December 15, 1999. copyright, 1998, Graphic News. Alll rights reserved

PILING ON THE POUNDS AT CHRISTMAS
By Margot Nesdale

LONDON, December 15, Graphic News: CHRISTMAS is around the corner and you can bet the turkeyÕs not the only thing that will be looking plump.
ÕTis the season to be jolly, but Christmas time is a living hell for flab-fighting fitness fanatics. The endless round of office Christmas parties is guaranteed to indulge the passions of gluttons with tongues like conveyor belts.
After all, those tasty snacks look harmless enough and they soak up the booze.
In reality they are chocca with calories Ð a handful of peanuts alone has 60 calories, a sausage roll 355!
Scoff down a serving of potato salad, 100 calories, a chicken drumstick, 120, a wedge of Cheddar cheese, 425, a handful of crisps, 55, a pork pie, 376, one white roll, 85, a ham sandwich, 174, egg mayonnaise and cress sandwich, 209, a cocktail sausage, 45, a handful of Twiglets, 40, a slice of chocolate log, 120, a mince pie, 215, one Brazil nut, 20, one dried date, 15, and five Matchmakers, 140 (phew) and youÕve clocked up 2,554 calories.
But the real gorging begins when Christmas dinner is plonked on the table. Experts reckon that you can pile on up to 2lbs and chomp through 2,835 calories at one sitting alone. The biggest evils are the lashings of roast turkey (300 calories), plum pudding (250) and booze.
Working off the entire lunch between the sheets with your lover is out of the question Ð that would take 10 hours 30 minutes! The quickest way to burn off your extra stuffing would be to spend three hours shovelling snow! 
If you canÕt squeeze into your jeans why not dial up the Weight for Jesus website for some spiritual guidance (complete with hymns) on how to downsize. Run by a minister, Weight for Jesus is Òa weight support system to help motivate and inspire you to improve the temple God gave us to take care of.Ó
If divine inspiration doesnÕt get you going thereÕs a heap of fat-busting drugs on the market for those who want quick fix solutions. Xenical, the popular anti-obesity pill, reduces fat absorption in the body by inhibiting a pancreatic enzyme. But patients must stay on a reduced fat diet or suffer diarrhoea, incontinence and flatulence.
Only the chronically obese should consider stomach stapling, which reduces the tummy to the size of an apple.
WeightWatchers comes up with far less drastic suggestions for keeping flab at bay during the festive season. They recommend doing extra exercise the day before a party and eating a light meal like tomatoes or toast before going out.
On Christmas Day nutritionists suggest avoiding traditional nosh and eating a low-calorie meal at your favourite restaurant.
Survival tips to avoid the winter ÒwaistlandÓ including eating loads of fruit and vegetables, thick chunky soups and low-fat yoghurt instead of puddings.
WhereÕs that Mars bar?
/ENDS

Sources: Reuters, BBC TomorrowÕs World