How to Avoid Weight Gain at Christmas: A Dietitian's Guide
"How do I avoid weight gain at Christmas?" is a question I start hearing in clinic as soon as the first mince pies appear in the shops. It usually comes with a bit of dread: the work parties, the tins of chocolates, the feeling that all your good habits are about to go out of the window until January.
As a Registered Dietitian specialising in weight management, I want to take some of that pressure off. You don't need to spend December saying no to everything, and you don't need a January detox. Here's what the evidence says about Christmas weight gain, what actually helps, and how I approach the festive season myself.
How much weight do people really gain over Christmas?
Probably less than the headlines suggest. A review of the research found that adults gained on average about 0.4 to 0.9 kg over the holiday season. People with obesity who were actively trying to lose weight also tended to gain, by around 0.3 to 0.9 kg (Díaz-Zavala et al., 2017).
So, not the "half a stone" you might read about. The catch is that this small gain often doesn't come off again. Studies suggest holiday weight gain is largely not lost in the months that follow, and that it may account for much of the 0.4 to 1 kg many adults gain each year (Mason et al., 2018).
Does a little Christmas weight gain matter?
On its own, a kilo isn't something to worry about. But if a little is gained every Christmas and never quite shifts, it can add up over the years. That's why I think of Christmas as a time to aim for maintaining your weight rather than losing it. If you get to January roughly where you started, that's a real success.
Can you avoid weight gain at Christmas? What a UK study found
Yes, and it doesn't take anything extreme. In a randomised controlled trial in Birmingham, 272 adults were split into two groups before Christmas (Mason et al., 2018). One group was asked to:
Weigh themselves at least twice a week, ideally daily, and note the trend.
Follow 10 simple weight management tips, adapted for the festive season.
Look at information showing how much activity it would take to "use up" popular festive foods. For example, a mince pie was shown as about 21 minutes of running.
The other group received a general leaflet about healthy living.
Over Christmas, the first group's weight went down slightly (by 0.13 kg on average), while the comparison group gained 0.37 kg. After allowing for other factors, the difference between the groups was about 0.5 kg (Mason et al., 2018).
That's a modest difference, and the study had limits. Most participants were women, follow-up was short, and because the approach combined several things, we can't tell which part made the difference. But it shows that small, simple habits can stop the Christmas creep.
A quick note from me: I don't believe food is something you have to "earn" or "burn off". Knowing roughly what's in a festive treat can help you make choices, but exercise should never feel like a punishment for eating.
How to avoid weight gain at Christmas: 7 realistic tips
1. Choose the treats that are really worth it to you
At a party or buffet, it's easy to eat a bit of everything simply because it's there. The British Nutrition Foundation suggests sticking to a few choices, because the more food there is in front of us, the more we tend to eat (British Nutrition Foundation, 2021).
Try this: before you fill your plate, look at everything and pick your favourites. If you love a mince pie, have one and enjoy it. Size can make a difference too. A standard mince pie contains around 253 kcal, compared with about 87 kcal for a mini one (British Nutrition Foundation, 2021).
2. Don't arrive starving
"Saving yourself" for a big party or meal often backfires, because you arrive so hungry that it's hard to listen to your appetite. The British Nutrition Foundation suggests having a small snack before you go out, so you don't arrive hungry or drink on an empty stomach (British Nutrition Foundation, 2021).
Try this: keep your usual meals going on party days. A yoghurt, a piece of fruit or some wholegrain toast an hour or so before you head out can make the buffet feel much less urgent.
3. Be choosy with your drinks
Drinks are one of the easiest places for festive calories to add up. Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram, almost as many as fat. A standard 175ml glass of wine can contain up to 158 calories, and a pint of 5% beer up to 222 calories (NHS, 2023).
Try this:
Have a glass of water after every alcoholic drink (NHS, 2023).
Choose smaller glasses, half pints and low-calorie mixers (British Nutrition Foundation, 2021).
Add a splash of soda water to white wine to make it last longer (NHS, 2023).
Drink at your own pace rather than in rounds (NHS, 2023).
4. Eat with your attention, not on autopilot
Christmas is full of distracted eating: crisps in front of a film, chocolates from the tin while you wrap presents. A systematic review found that eating while distracted led people to eat more at that time, and even more later in the day. Remembering what you'd already eaten seemed to help people eat less later on (Robinson et al., 2013). The review is now more than 10 years old, but its findings fit with what I see in practice.
Try this: put snacks in a bowl or on a plate rather than eating from the tub, sit down to eat, and pause to notice how hungry you are halfway through. This is a big part of intuitive eating, which has helped me enormously.
5. Keep moving, in ways you enjoy
The NHS recommends adults aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, plus strengthening activities on at least 2 days a week (NHS, 2024). That doesn't stop being useful in December.
Movement over Christmas doesn't have to mean the gym. A family walk after lunch, a game of football in the park, dancing at a party or a festive fitness class all count. For me, walks with my two dogs are a big part of it.
6. If it helps you, step on the scales now and then
Regular weighing was a key part of the Birmingham study, and people who were asked to weigh themselves were much more likely to keep it up (Mason et al., 2018). Seeing a small change early can be a gentle prompt to get back to your usual routine.
That said, weighing isn't for everyone. If the number on the scales affects your mood or your relationship with food, it doesn't have to be your measure. How your clothes fit and how you feel matter too.
7. Drop the "I've blown it" thinking
One big meal doesn't undo weeks of good habits, and it doesn't mean the rest of the week is a write-off. The problem is rarely Christmas Day itself. It's more often the "I'll start again in January" feeling that turns one day into three weeks.
Try this: treat Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Eve as the special days they are, and go back to your normal meals in between. No skipping meals to make up for it, and no punishing workouts.
How I do Christmas as a dietitian
I'll be honest: I've struggled with my weight in the past, and I used to have the "it's Christmas, I'll eat what I want" attitude. It took me a while to realise that this didn't actually mean eating what I wanted. It meant eating until I was so full I needed a lie-down or a nap.
So I started asking myself different questions. Do I actually want this? Will I enjoy it? What's my favourite version of it? This more intuitive approach works much better for me than flicking a Christmas "off switch". Learning to eat intuitively has helped me massively, including losing my baby weight, and I'm now back to my pre-pregnancy weight.
For me, Christmas is about family and friends. I'll enjoy the food, keep up my tennis and group exercise classes when I can, and get out with the dogs. And no, I don't give up my favourite foods either. Pizza and Indian food are my two favourites, and they fit into a balanced life all year round.
If you're a new mum facing your first Christmas with a baby, be kind to yourself. My guide on how to lose baby weight has more realistic ideas for tired parents.
Want a calmer start to the new year?
If you've lost weight before and it keeps creeping back, start with my free 5-Minute Weight Loss Audit. It helps you spot the two or three things that are getting in the way, with one small action to try for each.
If you'd like support that fits around real life, you can book a free discovery call or find out more about how I help with weight loss.
No detoxes. No fad diets. No shame.
Frequently asked questions
How much weight does the average person gain over Christmas?
Research suggests adults gain on average about 0.4 to 0.9 kg over the holiday season (Díaz-Zavala et al., 2017). It's a small amount, but it often isn't lost afterwards (Mason et al., 2018).
Can I still lose weight over Christmas?
You can, but for most people maintaining is a more realistic and kinder goal. Getting to January at roughly the same weight is a success, and you can pick up your plan from there.
Should I skip meals before a Christmas party?
It's best not to. Having a small snack before you go out helps you avoid arriving very hungry or drinking on an empty stomach (British Nutrition Foundation, 2021).
Is it a good idea to weigh myself over Christmas?
It can help. In a UK trial, regular weighing, alongside simple tips, helped people avoid gaining weight over Christmas (Mason et al., 2018). If weighing makes you feel worse about food, focus on other signs, such as how your clothes fit.
How do I lose weight after Christmas?
Skip the detox and go back to regular meals, plenty of vegetables and fibre, and movement you enjoy. If the scales won't budge, my blog on why you might not be losing weight covers the most common reasons I see.
This article is general information and does not replace individual advice from your GP or a Registered Dietitian.
About the author
Caroline Bletcher is an HCPC Registered Dietitian (DT29447) specialising in weight management, with more than 10 years' experience in the NHS and private practice. She supports clients in Surrey and online.
References
British Nutrition Foundation (2021) Christmas survival guide. Available at: https://www.nutrition.org.uk/media/gq1jdzbq/christmas-survival-guide.pdf (Accessed: 3 November 2026).
Díaz-Zavala, R.G., Castro-Cantú, M.F., Valencia, M.E., Álvarez-Hernández, G., Haby, M.M. and Esparza-Romero, J. (2017) 'Effect of the holiday season on weight gain: a narrative review', Journal of Obesity, 2017, 2085136. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/2085136
Mason, F., Farley, A., Pallan, M., Sitch, A., Easter, C. and Daley, A.J. (2018) 'Effectiveness of a brief behavioural intervention to prevent weight gain over the Christmas holiday period: randomised controlled trial', BMJ, 363, k4867. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.k4867
NHS (2023) Calories in alcohol. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-advice/calories-in-alcohol/ (Accessed: 3 November 2026).
NHS (2024) Physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/physical-activity-guidelines-for-adults-aged-19-to-64/ (Accessed: 3 November 2026).
Robinson, E., Aveyard, P., Daley, A., Jolly, K., Lewis, A., Lycett, D. and Higgs, S. (2013) 'Eating attentively: a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of food intake memory and awareness on eating', American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 97(4), pp. 728–742. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.112.045245
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