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.