have both...

 

[Rakehellion]

I get the point, but do these things account for baseline metabolism?

Exactly. You burn thousands of calories simply by existing.

 

[blackdogdeek]

Great now I want pizza instead of the burger I'm going to have for lunch.

Maybe I'll stop by Costco so I can have both...

Pizza Burger, BOOM! What's next?

 

[Kaido]

Does it really need to? It's a guide and nothing more. For years people have had caloric content thrown in their face but very few people actually have any idea how hard it is to really burn calories.

It's great that people exercise and that should always be encouraged, but it's so easy to "undo" that exercise (from a caloric standpoint) by having a bottle of Coke or a candy bar or a bag of chips from a vending machine.

And a lot of it has to do with what you eat. I can eat all the food I want as long as it fits in my nutritional profile. When I switched to my "bodybuilding diet" (6 small meals), the only rules were that my meals needed to include lean meats, good carbs, and good fats, as opposed to fatty meats, bad carbs, and bad fats. I eat every meal until I'm full & never feel deprived or hungry. Plus all of my food is super-tasty because I've learned how to cook...chicken, fish, turkey, lean beef, lean steak, as well as veggies like baked fries, grilled sweet potatoes, roasted butternut squash, steamed baby carrots, etc. I eat far better now, flavor-wise, than I did in college when I was eating anything I wanted.

I lost over 50 pounds mainly by changing my diet, with a little bit of exercise every day. I am still not a highly active person by any means, but I stay decently lean by choosing the higher-value foods in my diet (chicken instead of pork, for example). The key is making a lifestyle change, not just adding a salad once a week into your meal plan. You can still eat junk food (some coin it a "cheat meal"), but it's like the 80/20 rule...if you're eating good most of the time, then the extra goodies aren't going to ruin you. I still eat bacon, ice cream, and loads of other junk, but since the majority of my diet is "clean food", it's fine.

I think that's why stuff like gee-whiz motivational posters don't work...the only way to make a serious change is to get serious about it. Unfortunately most people associate that with food deprivation or excessive amounts of exercise, which of course isn't the case - but you have to be willing to learn what's up with food, do the cooking (or buy good food or hire a personal chef), do the shopping, etc. That's why I think those new programs like Blue Apron where they deliver the food with cooking instructions straight to your door is a great idea...it lowers the barriers to eating better food for your body.

 

[Kaido]

Exactly. You burn thousands of calories simply by existing.

That's the most emo thing I've read all day

 

[Kaido]

Why would you pick one or the other? :hmm:

Given that choice I believe I would choose the Snickers bar :awe:

 

[Markbnj]

Exactly. You burn thousands of calories simply by existing.

Right, it's bullshit. She'd have to spend that time to burn off those calories if those calories were added to the baseline she already burned through normal activity in a given time period, and if she really cared about the amount of weight those additional calories would convert to. Unless she is exceeding her needs by the same amount every day as a matter of habit this is completely meaningless. It's the sort of pseudo-scientific pablum modern media consumers lap up, though.

 

[Phoenix86]

Given that choice I believe I would choose the Snickers bar :awe:

Now that I think about it more, it's closer to the real decision people make.

Fuck it, snickers it is.