We all know that Christmas is one long festival of calories. The average Briton eats an extra 2410 calories every day over the Christmas period (consuming up to 6000 calories on the day alone) according to the British Dietetic Association. It says that, typically, Britons gain one to five pounds (0.45kg to 2.3kg) over the holidays. If they ate that way for a month, they could gain an extra stone in weight.

“It’s easy to ditch our regular diet and exercise routines for a lot longer than just Christmas week, and it’s when people indulge in habits they wouldn’t usually, such as eating chocolates throughout the day and drinking in the afternoon,” says nutritional therapist Alex Allan. “Mainly, this will just result in indigestion and bloating, but for people with health conditions, such as heart disease and high blood pressure, there could be an increased risk of heart attack and strokes.”

The Telegraph London