Christmas is a time where many of us struggle to maintain weight, let alone lose weight! Here are 5 Christmas swaps to help you lose weight, so you can start the new year ahead of the game!
Have a beer, instead of a cider
By swapping your sugar filled cider for a low carb beer, you will save over 100kJ in one drink alone! A standard stubby of cider has approximately 570kJ, whereas a low carb beer has 445kJ. Check out my post about this exact topic here. Even better, switch to a vodka soda for even fewer kilojoules!
Mini mince pies
By swapping from a large (70g) fruit mince pie to a small (40g), you will save over 600kJ, 9 g of sugar and 6g of fat PER PIE! You still get to enjoy it, but saving those kilojoules for other things!
Fresh, not fried
There’s nothing like a hot Christmas day, with plenty of fresh seafood. 1 natural oyster has only 30kJ, compared this to 1 oyster Kilpatrick, which is 111kJ! A fried prawn cutlet has 262kJ, compared to a fresh prawn that has only 59kJ
Snack on Cherries, not on Chips
There’s something about seeing cherries at your local fruit store that just makes it feel like Christmas! A cup of cherries contains 333kJ, compare this to a cup of potato crisps which is 535kJ. Not to mention the difference in fat (0.3g versus 7.9g), saturated fat (0.2g versus 0.8g) and sodium (0mg versus 152mg). And maybe have just one or two chips to give you the taste...
Backyard cricket…. or laying on the couch?
Combat that food coma after lunch by rounding up the troops for a game of backyard cricket, or if that’s not your thing, soccer, rugby, Australian rules, basketball… it really doesn’t matter. In an hour of playing cricket with your family, you will burn approximately 756kJ, compared to having a sleep (or sitting and watching), which will only use a minimal amount.
Chloe McLeod is a dietitian at BJC Health.
This blog focuses on diet & nutrition generally and diet & nutrition in relation to the treatment of arthritis and arthritis-related diseases. Contact us if you’d like our help in managing diet-related health issues.
