23/12/2025
How to enjoy food over Christmas 🎅
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Obviously food and overindulgence are a part of how we spend time with our families & loved ones. What I don’t want everyone to do is feel guilty or restrict & binge.
Here are some facts about weight gain over christmas.
* Studies have shown that most people from the end of November to the beginning of January gain 0.5 to 1.5kg of weight.
* Most of that weight won’t be an increase in body fat but water retained from increases in salty & highly palatable sugary treats (Higher carbohydrates will increase water retention by 1:3. 1 Part Carb to 3 parts water. Thats why on a low carb diet you lose water weight and fat is reduced at the same weight) . Studies have shown that body fat on average goes up by 0.5%.
* If your body is used to a certain amount of calories / food volume. If you overeat most of the food will not be absorbed by the digestive system. Digestive enzymes that break down food into nutrients absorbed by the body are secreted at the same rate as normal. Food that isn’t absorbed will be excreted.
* The body will store a certain amount of excess calories but the body only has so much storage space before it just stops storing food.
What should I do?
* Enjoy food and drink with your family.
* Try and get out for a walk. Some gentle exercise can help food digest.
* Set a date to stop overindulging and stick to it. Return to normal eating and your body weight will return to normal once your body does what it’s designed to do.
* Don’t feel guilty.
* Don’t be someone who looks for a quick fix. The quickest fix is understanding making good nutritional choices is a long game not a “6/12 Week Cut”.Â
Remember there are a lot of people out there selling quick fixes. Every Meta analysis on the subject of fat loss shows fat is lost when you take in less energy than your activity levels require.
