By Professor Amanda Daley, Loughborough University — The Conversation, 21 December 2021
Overeating at Christmas time is almost like a tradition. The British Dietetic Association estimates that on Christmas day alone people might consume around 6,000 calories — with Christmas dinner responsible for most of these. It’s no wonder the average adult gains around 0.5-1kg over the Christmas holidays. While that might not sound like a lot, the weight we gain during the festive season isn’t always lost in the new year, which over the years could see some people become overweight or obese.
Research shows that giving people information about how many minutes of walking or running it will take to burn off calories from foods or drinks can help people eat less and avoid gaining weight at Christmas. For an adult weighing 84kg, it will take about 12 hours of steady-paced walking (around four miles an hour) to burn off the calories of an average Christmas dinner. This is the equivalent of walking approximately 50 miles. Or, if you prefer, you could jog for about five to six hours.
The number of calories in your dinner will also depend on what foods you eat, how you prepare them and whether you go back for seconds. If you cut out the pre-dinner nibbles and appetisers and only have a yule log for dessert alongside two glasses of wine, your Christmas dinner may only come in around 2,080 calories — for someone weighing 84kg, only about six and a half hours of walking to burn off.
Holiday weight gain does not have to be inevitable. While walking for 12 hours straight isn’t something anyone wants to do during the holidays, there are many easy ways to sneak more physical activity in each day — such as walking to the shops instead of using your car, or taking a cycle around your neighbourhood to look at the Christmas lights. If you find that you have gained weight after Christmas, focus on reducing treats and setting yourself a goal to get your weight back on track as soon as you can in the new year. This article has been republished under Creative Commons licence.