On the news the other day, reporters referred to a study published in Obesity Science and Practice. They found that fast food and junk food aren’t the reasons why more than 40% of adults in this country are overweight or obese. Naturally these foods are for the most part unhealthy for the body, especially since they pack an enormous caloric punch, the study finds the main reason for weight gain comes down to overeating.
In other words, taking in too many calories than the body needs to function effectively. When this happens, the excess calories are packed away onto the body in the form of fat. If you overeat on a regular basis, which many people do, the only alternative that will happen is the number on the scale will increase bit by bit, week by week.
Study Shows Fast Food Is NOT The Reason For Obesity!
Does that mean that it’s fine to eat junk food like chips, soda, and juice, along with large orders of french fries and burgers from the local fast food restaurant? Again the most important thing to keep in mind is the number of calories consumed at one sitting.
Say for instance your daily target to maintain your current body weight is 1,700 calories. In other words that means from the moment you wake up until you go to sleep, 1,700 calories is all you should be putting into the body.
Now fast forward to lunchtime and you decide to stop at the local hamburger spot you decide to order your favourite meal which happens to be a double western bacon cheeseburger combo with large french fries and a fizzy pop. This one meal totals a whopping 1,790 calories!
Even if you weren’t going to eat one other thing for the entire day, you’ve already gone over your daily calorie allowance. That’s not to mention if you refilled your Pop, ordered a dessert, or any other types of additional items that tempted you when placing your order.
Back to the business at hand. Since total calories are of most importance, this should be what you focus on whatever you decide on eating. That double bacon western combo really shouldn’t be chosen, especially since you found out exactly how enormous the calorie count is. However if you cut that meal exactly in half, you’ll end up with 895 calories which is much more manageable and still leaves you with 705 calories for the rest of the day.
Yes it will be difficult to eat half a fast food combo meal unless you have someone right there to split it with you. But again, the choices you make come down to your shoulders. Instead of putting yourself in that tempting position, especially when you are hungry, don’t go to places where you will be forced to decide between what you may have been used to eating, or something more healthy.
By doing this you will make this issue much more conducive to weight loss, or at least weight management, and get a better handle on healthy nutrition instead of having to deal with the reason for obesity.
An excellent post, thank you!