Let’s start off by setting one thing straight: while thinking about candy in terms of calories and the amount of exercise it takes to burn said amount of calories can certainly help you remain mindful about consuming sugary treats, it doesn’t mean you need to immediately drop down and pump out 20 push-ups every time you eat a piece of chocolate. After all, candy is a treat meant to be enjoyed. When eaten in moderation there’s really no need to stress over calories and how you’ll burn them off.
That said, it can certainly be a challenge to keep candy consumption to a minimum this time of year. It usually ends up that we start snacking on fun size Snickers and mini packets of M&M’s here and there, not realizing that we’ve turned candy-eating into a regular habit. Not to mention, because we’re mostly noshing on “fun-sized” treats, we tend to brush them off as inconsequential. But many have quite a few more calories than we probably realize.
“While costumes and haunted houses are scary and spooky, so are the amount of calories in some of your favorite Halloween candies,” said John Rowley, a certified personal trainer, best-selling author and ISSA Director of Wellness.
But one of the best ways to keep your health and fitness goals on track — right now and all year long —is simply to gain a better understanding of exactly how much you’re eating, and especially when you grab “just a few” fun-size candies or a “small scoop” of candy corn to snack on. When we’re not paying close attention sugar-filled calories can add up quickly.
Below, Rowley helped us outline the amount of calories you’ll find in some of the most common Halloween candies and the amount of exercise you’d need to burn them off — not to make you feel guilty about enjoying your favorite treats, but just to help you maintain a mindfulness about what you’re actually putting in your body.
Let’s start off by setting one thing straight: while thinking about candy in terms of calories and the amount of exercise it takes to burn said amount of calories can certainly help you remain mindful about consuming sugary treats, it doesn’t mean you need to immediately drop down and pump out 20 push-ups every time you eat a piece of chocolate. After all, candy is a treat meant to be enjoyed. When eaten in moderation there’s really no need to stress over calories and how you’ll burn them off.
That said, it can certainly be a challenge to keep candy consumption to a minimum this time of year. It usually ends up that we start snacking on fun size Snickers and mini packets of M&M’s here and there, not realizing that we’ve turned candy-eating into a regular habit. Not to mention, because we’re mostly noshing on “fun-sized” treats, we tend to brush them off as inconsequential. But many have quite a few more calories than we probably realize.
“While costumes and haunted houses are scary and spooky, so are the amount of calories in some of your favorite Halloween candies,” said John Rowley, a certified personal trainer, best-selling author and ISSA Director of Wellness.
But one of the best ways to keep your health and fitness goals on track — right now and all year long —is simply to gain a better understanding of exactly how much you’re eating, and especially when you grab “just a few” fun-size candies or a “small scoop” of candy corn to snack on. When we’re not paying close attention sugar-filled calories can add up quickly.
Below, Rowley helped us outline the amount of calories you’ll find in some of the most common Halloween candies and the amount of exercise you’d need to burn them off — not to make you feel guilty about enjoying your favorite treats, but just to help you maintain a mindfulness about what you’re actually putting in your body.
Serving: 4 mini bars
Calories: 170
Exercises: 6 minutes of jogging, 5 minutes of swimming and 7 minutes of stationary bike (high intensity)
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Serving: 1 full-size bar
Calories: 80
Exercises: 20 squat jumps, 6 minutes of walking and 2 minutes of kettlebell swings
Photo Credit: LunaseeStudios/Shutterstock.com
Serving: 1 regular-sized (1.4 oz.)
Calories: 140
Exercises: 40 mountain climbers, 15 minutes of Pilates and 4 minutes on the elliptical
Photo Credit: mikeledray/Shutterstock.com
Serving: 2 Pieces
Calories: 210
Exercises: 10 minutes vigorous weight-lifting, 12 minutes of yoga and 16 squat jumps
Photo Credit: MAHATHIR MOHD YASIN/Shutterstock.com
Serving: 5 pieces
Calories: 112
Exercises: 10 minutes of standing barbell curls, 3 minutes of running stairs and 2 minutes of kettlebell swings
Photo Credit: digitalreflections/Shutterstock.com
Serving: 2 oz.
Calories: 227
Exercises: 8 minutes of jogging, 6 minutes of boxing and 8 minutes of rowing
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Serving: 1 piece (1/2”)
Calories: 130
Exercises: 7 minutes of high-intensity crunches, 5 minutes of barbell bench press (at comfortable weight), 10 minutes of leg extensions at a moderate pace and weight
Photo Credit: Keith Homan/Shutterstock.com
Serving: 1 (3 pieces)
Calories: 70
Exercises: 5 minutes of bench knee tucks, 5 minutes of barbell wrist curls, 3 minutes of dumbbell shoulder shrugs
Photo Credit: Ajayptp/Shutterstock.com
Serving: 2 scoops (1 oz.)
Calories: 176
Exercises: 7 minutes of deadlifts at max weight, 10 minute of flutter kicks, 10 minutes of high-intensity sit-ups