How many ski runs to burn off those nasty calories?

The experts are clear: it only takes a few days to feel as lively as a chicken raised outdoors in the high mountains. Long sliding sessions, mid-morning intense fighting sessions against the cold, full body oxygen…enough to feel like melting snow in the sun, or at least allow yourself a few guilt-free indulgences, including hot chocolate, steaming hot toddy, roast Mont d’Or and other enormous family raclettes. All, of course, for as high a calorie sum as the price of a night in Courchevel.

If skiing is one of the most energy-consuming sports, it is necessary to qualify its scope, because the expenditure of calories will depend on your skier profile: thus, a strong person hurtling down the red and black slopes can hope to burn 400. Calories per hour, while another more slender person, slaloming with the grace of a cake on green and blue, will rarely exceed 200. That is, in a five-hour exercise day, 2000 calories for the first and “only” 1000 for the second. And no matter how much we wave our sticks and protest, physiology won’t kneel down and apologize. An observation confirmed by Alexis Mongelaz, dietician-nutritionist and ski instructor at Les Ceces, in Savoie: “There are many parameters that will affect energy expenditure: gender, age, body size, outside temperature… The important thing is the intensity, so the skier’s level“

Therefore, it is difficult to compare our learned calculations with the average caloric intake of raclette. But let’s not stop halfway: with 150 grams of cheese, the same amount of cold meat, 300 grams of potatoes and two glasses of dry white wine, the bill will come to about 1600 calories. So our chubby skier would be left with a roughly 400 calorie margin, while the unlucky one with a wasp waist would have an extra 600 calories on their conscience. At least in theory.

Beware of the sin of gluttony and indulgence

Having another potato to finish off your cheese, a sliver of cheese for the last piece of potato…a delicious torture of tantalum that is not without consequence. However, our expert advises to forget the calculations in favor of common sense: “You have to have a holistic view of your diet, and this unfortunately doesn’t come into play during the holidays. Diet should be moderate on a daily basis, provided Not right One of the few excesses we allow ourselves during winter sports.

Much to the dismay of mathematicians, there is no need to be precise and play the equality game. “It’s easier to trust your feelings. After a day of skiing, we often feel very hungry, and it is important to satisfy it. The trap lies in gluttony and indulgence as well as alcoholic drinks, which do not have a satisfying effect.” In short, no more raclette—in moderation, then—and no more rousette de Savoie. Between sport and epicureanism, now you know which way the scales lean.”

And also – what wine should you drink with raclette?