Sit ups are a great way to burn extra calories

1. All the cooking over Christmas is a real temptation for those who like to sample food while they prepare it. If this sounds like you, then make sure you have some chewing gum to hand to stave off the urge to pick.

2. Rather than treating yourself to a mince pie/ extra slice of pudding/ selection box/ all of the above, treat yourself to a facial or a new pair of earrings and eventually you’ll be able to treat yourself to new jeans in the next size down.

3. In the run up to Christmas it’s hard to refrain from all the delights on offer, so be realistic with your goals. Don’t punish yourself but just remember you will be left having to deal with the consequences of overindulgence.

4. When you’re sitting around a table full of food surrounded by friends, it can be difficult to monitor what and how much you’re eating. Try and fill up your plate with vegetables first before going for meat and carbs – and don’t have seconds.

5. You can find possibilities for exercise everywhere, from stretching while putting up decorations, to doing sit-ups during TV advert breaks. You can also deliver Christmas cards locally by hand, changing speeds between houses for maximum calorie burn.

6. When you’re out Christmas shopping, walk briskly. In shopping centres go up one row of shops and down the other rather than criss-crossing between them, and have a good look around before you make a purchase. To tone your buttocks and legs, always take the stairs instead of using lifts or escalators.

7. ‘Life will always present you with obstacles’, says Hodgkin. ‘You have to find ways to go around, under, over or through’. Don’t let Christmas and all its delicacies hold you back from achieving your health and fitness goals.

8. How quickly can you shop for all your Christmas goodies at the supermarket? Ensure you go up and back down every aisle, pack your own bags and carry them to the car. You could even try a few bicep curls before loading. Keep the elbows fixed by your side and lift the hands up to face level by bending the elbows for a super arm shaper.

9. Don’t let all December’s wining and dining take its toll on your figure. ‘Eat something healthy before you go to Christmas parties,’ says personal trainer Dean Hodgkin. ‘Skipping meals leads to overeating on a sluggish metabolism’. Work out what you are going to eat at a big meal or party and stick to it.

10. Keep any treats you have bought for guests locked in the kitchen cupboard, and don’t graze all day. Your biggest downfall is in thinking, “Oh well, it is Christmas”, your expanding gut doesn’t care what time of year it is!