| With less than a week left until Santa pops down your chimney, and about the time you're heading out to buy your Christmas groceries, I thought it was about time I dished out some Christmassy fitness facts…. Here are some completely random nutrition facts you should know about the big day. Maybe you can drop some of these knowledge bombs at the Christmas table 😉: - During Christmas dinner on average we consume over 5,200 calories, and a huge 190g of fat.
- You'd have to run the equivalent of two marathons to burn off your Christmas dinner. That's 52 miles! Get your running shoes on!
- Those nasty Brussel sprouts are often surprisingly considered as one of the healthiest foods on earth. As well as being jam packed with various vits and mins, especially vitamin K, they have strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory powers. Additionally, they've been shown to help prevent the following types of cancer: bladder cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, and ovarian cancer.
- Turkey isn't just a load of gobbledygook…It contains a heap load of vitamins including B6, B12, niacin, choline, selenium and zinc. The dark meat of turkey also tends to contain the highest amount of nutrients, however also has more fat and calories.
- Your Christmas dinner can contain over 15g of salt. Keep your blood pressure down and heart healthy over Christmas by limiting the amount of salt your adding whilst cooking, and to your meals. Oh, and try to limit those salty nuts you'll be nibbling on throughout the day.
- A good homemade gravy could be one of the healthiest things on your plate. If it's the powdered stuff then it could be one of the worst, however. Homemade gravy using a good stock or bone broth is packed with vits and mins, as well as gelatin protein (cooked collagen). Gelatin provides glycine, an amino acid that promotes healthy cartilage and ultimately aids in avoiding joint pain. And collagen is great for skin, hair and nails, and for the digestive system.
- Turkey provides large amounts of the amino acid Tryptophan. Your body uses tryptophan and turns it into a B vitamin called niacin. Niacin plays a key role in creating serotonin, a neurotransmitter that's associated with sleep and melatonin level. If you feel a bit sleepy after your christmas dinner then it's probably due to the high tryptophan intake coupled with the carbs that actually assist tryptophan uptake in to the brain, and increase serotonin levels even more.
- The average Christmas pudding adds up to around 325 calories for only a 100g serving. That's pretty much a child-size portion. And about 80-90% of the puddings calories come from sugary carbohydrates. That's without even all the extras you might be adding on top. Eat too much Christmas pudding and you'll end up looking like a Christmas pudding!
Have a very merry (and lean) christmas 😊 Gareth
p.s., If you want to know how to bake the best healthy low carb cookies for Santa this year check the recipe below.... | 
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