There's no denying that when it comes to weight loss, Christmas really counts. Or does it?

Many people feel that they put on huge amounts of weight over the Christmas period, but is this really true? Let's explore a little further and look at ways to curb the Christmas kilojoules.

Holiday weight gain

Although it is a popular belief that average adult gains between 2 to 5 kilograms in the 2 weeks over Christmas, this does not appear to be true. According to the most reliable to-date study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the average weight gain was a little less than ½ a kilogram. Given this data is based on people in the United States it may be that average Australian weight gain is less, considering our Christmas is in summer.

While this weight gain may seem trivial, the key is whether or not this weight is then lost in the New Year. In fact, when the study participants were weighed a year after the study began, they gained an average of 3.0 kilograms, over half of which was accumulated during the longer six week holiday period. In other words, a large proportion of yearly weight gain occurs during the Christmas holidays and is likely to accrue over the years, contributing to the slow increase in bodyweight, known as the kilo creep that occurs in adulthood. Gaining ½ a kilogram during Christmas and New Year is not the real problem. It’s the 6-8 weeks of socializing, partying and indulgence that goes with it!!!

So what can you do to curb the kilojoules? We have an added advantage over our North American neighbours as Christmas is in summer in our part of the world. Take advantage of our longer days to help you burn more kilojoules. And include plenty of lighter fare like sensational summer salads, fresh fruit and seafood, to help you cut kilojoules. To give you an idea of just how easily it is to clock up those kilojoules, check out our table below. As a rule of thumb, an additional 2000kilojoules a day will result in weekly weight gain of ½ a kilogram.

Christmas cake: Small slice(50g) = 755kj
Christmas pudding: 100g = 1420kj
Shortbread biscuit: 1 small = 290kj
Mince pie: 50g = 865kj
Chocolate: 30g = 670kj
Champagne: 1 glass (120mL) = 355kj
Party quiche: 40g = 430kj
Mini sausage roll: 24g = 295kj
Chips: Handful (21g) = 440kj
Mixed nuts: 20 nuts (30g) = 775kj
Dip: 1 tablespoon = 275kj