Us health-fanatics look up and asks “Is this some kind of a joke?”

Ok, lame attempt at humor, I admit, but the other day one of my Facebook Friends posed a question that got me thinking. It was a simple question, along the lines if I eat this, how long will it take me to burn it off? And that got my head turning… do we really think before we order our food?

Tuesday’s Fun Food Trivia Question, I asked out of those 3 listed above, arrange the food items from least calorically dense to most. The answer? The donut is, on average, the least calorically dense, coming in at (around) 230 at most chain stores. Next is the bagel, coming in at about 300 calories. And the winner in the heavy weight division? The all-mighty muffin, coming in at an average of 500 calories!!!

I know, I know- shocking, right? You try to get something proclaimed “healthy” and it ends up biting you in the butt.

What’s the lesson in all of this? Well, there’s two- Number one? CHECK YOUR FOOD BEFORE YOU EAT IT!!! Most of us just blindly eat, going with what the media tells us is “healthy”. Here’s the truth folks- the media, and advertising, are out there for one reason- to make more money. If they can sell you, the public, on a health item and make you pay more for it, they will. DON’T fall for it! The remedy? FDA requires food labels on EVERYTHING- READ THEM! Honestly, if one item alone is more than 200-300 calories, probably not worth your while to eat. And, if it’s not in a package, research your food. Most restaurants have nutritional facts on their websites now. And, if they don’t, you can usually find a restaurant comparable to look off of. And the second? Save yourself the hassle, and just eat a clean, well balanced diet. Ya, the donut may have the least amount of calories, but that doesn’t mean it’s nutritionally sound. I can think of a way better breakfast that is 230 calories, is more fulfilling, and gives me more of the nutrition that I need (oatmeal and egg white omelet with some fruit, I’m looking at you). Be smart in your food calorie choices, readers. You only get so many a day- make the most of them, and they’ll do the most for you.

Happi Tuesday!

Happi Living,

- Petra