How many steps must you walk to burn off chocolate Easter eggs?

Have you been eating chocolate eggs and wondering what sacrifice it will take to "burn off" the calories? Dust off your sneakers as forgiveness of such (dietary) sins comes through walking the equivalent of... a five-digit number of steps!

The store shelves have been flooded with the usual Easter temptations, especially chocolate eggs and bunnies that children love and grown-ups... crave.

If you don't care about the calories in the Easter chocolate egg, you can eat it without fear. If you're still going to be tormented by regret and wonder how you're going to get rid of the calories, then make sure you have a pair of good walking shoes along with the treat.

To burn the 1,780 calories of the chocolate egg, you will have to walk about 24 kilometres or six hours. The distance is approximately 31,500 steps, but you can cover it by running for three hours if you prefer more intensity.

According to Amanda Daley, a professor of behavioural medicine at Loughborough University, the calories correspond almost to the total daily amount allowed for women.

However, a large chocolate rabbit, which contains approximately 1,080 calories, requires less effort. To burn it, you will need to walk for three hours and 40 minutes.

Finally, if you think it's a sin to go for mini chocolate eggs, think how quickly a bag of them can disappear. Figure that to get rid of the 400 or so calories in the pack, you'll need to run for 40 minutes or walk just over 80 minutes.

The above estimates were based on a median body weight of about 80 kg, so times change depending on your weight.

According to Dr. Daley, people should enjoy the holidays with a little prudence and effort. Her advice is to go for a walk during the holidays, keep track of the Easter foods consumed daily, and definitely not consume more than one chocolate egg!

"Perhaps an Easter bouquet instead of an extra egg would be a better option," she concluded.

Professor Daley said: "It's not the hot cross buns we have to worry about burning off so much, but the chocolate... so maybe some Easter flowers instead of an extra egg might be a better alternative."

She added: "It's holiday time and people need to enjoy themselves, particularly if they've been off chocolate for Lent, but having just one Easter egg might be a good idea, and is more than enough over the bank holiday weekend."

Professor Daley also suggests getting rid of leftover chocolate by Tuesday to avoid unnecessary temptation after the holiday is over.

Mario Economou is a columnist for Ygeia Mou. Translated by Paul Antonopoulos.

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