Don't put the weight of a turkey on this Christmas
The average weight gain over the Christmas season is 5lbs (that’s the equivalent of a medium sized turkey!).
This weight gain is not a result of Christmas Day alone, but rather the 500 calories or so extra each day most of us consume in the run up to the big event.
To avoid becoming festively plump this Christmas, follow these simple tips from Top TV nutritionist Amanda Hamilton.
1. How about a refill? Over Christmas, you should accept that temptation is everywhere, so be selective about which treats you say yes to. Remember that an alcoholic drink will make you eat more, not less so make your first drink non alcoholic and you will be less likely to hoover up the tray of canapés.
2. Use a smaller plate By using a smaller plate, your brain will automatically assume you have more food so you are more likely to feel full and not feel like you are depriving yourself.
3. Clever Festive Food Swaps For some people, roast potatoes are the highlight of Christmas dinner. All that oil triples the calorie count and more than quadruples the fat, so why not try mixing it up and chose between boiled and roast potatoes, or break with tradition completely and roast some healthier vegetables instead. You could also swap farmed turkey for a leaner, less fatty organic turkey to save on calories and improve taste. It costs more, so you’ll eat less overall too! And finally, switch fatty sausage stuffing for chestnut stuffing; it is much lower in fat and a good source of potassium.
4. Don’t start on the nibbles to early in the day Although it seems obvious, each morsel of food that passes our lips all adds up. Avoid treating yourself too early in the day- saying that, nobody likes a killjoy so it pays to work off the extra goodies by going for a brisk walk after the main meal, this will also help to digest the meal and burn off some extra calories.
5. Cut out the skin and don’t go to the dark side Turkey is a healthy meat, but not when you have it with butter or goose fat. Take the skin off before serving and save yourself around 50 calories per 100g. Light meat also has slightly fewer calories than dark meat, so stick to turkey breast, leg or thigh and avoid darker cuts to save some calories.