Burn it to earn it

Fast food desserts

If you have a sweet tooth, you might find yourself giving in and getting dessert along with your fast food. We tracked down 11 different fast food desserts, and the calories that come along with them. Of course, we also calculated how many steps it takes to burn off these treats.

All conversions are based on a 2,000 steps/mile average for a person weighing 150lbs.

Dairy Queen’s Chocolate-Dipped Vanilla Cone

If you think you can replicate the swirl that Dairy Queen puts on top of their soft serve, don’t do it—it’s trademarked! This treat is made of soft serve vanilla ice cream dipped in a chocolate shell. A large has 640 calories and will take 14,971 steps to burn off.

ways to work it off

14,971 steps

  • • 60 minutes of rowing
  • • 60 minutes on the elliptical

Taco Bell’s Caramel Apple Empanada

Taco Bell’s version of an apple pie looks truly irresistible. One of these sweet treat empanadas has 280 calories and takes 6,550 steps to burn off.

ways to work it off

6,550 steps

  • • 30 minute barre class
  • • 15 minutes of kettlebell training

Burger King’s Frozen Coke

The frozen Coke from Burger King is a Coca-Cola flavored slushie with 35 grams of sugar. A medium has 130 calories, which will take you 3,041 steps to burn off.

ways to work it off

3,041 steps

  • • 15 minutes jumping rope
  • • 25 minutes of tennis

Subway’s Chocolate Chunk Cookie

These cookies always seem to be staring at you while you’re paying for your $5 footlong. It takes 4,913 steps to burn off the 210 calories in one chocolate chunk cookie.

ways to work it off

4,913 steps

  • • 30 minutes of low-impact aerobics
  • • 20 minutes on the stair machine

Jack in the Box’s Chocolate Overload Cake

There aren’t many places you can get chocolate cake alongside your order of fast food. However, Jack in the Box makes a chocolate cake from cocoa and bittersweet chocolate chips and a chocolate buttercream icing drizzle. One cake has 302 calories and it takes 7,065 steps to burn off.

ways to work it off

7,065 steps

  • • 70 minutes of vinyasa-style yoga
  • • 30 minute run at 6mph

Photo credit: @jo12dan_ (via Twitter)

Dairy Queen’s Salted Caramel Truffle Blizzard

This DQ signature creation blizzard is made with vanilla ice cream, salted caramel truffles, toffee pieces, cocoa fudge, and cocoa chunks. It would take 18,246 steps to burn off the 780 calories in a small blizzard.

ways to work it off

18,246 steps

  • • 60 minute circuit of planks, burpees, and mountain climbers

Burger King’s Hershey’s Sundae Pie

Burger King’s Hershey’s sundae pie is basically chocolate heaven. The pie has a chocolate crust and is filled with chocolate creme filling. A slice has 310 calories and takes 7,252 steps to burn off.

ways to work it off

7,252 steps

  • • 50 minute aerobics class
  • • 45 minute spinning class

McDonald’s Apple Pie

McDonald’s fills a flaky crust with cinnamon apples for a perfect mini apple pie on-the-go. One pie has 240 calories and takes 5,615 steps to burn off.

ways to work it off

5,615 steps

  • • 60 minutes of yoga
  • • 35 minutes of kickboxing

Photo credit: @tacobell (via Instagram)

Taco Bell’s Cinnamon Twists

A bag of fried dough sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. A simple idea, but so delicious. One order has 170 calories taking 3,977 steps to burn off.

ways to work it off

3,977 steps

  • • 30 minutes of frisbee
  • • 30 minutes on the elliptical

Wendy’s Frosty

Let’s not forget the very famous and irresistable Frosty from Wendy’s. A large chocolate Frosty has 590 calories. To burn it off, you can take 13,802 steps.

ways to work it off

13,802 steps

  • • 60 minutes of circuit training

McDonald’s Oreo McFlurry

One of the all time best fast-food desserts is an Oreo McFlurry from McDonald’s. There are 510 calories in a regular size which takes 11,930 steps to burn off.

ways to work it off

11,930 steps

  • • 40 minute Zumba class
  • • 40 minutes of moderate intensity swimming
a chocolate chip cookie

If you’re getting a fast food dessert, you likely just ate fast food. Seems like those steps you need to take are really going to add up…

More Calorie Comparisons

Nothing tastes as good as 10K steps a day.