This Gina Kolata/NY Times article (previous posts here) explains how many people continue to misconstrue exercise as a primary means of weight-control by overestimating the number of calories they expend during exercise. A well-structured exercise program can assist in controlling a person’s weight over the long term, but it really doesn’t have much effect on weight over the short term.
On the other hand, my anecdotal experience is that many of the same folks who overestimate the amount of calories that they expend during exercise dramatically underestimate the amount of calories that they are consuming, particularly in regard to restaurant food.
I’m convinced that the combination of these misunderstandings — along with not having a clear understanding of the difference between exercise and recreation — has much to do with the obesity syndrome that many Americans battle throughout their lives.
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As a society, we prefer to stay ignorant about the nutritional information and calories in restaurant food. It wouldn’t be terribly difficult to put that information on menus, but the restaurant industry would prefer to keep up fat, happy and unaware of what we are consuming.
There have been studies that show that even registered dieticians tend to underestimate the number of calories in restaurant food portions. The rest of society doesn’t have much of a chance.
Stephanie, you are correct, although with resources such as this, it’s becoming much easier to determine the true caloric value of even restaurant meals.
You make some good points. Restaurants typically provide large portions making consumers believe that are getting good value for the food. I can have three meals (at least) from one entree-lunch at work for the next couple of days. Unfortunately too many people feel compelled to eat all or almost all of the food. As a registered dietitian I could estimate calories to a point but why try? If it looks like too much food it is. We are losing our sense about what is too much-and the foods are already high calorie anyway. I tell people to eat 1/4 or 1/2 and leave the rest or take it home. A novel concept in many peoples’ minds. Or cook at home more often-another novel concept. And get regular exercise-one time a week strolling around Memorial Park doesn’t cut it.
Ann, thanks for the comment. The wisdom of your advice is backed up by the caloric information on the website that I linked in my previous comment. The total calories of most entrees are at least twice — and often 3 to 4 times — the optimum amount of calories (i.e., 400-500) for one meal!
The rest of society doesn’t have much of a chance.
We live in an incredibly rich information age.
Now, whether people choose to seek out this information is entirely a different matter.
But “Big Restaurant” is not exactly rendering society as helpless as is implied.