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McGraw's Laws #4: You can't outrun the fork

Many people have asked themselves, between diet and exercise, what's most important. I think we all know the answer here, it's diet. I've checked this out with many, many fit people and while the percentages vary most people say it's about 70% diet and 30% exercise.

This is a good exercise to do in real life or at least to imagine right now. Picture a mini-snickers. I mean the really, really small one that is bite-sized and about the size of your thumb from the knuckle to the tip. That puppy has 45 calories. Take one (and only one Snickers) to the gym and get on some equipment that measures calories (or if you like use a fitness watch that measures calories). Now pop that little snickers in your mouth, chew it up and enjoy it. Yum! That took about 15 seconds. Now get to work exercising and don't stop until you hit 45 calories. You'll really appreciate what 45 calories take to burn off. Just a few examples for me a 183 lb male:

5 minutes running
4 minutes on an assault bike (that's the kind with the fan and you use your arms back and forth too)
5 minutes of swimming

All for a tiny candy bar. Now, don't get me wrong. Enjoy what you want, BUT know the equivalent in exercise BEFORE you chow down.

Get it in your head...this cake is the equivalent of 60 minutes of working out! A Big Mac at 550 calories is the same as 50 minutes of running - no fries! Let's be honest, who gets the burger without the fries!

I'm not saying don't ever eat it...but we can get conscious of the exercise equivalent before we eat. The fact is, we can't outrun the fork.

Here's the tool: Run the math BEFORE you eat and ask, "Is it worth it?" Really ask the question! Don't let your reptile brain just eat...use your logical brain and really think it through. Run the math!


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