EASTER HAS COME and gone and hopefully the Bunny delivered. Chocolate eggs, hot cross buns and family feasts have no doubt tested the limits of your stomach, in all likelihood exceeding its capacity. Of course, it felt good on the day – a delicious Easter lunch always does – but it all adds up.
Research suggests Australians will find themselves at their heaviest during the Easter months. The ‘egg-citing season’ typically sees Aussies consume an extra 500 calories daily, equating to about 0.5kg of weight gain after four days. On Easter Sunday alone, the average person takes in a mammoth 5,000 calories, a stark increase from the usual daily intake of 2,000-3,000.
But hold on, did we really eat that much more over Easter? To the health-conscious eye or calorie-counting soul, that number must seem stratospheric. But with a ‘healthy’ helping of chocolate eggs, hot cross buns, and endless sweet treats to pick at, it’s not difficult to see where the surplus calories came from.
Let’s face it: if you gained a few extra kilos over the long Easter weekend, it was almost inevitable. It happens when you let your hair down over the break and clean eating and staying active take a back seat to relaxation and fun. Although challenging, the good news is that getting your beach bod back after choccy season is achievable – but you’ve got to work for it.
We’ve rounded up the best forms of exercise to help you burn off that unwanted Easter weight. Remember that results will vary based on age, weight and pre-existing fitness levels. These activities should also be performed in tandem with a healthy diet. Now get cracking!
Running for 45 minutes
As the sun turns its dial down, outdoor activities become increasingly popular. Hop on a treadmill or hit your local park. At a brisk pace of 9.7km/h, you’ll burn off 500 calories in about 45 minutes.
Walking for 90 minutes
If you prefer a more leisurely approach to fitness, try walking those calories off. A relaxed 5.6km/h pace for 90 minutes will do the trick. That is a lengthy walk, though, so try heading off road or setting out on an incline, which will decrease the time to about 60 minutes.
High-intensity interval training
High-intensity interval training sessions are perfect for busy schedules. Getting back to work, these sessions are usually done and dusted in 30 to 45 minutes. There are no excuses, you can make it in and out of the gym in under an hour. Mixing intense movement and incorporating cardio machines and weights, these workout sessions are a real calorie blast.
Rowing for 45 minutes
Rowing is an efficient way to burn through those sugary treats, with a 45-minute high-intensity session burning 500 calories on a machine or on a lake. Even a short 5 to 10-minute effort on a rowing machine during a regular workout spikes your calorie count.
Boxing for 45 minutes
Get those gloves on. Boxing is a powerhouse when it comes to burning calories. Moderate to high-intensity boxing for 45 minutes is all you need, and it’s also a terrific way to relieve stress and anxiety.
Social exercise
Getting back into the swing of things from the get-go can sometimes be challenging, especially after a long weekend with friends and family. However, shooting hoops, which roughly burns around 300 calories in 30 minutes, is a more than acceptable social way to break a sweat and eliminate the cobwebs.
Fancy playing a round? Golf can be a more lengthy recreational exercise, but one that burns calories almost effortlessly. Playing nine holes of golf takes roughly 2 to 2.5 hours to complete, and players can expect to burn between 600 to 1500 calories depending on their weight, their bag weight and the course terrain.
Getting outside and being active, whether socially or competitively, is a perfect way to get back into the swing of things, and may appear more appealing for the average bloke after a weekend of mass consumption.
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