Holiday Food Vices: How To Navigate Parties If You Can't Resist (INFOGRAPHIC)

While the holidays may seem synonymous with over-indulgence, research suggests that the average American actually gains only one to two pounds over the holidays. Before you run back to the buffet table, consider this though: While the holidays will come and go, those one to two pounds are often here to stay.

"Really it's about portion control," Keri Gans, M.S., R.D., a nutrition spokesperson and author of The Small Change Diet told The Huffington Post. "It's very important not to use the holidays as an excuse to overeat. And if you do overeat, it's important that people realize to get back on track immediately: no leftovers, no repeat performances."

To lose a pound a week, you need to cut out or burn off 3,500 calories. To help you avoid holiday weight gain, we put together a list of 10 classic holiday food vices (click through HuffPost staffers' picks for the most irresistible holiday foods here), and then asked Gans to weigh in on healthy alternatives and the exercise it would take to burn them off. If you can resist these classics, great! If you just have to indulge, we've got your back.

Comments

[darlenebonny]

11:19 AM on 12/21/2011

No possum on that list. What's up with that? Eat more Possum!

[Havana Thinks]

08:55 AM on 12/21/2011

Eggnog, ham, mashed pots, cookies (butter), pie and wine would just about do it for me.

[angeb]

07:13 AM on 12/21/2011

Cookies!!! I can't stop eating them.

[Lorraine Esposito]

05:48 AM on 12/21/2011

Fabulous! Love the content and the visual. This really makes the information usable -- now, how about something to help me use my WILL POWER! :)

[TexasLou]

04:48 AM on 12/21/2011

So hangovers cost the US $148 billion? Most cost attributed to the light-to-moderate drinker. Hmmm, does this imply that one should practice hangovers to lessen the economic impact? Now that's a platform worth getting behind! Thank goodness for my Texas Christian University education! Teaching drinkers to impact the economy positively and patriotically since 1873!

[ggcdm2]

06:54 PM on 12/20/2011

Love, love, love artichoke, spinach dip.. with all the CHEEEEESE in it.. Yummers !!!

[fashion isha]

06:00 PM on 12/20/2011

This is a very cool post. I am reassured that my 3 latkes only set me back by 360 colories. Wow!
xo
Sharon

[gsapples]

03:39 PM on 12/20/2011

Homemade chocolate chip cookies as soon as they come out of the oven.

[ggcdm2]

06:51 PM on 12/20/2011

Oh my god.. best things in the world ! Do you put pecans in them too????

[gsapples]

08:48 PM on 12/20/2011

I don't put any nuts in the chocolate chip cookies. I definitely recommend using Ghiradelli milk chocolate chips to make the chocolate chip cookies. They are sold in most supermarkets.

[chiodo08]

02:50 PM on 12/20/2011

pot...

[geddy lee is a god]

02:12 PM on 12/20/2011

What's your biggest holiday vice?

I need a button/selection for all of the above.

[ggcdm2]

06:55 PM on 12/20/2011

So much to eat and so little time ! Yikes !! Eat 'em up !!!!

[geddy lee is a god]

08:23 PM on 12/20/2011

I won't know where to start, lol. Love the holiday season.

[stjoshy]

02:05 PM on 12/20/2011

sugar COOOOOOKIEEEEEE!!!!!! OMONOMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[susanbsbi]

12:45 PM on 12/20/2011

Eggnog, is my fault, but I only drink it at home after my work out for the protein that is in it.

[ggcdm2]

06:52 PM on 12/20/2011

Yeah.. protein ! LOL !! I can't stand the diet variety of eggnog.. I got to have the REAL THING !! ( with a little booze in it.)

[JennieKillough]

08:32 PM on 12/20/2011

Ha!! I had to laugh when I read you are "slave to 3 cats"!! Same here :-)

[Whimsy Anderson]

11:03 AM on 12/20/2011

We have started a Vegan Support Group on Facebook for anyone who is interested. While this is a closed group, if you send in a request we will sign you up. Of course, you do not have to be 100 percent vegan to join our group, just interested in healthy eating and lifestyle. https://www.facebook.com/groups/143624349071213/