How to Burn Off Calories from Chinese New Year Food
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Body and Fitness

How to Burn Off Calories from Chinese New Year Food

7 Mins read
cigna-teamAuthorCigna Team

So you’re determined to stuff your face this Chinese New Year and worry about the extra kilos later. Good for you! After all, how do you celebrate Chinese New Year without downing some high-calorie festive treats like radish cake, crispy triangles and sticky rice cake?

While you’re not about to let anything hold you back, it wouldn’t hurt to know what it will take to shed the extra festive kilos later, would it?

Female (aged between 18 and 50 with medium physical activity level): 2,300 kcal
Male (aged between 18 and 50 with medium physical activity level): 2,700 kcal

Sticky rice cake (pan-fried): 160 kcal/100 grams
Work it off with: 30-minute aerobics

Radish cake (pan-fried): 130 kcal/100 grams
Work it off with: 30-minute BMX or mountain-bicycling

chinese-new-year-carrot-cake-cigna-smart-health

Taro cake (pan-fried): 160 kcal/100 grams
Work it off with: 30 minutes of ballroom or disco dancing

Water chestnut cake (pan-fried): 140 kcal/100 grams
Work it off with: 30-minute kayaking

Crispy peanut puffs: 130 kcal/piece
Work it off with: 30 minutes of walking (6.4 km per hour)

Sesame balls: 250 kcal/piece
Work it off with: 30-minute swimming (backstroke)

calories-of-sesame-balls-cigna-smart-health

Dried sweet melon slices: 40 kcal/piece
Work it off with: Standing in line for 30 minutes

Sweet glutinous dumplings: 80 kcal/piece
Work it off with: 30-minute general weight-lifting

Pistachios: 280 kcal/50 grams
Work it off with: 30 minutes on a ski machine 

Here we offer two more quick tips on cutting calories when enjoying the feast. Firstly, choose the cooking methods wisely; steaming, stewing or poaching are healthier options than frying in oil. Secondly, avoid animal skin. For example, there are 90 calories in 1 ounce of chicken skin; opt for skinless options to consume fewer calories.

With a little bit of discipline, you can indulge yourself this Chinese New Year without an ounce of guilt!     

Sources:

  1. Student Health Service of the Department of Health, the HKSAR Government - Newsletter July 2010 Issue No.47
  2. SportsRoad - 【食完要找數】賀年食品卡路里計算表
  3. Harvard Health Publishing - Calories burned in 30 minutes for people of three different weights
  4. FatSecret - Calories in Chicken Skin

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