First, avoid the alcohol. The cocktails served at holiday parties can be full of calories, and when we drink we have a decreased will power when it comes to holiday foods. They also stimulate our appetites and will cause us to eat more than we normally would at a party. Having one drink to celebrate a special occasion is fine as long as we don’t over do it every time we go out to celebrate the season.

Another great tip to help stick to your plan over the holiday season is to show up after you have already eaten a full meal, this will reduce the amount of snacking you do at the party.

Use the holidays to get outside when the weather allows. Playing in the snow, climbing the hill for sledding, and snow ball fights are great for getting your heart pumping and burning off the calories from those candy canes.

If the weather outside isn’t cold or snowy, head to the mall for a little gift shopping. Make a number of laps around the mall and take the stairs instead of the escalators. Keep this in mind at parties as well, get up and move around as much as possible. Christmas caroling is another great activity that gets you out moving around and you can also spread some holiday cheer.

Lastly, avoid gifts of food. Of course you can’t tell people what to buy for you but if you find yourself with a lot of chocolates and brownies, share the love, take these things into work or with unopened items donate them to a local food bank. Even though these tips don’t sound like much they will help you stay slim even as you are surrounded by goodies through out the holidays.