Winter weight worries

I love Christmas, especially catching up with friends and family I have not seen for ages. For many of us this involves eating out or having fancy extras at home. So, come the January 3, getting on the bathroom scales is an unpleasant experience. It is not surprising that new memberships for both gyms and slimming club increase in January every year!

Each year it seems harder to get back to that pre-Christmas weight. Did you know that the average weight gain for an adult over the festive season is 7lb (half a stone!)? Many children can put on 4-5lb – I’ve know one child who put on 14lb over the two week Christmas holidays and, remember, it is much harder for children to lose this extra weight.

So, why not take a few moments this year before the Xmas partying season starts to consider how you and your family can avoid the post Christmas Santa tummy syndrome.

At the Children’s Weight Clinic we would like all families to have a great Christmas, but we would also like to help families this Christmas be aware of just how much extra energy – which can so easily turn into extra weight - you and your children could be eating on the run up to Christmas and on the actual day.

This Christmas meal below would give the average adult their daily energy intake in one meal – think how many Xmas meals you may have had out on the run up to the day it’s self – and we have not included the alcohol.

Extra goodies such as crisps, nibbles, fancy biscuits and cake are often put out every time a guest arrives over the festive season. Think smaller amounts and think do we really need to eat this. Consider how many selection boxes your child eats before Christmas lunch.

Here are the Children’s Weight Clinic’s top ten suggestions to avoid a winter weight worry:

1. Suggest to other family members and friends that only Santa should bring the kids a selection box this year
2. Agree with the kids that they will not eat all of the selection box on Christmas Day
3. Ask family and friends to give the kids toys that promote activity and fun e.g. football, goalie gloves, skipping ropes
4. Go for a family walk on Christmas Day
5. Give the kids satsumas in their stockings from Santa
6. You cannot eat it if you don’t buy it – reduce the amount of food you buy
7. For a starter have home-made vegetable soup
8. Only use low fat products in cooking
9. Have the Christmas cake or the mince pie - not both
10. Don’t eat the whole meal again on Boxing Day !!

Laura Stewart, Independent Consultant Dietitian, The Children’s Weight Clinic.