The average Brit consumes a whopping 7,000 calories on Christmas day (with your recommended daily allowance already reached by 2pm!)

On average, each of us consumes 7,000 calories on Christmas day alone



2,265 of those calories are consumed before the roast lunch



Come from alcohol and snacking on nuts, chocolate and mince pies



A plate of turkey with all the trimmings adds up to 1,450 calories

Christmas pudding with custard and brandy butter is 1,174 calories



The average Brit will gain 6lbs between Christmas Eve and New Year's Day

Too much: Most Britons will unwittingly take in an astonishing 7000 calories on Christmas day



With less than three weeks to go until Christmas, the countdown is on to ensure gifts, food and drink are ready to go come the big day.



But the endless supply of chocolates, snacks, mince pies and festive drinks has a hefty downside, with the average Briton likely to gain 6lbs in the eight days between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day.



Unsurprisingly, the worst day for calorie consumption is Christmas day itself when most us unwittingly consume a shocking 7000 calories - and hit the recommended daily allowance before sitting down to Christmas dinner.



According to new research, by 2.08pm, most of us will have consumed our daily calorie allowance (2000 kcals for women, 2500kcals for men).



Starting with a 135-calorie celebratory breakfast of smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, the gluttonous day usually ends with two mince pies - another 460 calories.



But although Christmas lunch has the highest calorie count, the real pitfall is snacking with abundant chocolate, nuts and biscuits heaping on thousands of extra calories.

Despite the healthy turkey, a full Christmas lunch with all the trimmings is equivalent to 1,450 calories with pudding, complete with custard and brandy butter, adds another 1,174 on top.

Weighty effort: A chart showing how calorie consumption stacks up over the course of Christmas day



And the weighty cost of Christmas lunch hasn't gone unnoticed with one in eight British people admitting to wanting to slim down in advance.



The research also found that over a third (35 per cent) said they would like to be 7lbs to 1 stone 7lbs lighter than they currently are.



However, it appears that when it comes to shifting the extra pounds gained, yo-yo dieting still reigns supreme, with nearly two thirds (65 per cent) of those that had tried at least one weight loss programme finding that they either did not lose any weight or have piled it all back on since.

Calorific: A roast with all the trimmings is equivalent to 1,450 calories while seconds will add another 725



Alexis Boo, spokesperson at Ideal Weight commented, ‘With the numerous parties and desire to look good in our best outfit, Christmas is a key time for people to think about their weight.



'It’s easy to go overboard during the festive season and eat indulgently with all the temptations on offer, but there’s no reason why you can’t have a bit of what you fancy without worrying about the waistline.

