TIS THE season to be jolly, but for many, Christmas can often be a time of over-indulgence and gluttony. Evidence suggests that on average people gain about 2kg (5lbs) in weight over the four-week Christmas period.
The majority of Irish adults will eat to excess on Christmas day without a care in the world. For many it is regarded as a licence to gorge non-stop throughout the day before falling asleep in front of the TV.
While a one-day blow-out will probably not necessarily result in significant long-term weight gains, the wilful abandonment of normal habits in the weeks either side of Christmas will lead to bulging waistlines. Consuming an additional 500 calories a day over the course of a week will equate to an increase in about a 1lb of body fat.
According to the British Heart Foundation, most adults will consume about 7,000 calories each on Christmas day, with up to 3,000 calories coming from the Christmas dinner alone! This is more than double the recommended daily calorie intake for men (2,500 kcal) and greater than three times that for women (2,000 kcal). It is no wonder that many are feeling bloated and sluggish by the time of the arrival of the New Year, when unrealistic resolutions are often abandoned no sooner than they are made.
So is it possible to enjoy the festive season and get into the Christmas spirit without piling on the excess pounds or the need to feel like Scrooge?
One of the key challenges is changing the excessive festive mindset - after all, Christmas lasts only a couple of days. It is generally accepted that it takes about 21 days to create a habit, about six months for it to become an integral part of daily life and only a matter of days to break the routine.
The same principle applies to exercise and promoting a healthy lifestyle. It is therefore better to avoid ditching your normal activity patterns and exercise programme in the weeks leading into Christmas. It will only lead you to struggle to re-establish normal physical activity and exercise routines and regain previous fitness level (and waistlines!) come the New Year.
The days leading into Christmas provide a golden opportunity to expend a few more calories than usual doing the last minute preparations such as shopping, cooking and preparing the house. By putting a little more effort into these activities, for example, walking to the shops, will give you a few more calories to "spend" and enjoy during Christmas and Stephen's Day.
The findings of research conducted by the British Heart Foundation in conjunction with the University of Glasgow has suggested that engaging in some aerobic exercise such as walking prior to consuming the energy-dense high-fat Christmas dinner may be of some benefit.
By exercising in the morning you increase your metabolism for the rest of the day. In particular, exercise intensity rather than duration appears to be the most important factor for elevating your calorie-burning capacity after exercise. In this regard, a brisk 20-minute walk, jog or cycle would be ideal pre-dinner activities. It also gets you out of the house and helps clear the head. In reality, however, the majority of adults admit to doing no exercise on Christmas Day.
The training principles for staying fit, healthy and managing your weight before Christmas still apply afterward. For many, Christmas is a time for celebration and coming together. By adopting a policy of moderation and maintaining some form of physical activity involving the whole family during the festive season will only add to the pleasure and enjoyment of this special time of year.
Next week we will look at creating resolutions for sustainable promotion, active living and creating a healthy lifestyle.
• Dr Giles Warrington is a sport and exercise physiologist and lecturer in the School of Health and Human Performance at Dublin City University (DCU)