The trick to avoiding holiday weight gain is in making conscious choices about when to splurge--and how to balance out the calories.There's nothing wrong with allowing yourself the occasional indulgence, as long as you're prepared to cut back in other areas, or burn it off with activity.However, you may be surprised by just how many calories can hide in a sliver of pecan pie or a cup of eggnog.What's more, it's easy to go overboard with such yummy--but essentially empty-calorie--treats like candy canes and Christmas cookies, as they lack the filling fiber and water content found in healthier fare, like fruit and vegetables.
Those with a hearty appetite may even prefer to eat their fill of the holiday fruit basket rather than confining themselves to a snack that tickles the taste buds, but leaves the stomach grumbling for more.So, in order to help you manage your food and activity budget, we're providing info on the calorie content of popular treats, as well as ideas on healthy substitutions.
Whether you prefer to nibble on shortbread or horde the entire crudités platter, vigorous activities will not only help burn off those extra calories, but also boost immunity, fight disease risk and give you that healthy holiday glow.(For simplicity's sake, the calorie-burning figures are based on a 150-pound individual, so subtract or add a few depending on your weight..
