Don't gain extra pounds this Christmas

Avoiding party food at Christmas takes military planning. This handy guide gives you all the ammunition you need

'A moment on the lips...' is never truer than at Christmas when you're faced with a constant bombardment of enticing food.

But have you ever considered how many calories you could be packing in when you pluck another sausage roll from the passing tray? It may not seem like a lot but over a few days it soon adds up. It takes just 3,500 extra calories to put on a pound in weight. It's easily done - check out the list below.

Food
Weight
Calories

Mince Pies
2 (110g)
370

Crisps
1 packet (30g)
164

Christmas Cake
1 slice (70g)
249

Mixed Nuts
1 handful (40g)
256

Christmas Pudding
w/ double cream
1 portion (100g)
1 serving (60g)
329

269

Mulled Wine
1 glass (125ml)
245

White Wine
2 glasses (250ml)
185

Breadsticks
4 (28g)
110

Taramasalata
1 serving (45g)
227

Assorted Chocs
6 chocolates (60g)
268

Twiglets
1 serving (100g)
394

Sausage rolls
2 small (64g)
254

Pate on
French Toast
2 servings (80g)
2 slices (80g)
252

216

Total
 
3788

According to Professor John Garrow, an obesity expert at London’s Northwick Park Hospital, most adults tend to put on around 0.5kg (1.1lbs) over Christmas.

The problem is that we nibble on extra foods between meals but, says Professor Garrow, these snacks don’t generate signals of satisfaction or fullness to the brain and the extra calories get converted to fat.

So, how can you get through the party season without piling on the pounds? Here are some survival tips: