If there’s one day a year that many people tend to over indulge, it’s Christmas. The temptation of an extra roast potato, a glass of fizz or perhaps just one more mince pie can often be too much. After all it’s Christmas right?
We all know that walking is a great form of exercise – but how far do you actually have to go to walk off your Christmas lunch? Queensland University of Technology did some research into this a couple of years ago and unfortunately, it’s further than you probably think! There are lots of variables involved – but based on someone weighing in at 75kg (that’s around 11stone 11lb for those of you working in old money) you burn 58 calories for every 1 kilometre walked (or around 93 calories to the mile).
So what does that look like in real terms?
A typical Christmas dinner with two glasses of wine – 12.8 miles (that’s the same as the Cannock Chase Walk).
Christmas pudding with custard and brandy butter – 6.28 miles (that’s about the same as the Mam Tor to Great Ridge Walk).
A glass of mulled wine – 2.6 miles (that’s about the same as the National Trust Ickworth Off The Beaten Track Walk).
A slice of Panettone – 2.1 miles (that’s about the same as the Cley Hill Walk)
A serving of turkey (around 90g portion) – 1.6 miles (that’s the same as the Foggintor Quarry Walk).
A portion of roast potatoes – 1.4 miles (about the same as the Sandringham Sculpture Walk)
A portion of sprouts – 1,108ft (that’s one and a third times round a running track)
A portion of carrots – 296 yards (that’s just over half way around a running track)
A whole 480g tub of Quality Street – 23.5 miles (that’s a little over doing the walk to the summit of Scafell Pike 3 times … just put the lid back on the tub and walk away!)
Happy walking!
