A shopping mall in England has implemented a "boot camp" for the in-store Santa Clauses, hoping that a more svelte St. Nick will help kids think twice about grabbing extra gingerbread cookies themselves this holiday season. Is this a bit much? Maybe. But, if helping Santa slim down is on your Christmas agenda, here are some healthy treats your kids can leave for the soon-to-be-not-so-fat-man and his reindeer.

2 celery sticks with peanut butter = 100 calories, 4g protein, 3.5g carbs

Carrot sticks = 38 calories per stick, 1g protein, 9g carbs

Non-fat milk = 80 calories per cup, 9g protein, 12g carbs

Almonds = 80 calories per hand full of 12, 3g protein, 3g carbs (plus 7 grams of healthy fat)

Apple = 90 calories, 3g protein, 22g carbs

Considering that Santa is pretty much left a snack in just about every house he visits, the calories will still add up. With there being about 1 billion children under the age of 10 on the entire earth, it looks like Santa will consume somewhere around 400 billion calories with the snacks suggested above. Still, that sure beats the 870 calories from 3 cookies and 160 calories from a glass of whole milk he's used to getting, which would then equal a total of about 1 trillion calories in one night!!

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Gone are the days when we leave out cookies and milk for Santa Claus -- cookies are high in sugar and fat and the so is the milk, unless you go for 1% or skim. But leaving out celery sticks might earn you a lump of coal in your stocking. So what should we leave out for the jolly old guy this year? Here are some suggestions:

• Fresh or dried fruit is a nice choice -- it's got lots of nutrients and it's sweet enough to make you think you're indulging.
  
• Homemade popcorn. Popcorn is a whole grain so as long as you're not loading it with fat and sugar, it's healthy.
  
• Soy Milk. It's high in protein and calcium and low in fat.
  
• Kashi Go Lean! bars. Let's face, Santa could stand to lose a few. These will help.
• Gingerbread. If you still insist on serving up cookies, go for a couple of gingerbread ones. They're not quite so bad as some of the other cookies out there.
  

What are you leaving out for St. Nick this year?

Dear Santa,

How are you? I hope you're keeping warm up there in the north pole. Have you lost weight? You look great!

I thought I'd take a moment to give you my Christmas list. I hope you don't think that presumptuous of me; honestly, I'd be happy with anything, but 2008 is the year I've vowed to get in the best shape of my life and here are a few things I would love to have. I've been very good this year--in fact, I've gone to the gym at least three times a week all year! Well, except for that vacation in Australia, but otherwise, I've been on my best behavior.

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I hate to be a holiday jumper, but I have to bypass Thanksgiving for this one. Trust me, it's worth it.

It seems that our friends across the pond have decided that Christmas needs a makeover this year. In efforts to provide children with a more positive and healthy role model, a shopping mall in England is putting their holiday Santa Clauses through fitness boot camp!!

The 12 commissioned Santas have already begun their one-month boot camp training sessions with their trainer, according to mall's property manager. Guests of the mall can watch the Santas as they perform such exercises as the "Santa Sack Lift" (I swear I'm not making this stuff up), helping to tone-up and trim down the soon-to-be svelte Father Christmas. Whether the children will respond favorably to this newer and fitter version of Santa remains to be seen, but what is certain is that Santa Claus will have much less difficulty sliding down chimneys this year.

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