FESTIVE GAINS
I tracked how many calories I ate over Christmas – the amount of weight I gained scared me
Nutritionist Kim Pearson reveals how to enjoy the festivities and still avoid gaining weight
THE average person consumes 6,000 calories on Christmas Day, three times the recommended daily amount for women.
But when I looked at how much food I had in my fridge and cupboard after doing my big shop on December 20, I couldn’t help but think that would just be the tip of the iceberg.
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A Sun poll found one in five of us starts boozing at breakfast time on December 25 (I was among them) and with parties starting weeks before the big day itself it’s likely many of us will consume thousands of extra calories over the Christmas period.
I decided to keep track of my intake and do a step count for seven days up to and including Boxing Day to see how much I ate and how much weight I put on.
The results were terrifying.
DAY 1: DECEMBER 20
I STARTED off as usual with cereal and then a healthy soup for lunch and a green smoothie.
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But my good intentions didn’t last long and I was soon tucking into a big box of Cadbury Heroes with a can of Coke.
It went further downhill when I went to a Christmas party and ate a rich three-course meal, with lots of booze including three pints of beer.
I got in late and had a slice of toast and some crisps.
I totalled up I’d had 4,000 calories during the day, double what I’d normally have, and it’s only December 20.
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STEP COUNT: 11,000
TOTAL CALORIES: 4,098
DAY 2: DECEMBER 21
TODAY I took my three kids Jacob, nine, six-year-old Olive and Ivy, three, to see Santa Claus.
There weren’t many lunch options at the venue and I chose a hotdog and chips which amounted to around 950 calories topped with ketchup and mustard.
I also treated myself to a gingerbread biscuit and I had an extra coffee and can of cola while out.
I felt stuffed and bloated all afternoon but it didn’t stop me pinching one of the kids’ Dairy Milk Snowmen.
For dinner, I cooked chicken breast with chorizo and vegetables — and I was surprised it came in at 900 calories when I thought I was going for a healthier option.
I then polished off half a bottle of wine and finished the day with some advent calendar chocs.
STEP COUNT: 6,000
TOTAL CALORIES: 4,284
DAY 3: DECEMBER 22
I WANTED a healthier day, having seen what I’d consumed so far and knowing the worst of the mega calories were yet to come.
I went for a 5k run and had chicken and vegetables for lunch and roast chicken for dinner.
But despite my best intentions I went overboard on Yorkshire puddings.
Later in the evening I had a few friends over for a drink and had three glasses of wine.
I also put away another 500 calories eating crisps and dips, a delicious chocolate florentine and two Lindt truffles, which had around 75 calories each.
I definitely wouldn’t usually have this many snacks, especially on a Thursday night.
We were not even at Christmas Eve yet and I already felt like I’d put on a few pounds.
I’d broken out in spots too, probably from the extra alcohol and chocolate.
STEP COUNT: 11,000
TOTAL CALORIES: 3,882
DAY 4: DECEMBER 23
TODAY I had a Crimbo party with family members I wouldn’t see on the big day.
I’d bought lots of food for a buffet, including meat pizzas, breaded chicken as well as cheese and biscuits. I ate four slices of pizza.
My mum made a home-made quiche which I scoffed a slice of — and I tried out all three desserts, including a Christmas tree brownie and a snowman smash cheesecake.
For drinks, I had two cans of lager and a glass of wine.
When I was clearing away there were odd bits left on plates which I grazed on, as well as another slice of pizza.
I’d also laid out crisps and dips before everyone arrived, and enjoyed plenty myself.
My step count was pretty low as I’d spent most of the day sitting at my desk at work and then I was in the kitchen preparing.
After four days of eating junk I was beginning to look bloated and had indigestion.
My skin looked dull and was spotty.
STEP COUNT: 6,200
TOTAL CALORIES: 4,011
DAY 5: CHRISTMAS EVE
WE went for an early walk along the coast this morning, and while out I had a bacon roll and a big “s’mores” hot chocolate, which was loaded with cream and marshmallows.
I then had chicken and salad for lunch but when friends arrived for a drink in the afternoon, we chatted over mulled wine and mince pies, plus lots of nibbles.
The kids wanted to give Father Christmas something homemade so we made brownies, which I had to taste to make sure they were good enough for Santa.
Common sense seems to have gone out the window now and I was dipping in and out of the chocolate pot all day.
I’ve always liked to cook a special meal on Christmas Eve and we had a big family lasagne with garlic bread and salad — followed by yule log.
STEP COUNT: 10,400
TOTAL CALORIES: 4,429
DAY 6: CHRISTMAS DAY
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I HAD my usual breakfast early on the big day while the kids were opening presents.
We then had pancakes with bacon and maple syrup, as well as Bucks Fizz.
Although I felt full straight after eating, it soon wore off and it was easy to nibble on party foods given we had so much in the house including sausage rolls, Twiglets, crisps and dips.
I was shocked to see I’d eaten 2,230 calories before I’d even sat down for my turkey dinner.
We had a Camembert starter then turkey with all the trimmings and, though we needed a break after dinner, we then had Christmas pudding with cream and some chocolate brownie cake.
I felt stuffed afterwards but my total intake was upped by booze, some chocolates and, later in the evening, cheese and biscuits.
I don’t think of myself as someone with a big appetite but I put away 6,751 calories on Christmas Day.
Just before bed, around 11pm I ate another few chocolates, which I regretted as I had heartburn when I was trying to get to sleep.
STEP COUNT: 3,000
TOTAL CALORIES: 6,751
DAY 7: BOXING DAY
AFTER staying the night with relatives, I woke to the delicious smell of smoked salmon and eggs — and while I didn’t feel hungry in the slightest, I ate it anyway and enjoyed it.
We then had family over for lunch and I made a steak pie with vegetables and was back on the booze again with two glasses of wine.
A relative brought along a pavlova, and it felt rude not to eat it.
Then in the afternoon I had some more party food and nibbles before tucking into a buffet in the evening.
Once the family had gone and the kids were asleep I sat down with more wine and had a slice of yule log, which is my favourite.
I also had two gin-and-tonics.
It was another high-calorie day and I’d done barely any exercise at all to burn it off.
STEP COUNT: 4,000
TOTAL CALORIES: 5,020
CONCLUSION
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IT was time for the moment of truth, and after stepping on the scales, I was horrified to see I had gained 9lb in just one week.
But when I totted things up, there was no surprise as I’d consumed 32,475 calories in seven days — that’s 18,475 more than I would consume in a normal week.
I felt bloated and lethargic and my skin had broken out in spots.
I made immediate plans to go for a run the next day and ease off the festive foods in the run-up to 2024.
All I can say is, thank God Christmas only happens once a year.
ENJOY IT WITHOUT THE WEIGHT GAIN
NUTRITIONIST Kim Pearson says: “Studies have shown that 50 to 90 per cent of the weight people gain over the course of their lives is gained in the last two months of the year.
"And on average, people do not lose the majority of that weight.
"Over the years we have seen Christmas celebrations starting earlier and earlier.
"The abundance of festive meals, treats and social gatherings can contribute to increased intake of high- sugar, ultra-processed and calorie-dense foods during this time.
“But the good news is, Christmas weight gain is not inevitable.
"You can still enjoy the festivities (including the odd mince pie) and avoid gaining weight.
“Keep the treats out of sight.
"If you’ve got a box of chocolates out on the table it’s a whole lot easier to be tempted and end up mindlessly picking.
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"Store treats away in a cupboard and only get them out when you make the conscious decision that you want to enjoy them.
“Maintain your usual exercise regime where possible and get plenty of sleep.”
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