Holiday Fat Traps to Avoid

Tis the season. This is a difficult time of year for most of us that are trying to eat well and pay attention to our waistline! There is an abundance of opportunities to eat way too much food. That being said, I think it would be unreasonable for any of us to try and avoid all the holiday cheer around the dinner table. However, choose wisely because there are a few holiday foods that can completely wreck your diet! Moderation is the key, along with keeping your activity level high through the holidays. Here are a few of the worst offenders to watch out for:


Pecan pie
What it’ll cost you: On their own, pecans are high in calories, but combine them with sugar, butter, and corn syrup and you’ve got a potentially deadly dessert. A single slice will cost you more than 500 calories, 37 grams of fat, and 26 grams of sugar! If you want to indulge, go ahead; simply plan a 40 minute run to burn off the calories.

Glazed ham
What it’ll cost you: A 6-ounce slice contains 1,760 milligrams of sodium, 6 grams of sugar, and 300 calories. This might not seem outrageous, but think about how many slices of ham you fork onto your plate. The numbers add up quickly!

Swedish meatballs
What it’ll cost you: Lurking within each tempting ball can be at least 400 calories of white bread, butter, heavy cream, and sodium-laden beef broth. If you can’t resist, go ahead and enjoy. You can burn off the calories with 40 minutes of cycling.

Spinach and artichoke dip
What it’ll cost you: Spinach and artichokes alone are nutritious. However, generous amounts of mayonnaise, sour cream, and cream cheese overpower the vitamin-packed veggies. One popular restaurant’s spinach and artichoke dip with tostada chips has 905 calories and 3,100 milligrams of sodium, over 1,000 more milligrams than the USDA recommends! Yikes!

As always, bon appétit!