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It takes HOW many burpees to burn off a muffin?! Try these easy food swaps

Did you know that a simple bran muffin could set you back almost 700 calories?
/ Source: TODAY

It turns out that the average adult makes 35,000 conscious decisions each day. Thirty-five thousand!? That includes everything from what to wear to how to eat. That’s a lot of brain power being used for some heavy-duty decision making.

With that kind of number, how could we be held responsible for making the occasional wrong decision every once in a while? (Like my clothing choices from the 80’s or some of our questionable food choices from today)!

Speaking of food, we TRY to choose the healthier options when possible. But what happens when the healthier options are actually just the opposite?

Check out the following foods. They seem like the right choice, but look again. It would take you a whole lot of sweat burning to work off those so-called healthy foods.

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Trail mix (300 calories a handful)

That’s a lot of calories for a little handful. To burn off a handful of trail mix, you’d have to do jumping jacks for 30 straight minutes!

We think trail mix is a quick fix for an afternoon pick-me-up or a pre-workout snack, but most mixes are stocked with chocolate pieces, dried fruit, coconut slivers and oily nuts. So instead, opt for a homemade mix of pumpkin seeds, slivered almonds, cashews, unsweetened dried fruit, a handful of dark chocolate pieces.

Granola cereal (600 calories a serving)

We often choose granola as the healthier option over sugared cereals, but as it turns out, it’s often loaded with fat, carbs and even more sugar than those fun boxes we had as kids.

To burn off a bowl of granola cereal in the morning, you’d have to climb stairs for 30 straight minutes! (And you and I both know how taxing a few flights of stairs can be, so imagine 30 minutes worth!) Instead, opt for a smaller portion, or just sprinkle some onto yogurt for added taste and crunch.

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Bran muffin (up to 700 calories)

Yes, bran is great for you. It’s rich in fiber, protein and iron. The problem is, most bran muffins sold today are gargantuan, packing upwards of 700 calories. Add a smear of butter or cream cheese and you’re putting yourself in a dietary hole before the end of morning.

To burn 700 calories, you can either use the elliptical for 62 minutes, shovel snow for 94 minutes, or do 630 burpees. 630 BURPEES! (it was worth repeating).

The takeaway — it takes just a minute eat most of these foods and yet hours to burn them off. Think about ways to make healthy substitutions, reduce portion sizes or skip them altogether. If not… well I guess I’ll see you at the gym!