How many steps is that?!

By Chuck Kobdish, D.C.

The State Fair of Texas kicks off Friday, and everyone knows what that means — a Big Tex “Howdy Folks!,” the Texas Star Ferris Wheel, the midway, the Sky Gondola ride, livestock shows and, of course … the food. Oh, goodness … the food!

Let’s say a fairgoer spends the day doing it right:

• Lunch: a smoked turkey leg, a beer and a funnel cake

• Afternoon snack: the obligatory corny dog, washed down with a lemonade

• Dinner: sausage on a stick, another beer and a basket of fried Oreos.

That’s a State Fair “happy meal,” Texas style. But what’s the damage?

• Smoked turkey leg: 1,150 calories

• Funnel cake: 760 calories

• Corny dog: 280 calories

• 2 beers: 310 calories

• Lemonade: 220 calories

• Sausage on a stick: 250 calories

• Fried Oreos (5-pack): 900 calories

Grand total: 3,870 calories.

For perspective, the American Heart Association suggests around 2,500 calories per day for the average adult male (and about 2,000 for women). One afternoon at the Fair, and people’s Fitbits wave the white flag.

So how do fairgoers burn it off? Using the old “100 calories = 2,000 steps” rule: 3,870 calories = 77,400 steps*

That’s about 38 miles or roughly the same as walking from the Cotton Bowl to Reunion Tower and back four times! That said, get thosewalking shoes on and meet me in the corny dog line — I won’t be counting calories myself.

See y’all at the fair!

The translation of calories to steps varies by individual body weight, walking speed and terrain. Dr. Chuck Kobdish is the owner of Backmenders — Chiropractic with Care in East Dallas.