How to Burn Off 24 Holiday Foods
The average adult gains 1 to 2 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. That doesn't sound like a lot, but think about it if you pack on 2 pounds annually on fattening holiday foods, then you'll be up 10 pounds by year five. This year, prepare for 6 weeks of temptation by familiarizing yourself with just how much activity you'd need to burn off your favorite foods. A recent study published in the American Journal of Public Health found that people were less likely to buy a 20-ounce bottle of soda when they learned that they'd have to run for 50 minutes to burn it off. Note calorie counts for these dishes vary widely by recipe, and exercise calculations are based on a 150-pound person. Pumpkin pie, Pumpkin pie is actually one of the healthier desserts you can eat during the holidaysthe gourd is an excellent source of the antioxidant beta-carotene, and a slice racks up fewer calories than other seasonal favorites. Just be sure to limit yourself to one-eighth slice of a pie. Calories 323 per slice Burn it off Ice skate for 41 minutes, HEALTH.COM 13 Comfort Foods That Burn Fat, Apple pie, The main ingredient in apple pie is, of course, apples. But don't let that fool you into thinking the sweet treat is a nutritious food. One slice contains 14 grams of fat, with 5 grams of saturated fat. Still, it's one of the safer bets on the holiday dessert table. Calories 296 per slice Burn it off Build a snowman for 53 minutes, Pecan pie, From the best, we segue to the worst. Pecan pie is notoriously high in fat and calories. Why? The main ingredients are butter, sugar, corn syrup, eggs, and pecans. One slice racks up 41 of your daily allowance of total fat, with 27 grams 5 saturated. Calories 503 per slice Burn it off Shovel snow for an hour and 15 minutes, Sweet potato pie, If you must have sweet potato pie over the holidays, at least follow a recipe that excludes the traditional meringue topping. The mixture of well-beaten egg whites and sugar adds about 125 calories to your slice. Calories 510 per slice Burn it off Go snowboarding for an hour and 11 minutes, HEALTH.COM 12 Winter Superfoods That Warm You Up, Turkey leg, A giant turkey leg supplies a day's worth of fat 54 grams and enough calories for two large meals. Why not have a serving of turkey breast instead, and pair it with just a small portion of the dark meat? You'll save over 800 calories. Calories 1,135 per leg Burn it off Run a Turkey Trot 5K raceand then run it three more times, Store-bought stuffing, Don't let the relatively low calorie count fool you bread stuffing is still a dieter's disaster. This type of stuffing is no more than seasoned white bread cut into small hunks and soaked with melted butter. This year, try making your own stuffing. Calories 150 per 1/2 cup Burn it off Run for 15 minutes, Eggnog, Having a cup of eggnog is like drinking a small meal. The sugar, whipping cream, eggs, and your choice of brandy, rum, or bourbon add up to 11 grams of fat 7 saturated, 150 milligrams of cholesterolhalf a day's worth!and 20 grams of sugar. Calories 223 per cup Burn it off Cross-country ski for 25 minutes, HEALTH.COM 50 Holiday Foods You Shouldn't Eat, Pot roast, A braised pot roast will be one of the healthier options at your holiday dinner table. Pot roast is made with chuck, a leaner beef cut, and is usually cooked slowly either in the oven or in a slow cooker along with carrots and potatoes. Calories 280 per 3-ounce serving Burn it off Showshoe for 34 minutes, Fruitcake, The main ingredients in fruitcake are dried fruit and nuts. That's not so bad, right? Wrong dried fruit is a sneaky diet saboteur. Since dried fruit is just regular fruit with the water taken out and sometimes with more sugar added in, a cup of dried fruit packs five to eight times more calories and sugar than a cup of the fresh stuff. And although nuts are filled with good-for-you fats, they need to be consumed in moderation. Calories 410 per slice Burn it off Chop firewood for 1 hour, Cranberry sauce canned, Though canned cranberry sauce doesn't rack up as many calories as many of the other dishes on this list, you'd be better off making one of our delicious and healthy cranberry recipes instead. Why? Many cranberry jellies are made with high fructose corn syrup, which some studies show contributes to obesity more than regular sugar. Besides, do you really want to eat something in the shape of a can? Calories 110 per 1/4 cup Burn it off Go sledding for 15 minutes, HEALTH.COM 24 Mouthwatering Cranberry Recipes, Sweet potato casserole with marshmallow topping, Oh, sweet potatoes. The sweet spud packs 438 of your daily value of vitamin A and 37 of your vitamin C, and they're also a good source of calcium, potassium, iron, and fiber. Too bad mixing them with scoops of brown sugar and topping them with marshmallows pretty much cancels out those benefits. Calories About 250 per scoop Burn it off Downhill ski for 35 minutes, Mashed potatoes with gravy, A typical mashed potato recipe features cream, salt, and lots of butter. You know what that means calories and unhealthy fats. Cut the calorie count of your recipe in half by skipping the gravy altogether, limiting the butter to 1 tablespoon per potato, using naturally creamy Yukon Gold potatoes, and swapping in reduced-fat milk for the cream. Calories 230 per 3/4 cup Burn it off Do jumping jacks for 23 minutes, Candy cane, A candy cane is one holiday sweet we can endorse. Sure, they're made from sugar andnot much else, but at 60 calories, having one just one won't wreck your diet. It also takes a while to eat one, which will make you more satisfied in the end. Calories 60 Burn it off Walk up and down stairs for 7 minutes, HEALTH.COM 10 Signs Your House is Making You Fat, Glazed ham, Nothing says Christmas dinner quite like a juicy glazed ham. Lucky for you, a serving of the traditional dish only sets you back 120 calories. A 3-ounce slice also supplies 16 grams of protein, which will help fill you up and with any luck eat less off the dessert table. Just be sure to choose a low-sodium piece of pork. Calories 120 calories per 3-ounce slice Burn it off Go hiking for 15 minutes, Chocolate orange, The good news dark chocolate is loaded with antioxidants and has been shown to reduce blood pressure, protect the heart and brain, and curb cravings. The bad news a chocolate orange is made with milk chocolate, which doesn't boast the same benefits and contains a lot more sugar. Indulge in a couple squares of 70 cacao dark chocolate with an actual orange instead. Calories 230 per 5-slice serving Burn it off Sing Christmas carols door-to-door for 77 minutes, Mulled wine, Having a glass of red wine a day may boost heart health, but that may not be the case when it comes to mulled wine. Served warm and mixed with cinnamon, cloves, and orange, some mulled wine recipes also call for added sugar. Make your own healthy indulgence by nixing the sugar altogether by intensifying the spices. Calories 183 per glass Burn it off Walk up hill carrying a 10-pound turkey for 22 minutes, HEALTH.COM 11 Reasons Why You're Not Losing Belly Fat, Cutout sugar cookie, Cutout cookies in the shape of Santa Claus, Christmas trees, and reindeer may be the ultimate comfort food. Not only do they taste delicious they also bring back fun childhood memories. As long as you have just one, they're a relatively guilt-free treat. Try a healthier spin on the classic recipe with this whole-wheat version. Calories 126 per cookie Burn it off Stand for 1 hour, Green bean casserole, Take a can of green beans, a can of condensed cream of mushroom soup, some fried onions, and what do you get? A total sodium bomb. Sure, it'll only cost you 120 calories, but canned foods are notoriously high in salt. One tiny scoop contains 550 milligrams, or about a quarter of what you're supposed to consume in an entire day. Calories 120 per scoop Burn it off Volunteer at a soup kitchen for 27 minutes, Popcorn ball, Popcorn is a healthy whole-grain snackwhen you eat it plain. Rolling the kernels into balls with sugar, corn syrup, and salt probably negates any of the nutritional benefits. For a healthier holiday treat, sprinkle your popcorn with cinnamon. Calories 170 per 3-inch ball Burn it off Walk through snow for 30 minutes, HEALTH.COM 14 Fad Diets You Shouldn't Try, Apple cider, With potassium, iron, and no added sugar, apple cider is a relatively smart sipper. Try this recipe for Spiced Apple Cider, which is spiked with your choice of Calvados or applejack. Calories 100 per cup plain 173 per cup spiced Burn it off Do 15 minutes of body weight exercises in your living room, Champagne, If losing weight is one of your new year's resolutions, then you'll want to cut back on booze. But go ahead and ring in the new year with a champagne toast. You'll easily burn off the bubbly when you get back on the dance floor. Calories 90 per 4-ounce glass Burn it off Hit the dance floor for 18 minutes, Gingerbread man, Be sure your gingerbread recipe contains real ginger. In addition to adding flavor to your cookies, the multitasking spice also soothes achy muscles and improves blood flow and circulation. Calories 158 per cookie Burn it off Go holiday shopping for 1 hour, Mixed nuts, As long as you stick to one handful, the nut bowl serves up a healthy holiday snack. Nuts are packed with heart-healthy fats, protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Remember, unsalted nuts are best. Calories 172 per ounce Burn it off Rake leaves for 34 minutes, Prime rib, Pile a few sides on your plate along with your slice of prime rib, and you've consumed enough calories to last you an entire day. Eating a lot of red meat has been linked to an increased risk for heart disease, certain cancers, and a shortened lifespan, but an occasional indulgence in a lower-fat cut, like tenderloin, is OK. Calories 1,035 per slice Burn it off Play touch football for 2 hours