Burn Off Those Christmas Calories!

Just in time for the holidays, Columbia personal trainer TJ Lyerly takes a look at how many calories are in our favorite holiday treats and how much exercise we need to do to burn them off!

Christmas fitness woman wearing santa hat

Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s is a time for family and friends to gather and many times, eat copious amounts of food. If you’re worried about the extra calories this holiday season, worry no more! We’ve broken down the Christmas Day calories of some of our favorite food and drinks and then the exercises needed to break even.

Christmas Dinner Calories

Food/Drink Calories
1 glass of wine 120
½ cup of Chex Mix 140
4 oz of shrimp and cocktail sauce 80
½ cup of Waldorf salad 110
6 oz of white and dark turkey 340
½ cup of stuffing 180
½ cup of cranberry sauce 190
1 cup of mashed potatoes 300
½ cup of gravy 150
½ cup of green bean casserole 225
1 dinner roll and butter 155
1 slice of fruitcake 324
Total 2,314

 

2,314 calories! That’s more than some people should eat in a day. It’s good we don’t eat like this every day! Below are some ideas of activities and the calories burned. Actual calories burned will vary by height, weight and gender so results are not exact.

Holiday Exercise Ideas

Activity Calories Burned
Running 10 miles at 7mph (8:34/mi) 725
Swimming 1 hour 650
Cycling 2 hours at 14-16mph 1,400
Air squats – 15 minutes 230
Jumping rope – 30 minutes 360
Total 3,365

 

Of course, the exercises above are just suggestions and in no way is this an exact science. The best way to have a guilt-free holiday feast is to lead an active life all year round. Private fitness training is a great way to develop a fitness plan that works for you – your schedule, fitness level and fitness goals. TJ Lyerly at Lyerly Fitness has over 15 years’ experience as a certified personal trainer, helping individuals in and around Columbia, SC attain their health objectives. If you’re motivated by group exercise, ask us about our boot camps. Nothing is better than exercising outdoors and the friends you’ll meet along the way will keep you excited about the next workout! Contact Lyerly Fitness today with questions. Happy Holidays!