Super simple ways to avoid a Christmas day calorie crisis
Did you know? The average person eats up to 6,000 calories on Christmas day — that's three times more than we actually need. And if you don't believe me, take a look below to see just how easily those calories creep up throughout the day. But it doesn't have to be that way. Follow my super simple calorie cutting strategies and you can still have all the fun of the festive feast without piling on the pounds.
Breakfast - kcals
Smoked salmon and scrambled eggs made with butter on toast - 650
Champagne - 95
Orange juice - 115
Total: 860
[See also: Ways to avoid heartburn at Christmas]
Mid-morning (whilst un-wrapping presents) - kcals
2 satsumas - 30
6 quality streets - 380
Total: 410
Christmas lunch - kcals
Prawn cocktail - 340
Roast turkey with all the trimming - 1500
2 glasses of wine - 180
Christmas pudding and cream - 500
Cheese and biscuits - 400
2 glasses of port - 160
Coffee with cream and chocolate mints - 88
Total: 3,168
Afternoon tea - kcals
Mince pie with double cream and a sherry - 367
Total: 367
Supper - kcals
1 round of turkey sandwiches - 320
With crisps and coleslaw on the side - 277
1 slice of Christmas cake - 249
Total: 846
Evening - kcals
8 quality Streets - 353
2 glasses of wine - 180
Total: 533
Total kcals for the day: 6,184
Tips
1. Start your day with a high protein breakfast.
Protein is great at helping us to feel fuller for longer so by all means go for the scrambled eggs and smoked salmon. Just go easy on the butter, both in your eggs and on your toast and you could save up to 300 calories. For super fluffy eggs that require no butter adding cook in the microwave for approximately 2 minutes and swap white bread, muffins or bagels for a slower releasing, far more filling single slice of stone-ground, wholegrain bread.
2. Avoid mindless grazing.
Nuts, crisps, chocolates and canapés are all high fat, high calorie foods and just a few handfuls here and there can soon mount up so steer clear and leave enough appetite to really enjoy your main meals.
3. Think before you drink
Steer clear of beer, lager and cider, particularly the higher strength varieties as they are loaded with calories and whatever you do avoid drinks with cream added such as Baileys or cocktails. Instead, go for spirits with low or no calorie mixers, a white wine spritzer or a festive glass of sherry as these are all contain less than 70 calories per glass. Champagne at 95 kcals per glass can be another good Christmas tipple as it tends to be served in smaller amounts and the bubbles can help fill you up.
4. Tuck in to turkey
Turkey is not only low in calories and fat but it's packed with protein, which helps fill you up and provides many other nutrients including zinc, a mineral that keeps the immune system fighting fit. Just avoid the skin as just one mouthful can contain as many as 80 calories.
5. Veg out
The more vegetables you eat the less room you're likely to have for all the high calories foods such as roast potatoes and butter laden mash so pile 'em high and enjoy.
6. Parboil your potatoes
Everyone loves a crispy roast potato but just one cup of goose fat contains almost 2,000 calories so parboil your potatoes instead, shake in a colander to fluff up the edges then spray with a little oil and roast in a hot oven until super crispy instead. They'll taste every bit as good but will contain just 79 calories and no fat compared to a traditional roast spud which weighs in at at least 150 calories and 5 grams of fat per 100g serving. Oh, and steer clear of the ready made, frozen varieties as, per 100g serving, these can contain over 220 calories and a whopping 12 grams of fat!
7. Ride the gravy drain
If you want to use the juices from your roast to make your gravy, drain off the fat first. This simple little act can cut over 250 calories and 24 grams of fat from each serving.
8. Swap double for single cream on your Christmas pud
You won't notice the difference but you will save over 300 calories and 30 grams of fat per serving.
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