WANT to keep your weight in check the sensible way this Christmas? Here are some top tips:

Before you go food shopping, make a list and stick to it, and buy healthier festive snacks like plain popcorn, pretzels, and vegetable crudités with a low-fat dip.

As most of the fat in a cooked turkey is in the skin, take the skin off before you tuck in.

Try dry-roasting potatoes on a non-stick baking sheet, or use an oil spray instead of smothering them in fat. Make gravy using vegetable stock instead of meat juices, accompanied by a fruit-based stuffing.

If you’re dining out, eat smaller meals beforehand and cut out treats.

Visit buffet tables only once, using a smaller dessert-sized plate and avoiding high saturated fat offerings, like sausage rolls and quiche, in favour of fruit, skinless chicken and vegetable crudités.

Take festive fruit like satsumas into work, so you can fill yourself with healthy food and avoid the office communal chocolate/mince pies.

Festive boozing can really tot up the calories, so avoid sweet cocktails and creamy liqueurs, and alternate alcoholic drinks with water or other calorie-free drinks.

The average mince pie can contain about 250 calories even before it’s covered in cream or brandy butter. Remove the lid to cut calories.