Egg nog, cookies, pies, rich desserts, and traditional sweets are the norm during the holiday season.
It's hard to resist these treats when they are virtually around every corner.
So what do you do to prevent packing on the pounds during the months between Thanksgiving and December? First of all, be aware that the pounds start creeping on at Halloween after trick-or-treating.
Whether the kids have bags of candy lying around or you have leftover candy after the doorbell stops ringing, get rid of all that extra candy in the house.
Take it to the office and give it to the receptionist to have on hand.
There are lots of programs that you can take advantage of where you can send candy to soldiers overseas.
Some dentists even have a candy "buy-back" program where they exchange the candy for cash, and then even provide a free toothbrush.
Never go to a party hungry.
The biggest mistake people make is that they go hungry all day because they know they have a party to attend that night.
But what happens is that their resolve weakens and they end up so hungry by the time they get to the party that they will indulge in whatever is on the buffet table...
and take multiple trips.
This is a recipe for disaster.
You will likely end up eating more calories in a short period of time than you would if you had eaten throughout the day.
Not only that, but this will undoubtedly slow down your metabolism and also make it harder for your body to digest everything before you go to bed.
The best thing to do is to eat as you normally would throughout the day and even eat a regular meal about an hour before the party.
This will ensure that you are getting the healthy calories and will feel too full to over-indulge in too many unhealthy foods.
Another good strategy is to bring your own healthy dish to pass.
Especially if you're not sure what will be available at the party.
When you bring your own vegetable platter or fruit plate, you can be sure that there will at least be one thing at the table that will be healthy to eat.
Exercise portion control at your next holiday party.
Think about sampling a little of your favorite foods and leaving the rest.
Remember, this is NOT the last time that you will ever see this food.
You want to look back and remember that you had a good experience, not remember the bad stomach ache you had for eating too much.
Try to stand away from the table and get out there and socialize! This is a party, after all! Don't put yourself in a position where you are tempted to snag "just one more" cookie or have one more bite of the pie or cave into your co-worker's insistence that you try their chocolate dessert.
If you are hosting the party, send the leftovers home with your guests.
Get some durable plastic containers or plates with aluminum foil and wrap it all up to give away at the end of the night.
What you don't see, you won't eat.
Just remove the temptation and you won't find yourself at midnight in front of an open refrigerator with lots of enticing desserts calling your name! Even if it's cold outside, get out and MOVE! Don't skip the gym even when it's cold out.
Get in the habit of taking a walk after dinner or even getting a group together to play Wii fit games.
Bundle up, bring a friend, and have some sugar-free hot chocolate when you get home! Even if it's just for a few minutes, any exercise you can fit in during the day will go far in keeping you fitter and leaner during the holiday season and beyond.