In a bid to lose weight we spend a year of our lives counting calories
Counting the calories we're eating is definitely a proven method of losing weight, but can we take it too far?
According to new research the average person spends 338 days of their life calorie counting.
Equating to 20 minutes a day, over two hours a week and an average of 121 hours - or five days - a year checking labels for calorie content.
The research, by SodaStream, into calorie counting reveals that, shockingly, over half of Brits claim to be unhappy with their weight and manage what they eat by monitoring their calories.
Fiona Hope, MD SodaStream, said: “Counting calories is a part of modern day life and our research shows that Brits are obsessed with watching their weight.
“It’s important to offer people choice as part of a well balanced diet and our range of better for you alternatives have something for everything.
“Dieters shouldn’t feel they need to deny themselves tasty food and drink in a bid to cut calories. By making informed choices, those managing their calorie intake can enjoy great tasting beverages without worrying about their waistline.”
The research highlights that keeping lean for their nearest and dearest is the main driver for people calorie counting: over a third of those surveyed reported wanting to lose weight to make their partner happy, whilst nearly one in ten watch their calories so they can be as slim as their friends.
Office workers can’t escape the calories either with one in fourteen admitting to reading labels to look good in front of trim colleagues.
Advances in technology mean that we’re calorie counting around the clock, with over a fifth of Brits reporting that they use a smartphone app to keep track of the calories they’re consuming, whilst nearly one in ten use a specialist website to monitor their calorie intake.
One in six dieters stick with old fashioned pen and pencil and keep a food diary.
Are you currently calorie counting?
Tagged in Diet Healthy eating Healthy Food weight