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Ding-Dong! It’s that time of year when you start to see toxic diet culture rolling out their memes touting "How many squats = a Butterfinger", "This many sit-ups will remove a Snickers from your belly" and articles promoting "The Best Exercises to Work off that Halloween Candy".
Insert GIGANTIC eye roll here.
The reason I find these sorts of memes and articles to be so disappointing is because it projects the idea that exercise is a punishment for what we've eaten. It is not. Exercise is a celebration of what our bodies can do, and a way for us to build strength, speed and preserve our balance and independence as we age. Furthermore, it positions food that has added sugar to be "bad".
Now, added sugar is no sweetheart (pun intended). Added sugar has become an area that folks are starting to pay attention to because it is one of the most controllable contributors of visceral fat. Visceral fat is the "dangerous" fat that lodges itself between our organs, which when in excess, significantly raises the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and cognitive decline.
For what it's worth, the FDA recommends that people limit their daily intake of added sugars to less than 10 percent of total daily calories. That's about 50 grams of added sugar per day on a 2000 calorie diet.
The American Heart Association, however, has specific recommendations for men and women. It is suggested that women intake no more than 25 grams (about 6 teaspoons or 100 calories) of added sugar per day, whereas men are recommended to stick to under 36 grams (about 9 teaspoons or 150 calories) of added sugar per day.
Let's put these numbers into something we can visualize:
A raw, whole apple contains zero added sugar, providing only natural fruit sugars like fructose and glucose. Fruits and other natural sources are packed with nutrients and not added sugars.
Now, if we are to add caramel coating (made from sugar, corn syrup, and sweetened condensed milk) for the delightful seasonal treat, it adds roughly 10 to 22 grams of added sugar. Not a deal breaker, as long as you're mindful of what you are eating the rest of the day.
A serving of 3 mini Butterfinger bars contains 11 grams of added sugar,, which isn't going to max out anyone's added sugar intake, or throw off the diet of someone who regularly consumes healthy foods.
I think the thing that surprises most people is the amount of added sugar in pop. A 12-ounce can of Coca-Cola contains 39 grams of added sugar, which is roughly 10 sugar cubes. Whereas their counterpart Mountain Dew contains 46 grams of added sugar (about 11.5 teaspoons), whereas a can of Sprite contains 38 grams of added sugar (about 9.5 teaspoons). These all fall well above the daily intake recommendations by the AHA.
But as I mentioned earlier, I am not here to demonize soda, candy or any sort of food at all. It is both mentally and physically irresponsible to do so. According to the National Library of Medicine, labeling foods "good" or "bad" can trigger disordered eating patterns, anxiety, and full clinical eating disorders like Orthorexia nervosa.
Treating normal eating choices as moral failures contributes to shame, stress, and low self-esteem. When we take it further and label foods as "forbidden" it increases intense cravings and mental preoccupation, making food the center of daily stress.
When looking at the minimal damage a mini-Butterfinger bar or a caramel apple can do to our diet, it's better to have one, or try some of the Halloween treats you desire, rather than putting yourself into a shame spiral simply for wanting a food that would make most mouths water.
Wait – does this mean this certified Personal Trainer is saying it's OK to eat Halloween candy? Yes. In moderation and in a mindful way, yes. I will agree to that any time of the year.
That's not to say if weight loss is a goal of yours that eating added sugar regularly is going to align with your goals. If you are watching your calories to lose weight, please keep in mind that contrary to popular belief, the result of how much you weigh is not as simple as calories in, calories out.
A person’s ability to lose weight is determined by a complex combination of genetic, metabolic, behavioral, and environmental factors rather than just calories and willpower. DNA, hormones, lifestyle, food sources and activity levels are only scratching the surface of what determines our body composition.
With that being said, you may not have the same results as anyone who eats the same diet and does the same workouts you do. You are an individual! If you are able to use the guidance of a certified Nutritionist or registered Dietician, they can help you navigate through a plan that will work best for you and your body so you're eating what you need, not restricting yourself into misery and finding the balance that helps you achieve a peaceful relationship with food.
Being mindful is always going to be the best in our approach to what we eat, but there is an area where we can restrict to our benefit mentally; don't hesitate to cut back on the amount of the toxic diet culture nonsense you are taking in on social media. It's everywhere, and it's ok to unsubscribe, unfollow and shut out that noise. Ninety-nine percent of the time those are accounts who are not only manufacturing the problem but also trying to sell a quick, easy and ineffective "solution". And that is a trick, definitely not a treat.