11 Best CNY Goodies and how long does it take to burn off the calories?

With the Chinese New Year festivities (well, at least the feasting aspect) done and dusted, it’s now time to snap back into reality. And while going back to work proves to be a challenge in itself, the dread of returning to work after the festive season is amplified tenfold (especially for us ladies).

We ladies can’t help but notice the added challenge in our morning routine on the first day back at work from the season of festivities. Plowing our way into our previously fitted pencil-skirts, it is almost impossible to ignore the evident signs of distress from our skirts due to an apparent overstretch, and neither can we disregard the glaring folds that threaten to burst at the seams from the previously body-flaunting body-con dress.

And in that moment, your body seems completely alien to you. Painful as this is, it does sound like our bodies are hitting back at us for the consecutive days of irresponsible devouring and it sure is hitting back with a vengeance.

For those of us who have a penchant for these New Year goodies, sorry to let you in so harshly, but Chinese New Year goodies are basically containers of fats in disguise and with the festivity blurring our weight goals that were in sight, we know exactly how this all goes down…

An indulgent diet and an absence of exercise is the perfect recipe for disaster when it comes to our weight. This may sound all too familiar and possibly depressing, but that additional pounds that we have gained over the festive season is going to require truckloads of hard work and some serious dedication.

So, before we begin picking up the weights and charging for the treadmill, let us first find out exactly, how much we have ingested over the past 3 decadent days in order to determine how hard we need to pay back in the gym.

And with that, let’s begin tapping on our calorie-calculator…

 1. Bak Kwa – 179 calories per slice

Unless you’ve lost all sense of adventure, the combination of savory and sweet makes Bak Kwa one of the popular snacks during the festive season. Not only is Bak Kwa one of the most calorically dense Chinese New Year snacks, this square of meaty goodness also packs in 179 calories in a single slice. And while it takes an average of 2 minutes to wolf down this delectable slice, we’re not too sure if you’re quite ready for an average of 33 torturous minutes at the gym to shed those 179 calories.

2. Kuih Bahulu – 40 calories per piece

We are no stranger to this little cake pops but are we familiar with the amount of calories that are hidden in that beautifully shaped snack? Just 3 pieces of Kuih Bahulu contain 120 calories and takes an average of 23 grueling minutes to burn off just 3 pieces of these yummy Kuih Bahulus.

3. Kuik Bangkit – 24 calories per piece

Nothing explains the term ‘melt in your mouth’ better than Kuih Bangkit but 3 melting pieces of heaven contain 70 calories and takes an average of 14 minutes to eliminate the calories that the 3 delicious cookies offers. And suddenly, Kuih Bangkit doesn’t sound too heavenly after all.

4. Love Letters – 57 calories per roll

They are sweet and crispy but the amount of sugar and fat buried in 3 rolls of love letters is enough to pack in 170 calories and takes an average of 32 demanding minutes at the gym to work off the calories that are sitting in your tummy right now.

5. Pineapple Tarts – 80 calories per piece

Pineapple tarts take the top spot as the most favoured snack during the Chinese New Year festival. But do we know that just 3 pieces of pineapple tarts chalk up to 240 calories, which takes a painful average of 44.5 minutes to burn off buttery sweet goodness? No, we didn’t!

6. Spring Roll Chicken Floss – 22 calories per roll

They may look tiny and harmless, but these insidious spring rolls with chicken floss are capable of doing some serious damage to your waistline. Just 5 of these mini spring rolls contain 110 calories but with this snack being so addictive, there is no way, we’re stopping at 5. And so, for us to burn off just 5 of these addictive rolls, an average of 21 minutes of tedious work is needed to say goodbye to these calories.

7. Nian Gao – 380 calories per piece

You will find this familiar piece of ooey gooey decadence almost everywhere during the annual Chinese New Year festivity. Sweet and mouthwatering as it is, this tiny square of fried nian gao contains a substantial 380 calories, which is more calories than a bowl of white rice. So if you’re a sweet tooth like us, say hello to an average of 69 mins at the work out station just to burn off the tiny square of yumminess.

8. Kueh Lapies – 157 calories per slice

The harmonious blend of sweet and buttery makes kueh lapis a snack we cant do without during the Chinese New Year festivity. Having just one slice simply won’t satisfy our cravings but a mere slice contains a heaping 157 calories! For just 4 mouthfuls, we need an average of 29 minutes to get rid of the nasty calories, making it about 7.5 minutes of workout for each mouthful… Yikes!

9. Peanut Cookies – 50 calories per piece

Peanut cookies are an irresistible treat during the Chinese New Year festivity. As stopping at one simply isn’t an option for many of us peanut lovers, this makes the little dollop one of the most dangerous snacks to feast on this festive season. While a single sweet treat packs 50 calories, we’re betting our last dollar that you’ll only stop at no less than 4 and that, ladies and gentlemen, is a hefty 200 calories! And with an in-coming of 200 calories, you’re looking at an average out-going of 33 minutes of tedious dedication at the gym!

10. Cold Beer – 137 calories per can

Flushing down the New Year goodies with a refreshing can of cold beer you say? That’s an additional 137 calories for a 330ml can of Tiger beer right there! And while many call beer – liquid gold, we can assure you; liquid calories are definitely a more befitting term. With an average of 25 minutes at the gym to wave goodbye to this can of beer, you might want to rethink your choice of beverage this Chinese New Year!

11. Can of coke – 140 calories per can

Reaching for that can of Coke during the Chinese New Year festivity doesn’t quite seem quite as sinful as compared to a normal day, making Coke one of the most popular beverages during this festive season. And while we are perfectly familiar with this calorically packed refreshment, somehow the festive season causes us to temporarily dismiss this fact. Standing at 140 calories per can, this sugary drink requires an average of 26 hellish minutes to eliminate the calories that it contains.

And so, while Chinese New Year is a time for relentless guzzling, it is important to keep in mind the number of calories packed in the list of snacks and drinks that will be making their way into your tummy this festive season. Of course you can choose a different way to burn off those calories after.

With that, we leave you with the advise of ‘Eat Responsibly’ because “A moment on your lips, forever on your hips!”

Happy Chinese New Year!