Exercise is for life - not just for Christmas

University of Dundee experts in nutrition and sports science have come up with a fool-proof guide to having your Christmas cake and eating it. Follow this simple advice for a happy and healthy start to 2004.

Christmas dinner

Professor of Food Choice Annie Anderson, based in the School of Medicine, says the average Christmas dinner (as below) will exceed a whopping 1525 calories:

Leek and potato soup with crusty bread and butter

Turkey, gravy, stuffing, chipolata sausages with bacon, mashed potatoes, roast potatoes, Brussels sprouts, peas, carrots, broccoli, bread sauce and cranberry sauce

Christmas pudding, custard and single cream

Coffee with cream and mints

Add to this three small (120ml) glasses of wine at 90 calories each and a Bailey's (130 calories), and you've hit 1925 calories - nearly a whole days recommended intake in just one sitting.

Fit and fabulous

However, it is important to enjoy the festivities without worrying too much about long-term damage. Some small but significant effort over the next two weeks will help ward off extra pounds, and set you up for a fit and fabulous new year.

Osla Dougal, Exercise Programme Co-ordinator at the Institute, said, "Remember that exercise is for life - not just for Christmas. A regular programme of exercise/activity is important to promote life-long well-being."

Osla's top five Christmas activities are:

1. Invite as many children as you know to a Christmas party and then play traditional party games (musical statues, musical chairs, hide-and-seek etc).

2. If it snows, go sledging, have a snowball fight, build a snowman. Anything that gets you moving about in the fresh air will boost your metabolism.

3. Spend pounds to lose pounds - go shopping in the January sales and try on as many clothes as you can. As if we needed an excuse!

4. Plan an extra long walk on a cold, crisp winter day and enjoy the outdoors.

5. Sign up to a regular exercise class to whittle away the cold winter nights and get in shape. Come springtime, you'll be thankful.

Dr Audrey Duncan, Sports Science Officer at the Institute of Sport & Exercise, trains elite athletes and advises members of the public on how to maximise their health and performance.

She says that people should take a balanced approach to fitness over the festive period and not let calorie concerns cloud celebrations.

Audrey said, "Christmas dinner is meant to be enjoyed and it only happens once a year. However, we do advise some moderate form of exercise everyday over the holiday period. What counts as "moderate" varies depending on the person and how fit they are, but as a guide people should aim to be comfortably breathless. This may mean walking briskly uphill or going for a four-mile run. The point is to get moving each day."

Party-goers should be careful when considering after a night out.

Audrey advised, "I would recommend exercise before a night out, then ensure you drink plenty water and soft drinks after exertion and throughout the evening. It is probably best not to exercise with a hangover as your body will already be dehydrated."

Editors' notes

An average female (weighing 55-60kg) will burn 270kcal per hour with moderate intensity exercise, an average male (65-70kg) will burn 360kcal per hour.

By Esther Black, Press Officer 01382 344768, out of hours: 07968298585, e.z.black@dundee.ac.uk