Pizza is so very delicious. That gooey, greasy cheese on a soft yeasty crust is too much to miss. So, one slice is never going to be enough. You need at least two to please your belly. But, there are times where you might consume four, five or even the entire pie. If you’re asking yourself, “I ate a whole pizza, will I gain weight?”
The short answer is yes, you will. But, there are many variables to this answer. These will depend on how much you exercise, how often you eat a whole pizza, what kind of a pizza you ate and if you munched it all in one sitting.
So, before you freak out and jump onto the next fad diet, continue reading to analyze what you should do from here on out.
Regular Exercise
Exercise is an important component in answering the question, “I ate a whole pizza will I gain weight?” Exercising too little will certainly have consequences. But, if you’re a frequent workout buff, surely eating an entire pie won’t be nearly as bad.
For instance, if you’re an avid athlete, exercise junky or engage in vigorous amounts of physical exertion, then eating a whole pizza shouldn’t cause you to gain too much weight. In fact, a pizza can be the perfect thing to replenish all the vitamins, minerals, salts and other nutrients you lost.
However, in the event you lead a sedentary lifestyle or engage in physical exertion on rare occasions, then eating the entire pie will cause undesirable weight gain. In fact, you should see the effects within 24 hours.
Frequency
Of course, how many times per week you eat an entire pizza will play into whether you’ll gain weight or not. It doesn’t matter how much you exercise, if you consume a whole pie every day for a month, you’re going to load on the pounds and not in a good way.
However, if you splurge just once in a six-month period, then you shouldn’t gain too much weight. The caveat here is as long as you involve yourself in some kind of regular physical activity. Also, you should count how many calories you burn during exercise so you can regulate that against how much pizza you eat.
For those people who don’t work out very much, even one whole pizza every six months will cause severe weight gain. When you don’t exercise, a whole pizza will tack on the pounds. This is because pizza is high in carbohydrates, fat, calories and sodium that your body isn’t burning off.
Pizza Size, Crust Type ; Toppings
The overarching factor, and one of the most important, in determining whether you’ll gain weight after eating a whole pizza or not is the size and type you consume. Obviously, extra large pizzas with all the fixings will be more of a concern than a small personal pizza with only cheese.
Size
As the old adage goes, size matters. This will play into the weight of the pizza itself in combination with the toppings. But, if you’re eating the whole thing, then the total circumference should be a prime consideration here.
- 8 to 10 inches: Usually reserved for one to three people, this is the smallest size most pizzerias offer. Consuming a whole one of these shouldn’t be cause for too much worry unless you’re eating one every single day of your life.
- 12 inches: The intention of a 12-inch pizza is for three to four people with about eight slices. If you eat a whole one of this, you’re getting into uncertain territory and it will depend on the other factors mentioned above like how often you eat one along with exercise.
- 14 inches: Another size that will cause some alarm by eating all of it is the 14 incher. This usually comprises 10 slices intended for a total of four to five people. Even if you exercise a lot, you should ensure you’re burning enough calories to balance out the ones comprising the pie.
- 16 inches: Often cut into 12 slices for six to eight people, a 16-inch pizza will surely cause you to gain weight. Anyone who doesn’t exercise a lot should avoid eating a whole one of these at any time.
- 18 inches +: Whether you’re an athlete or a sedentary computer geek, you should never have to consume a pizza 18 inches or more. This is overkill at its finest because it’s 14 or more slices intended for at least eight people. There’s simply no reason to consume a whole pie this size.
Crust Type ; Toppings
Of course, the type of crust and toppings on the pizza will be the qualifying factor against the size. As a general rule, thin crust pizzas have less fat and calories than thick or deep dish ones. Likewise, stuffed crusts will pack on the poundage.
Then there’s the matter of the toppings. If you just eat a cheese pizza, it shouldn’t be too much of a concern, even if it is 12 or 14 inches. But, if your pie loads with things like sausage, pepperoni, extra cheese, bacon and anchovies, you can expect to put on a good amount of weight with which you may not be happy.
Sitting
The time period in which you eat a whole pie plays into this equation. If you eat the whole pie in one sitting, then the chances are high that you’ll gain weight. However, if you eat it over the course of a day, with exercise and activity between each session, you should be fine.
Conclusion
As you can see, answering, “I ate a whole pizza will I gain weight?” isn’t a straight answer. There are many variables. You have to consider these before you begin to get self-conscious for consuming the whole thing. In most cases, it’ll be okay. But, you do want to watch what you eat and surely engage in some kind of physical activity.
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