Brits should consider the implications of excessive eating this Christmas in terms of their fitness equipment workouts, according to a fitness expert.

A recent post on the Sun's Live It Woman Fit Squad blog indicated that just two pieces of Turkish delight would require the equivalent of 18 minutes on a rowing machine to work off the acquired calories.

Meanwhile, just a large glass of mulled wine amounts to about 300 calories, which can be combated with one hour's worth of jogging or a stint on a SkiErg.

The comments follow recent research by scientists at the University of Texas at Austin, which indicated that food temptations that conflict with long-term goals, such as health, are likely to be considered more negatively.

Published in the Journal of Consumer Research, the authors suggested that treating something more negatively is a self-control mechanism to improve resistance to temptations.