AppleTree's 2019 festive blog
12th December 2019
The festive season is one of my favourite times of the year and I'll be enjoying putting up our family Christmas tree this week. However, it is good to stop and consider that the average weight gain over the festive period is 7-10lbs. I have seen people put on as much as 2 stone (28lbs) - that's a lot of weight! No one puts on that amount of weight in just one day. The important message is not to overindulge all the way through December and into January. There is definitely a reason why gym membership increases by around 12-18% every January!
Of course, I believe that people should enjoy Christmas day, and that means not worrying about weight or thinking about calories on the actual day. However, try to keep to your usual intake and physical activity levels on the other days between now and returning to work in January 2020. You don't have to weigh yourself, but be aware of feeling too full, of clothes getting too tight and perhaps try to get on the scales between Christmas and New Year , just to keep a check on things.
Here are some things to think about -
- The average British person eats around 6000 kcals on Christmas day. In order to work that off, you would have to run for 8 hours or walk for around 21 and a half hours.
- We tend to decrease our physical activity levels over the festive season due to the dark nights, the weather and just wanting to snuggle down & watch old movies. So, wrap up and go for family walks.
- One of the reasons the calorie intake is so high over the Christmas period is the 'little extras' we take such as mince pies (227 kcal per pie) and wine (red 250ml average 165 kcal, white 250ml average 200 kcal). Keep these to a minimum.
- The amount of sweets and chocolates we give to the kids can quickly add up. Go for only giving the kids one selection box each (medium size selection box 169g 875 kcal).
A Merry Christmas to one and all from AppleTree Healthy Lifestyle Consultancy, and a happy, healthy, 2020 New Year!
December 2019