The holiday season consists of nearly two months of celebrating with goodies appearing in homes and offices at Thanksgiving and continuing until the beginning of January.  By late December, most peoples' plans to eat less and exercise more have gone by the wayside, and it's easy to gain a significant amount of weight.  One way to monitor your intake over time is to keep track of your daily habits and set weekly goals around food intake and exercise .

At any time of the year, losing weight and keeping it off is very difficult.  Holidays are an especially high-risk time.  The idea that you should stick to a diet to lose pounds is adding stress to an already stressful season.

Set achievable goals.  While you may be able to exercise four days a week and eat only 1,400 calories a day at other times, these benchmarks are difficult to meet during the Holidays.  You're much more likely to stick to your plan and succeed if you set your expectations more realistically, aiming to maintain your weight or to minimize weight gain to, say, one to three pounds.

When you've figured out your goals, write them down and keep a diary of what you eat. Writing your goals down can make a difference, as it will help you stay in touch with what you are eating. 

Even more critical is keeping track of your weight, as it will incorporate an accountability factor into your goals.  If you detect a two to three pound gain, there's still time to get back on track before things escalate.

It's easy to underestimate the toll that the season takes - physically, psychologically, etc. To avoid gaining weight, you need commitment and awareness.  It's best to do this with a group of people - even one or two friends or a close buddy - whom you can call upon to talk about eating concerns.

Ask your friends to prepare strategies to address potentially troublesome situations that the Holidays may bring, such as opportunities to overindulge.  This may help you to avoid pitfalls.  Afterwards, review how things play out.

Although you may have identified your red flags, be sure to heed them.  Monitor the amount you are eating and only consume enough to address actual hunger.  There's no reason to eat until you're stuffed. 

Be sure to take stock and be honest with yourself.  If your goal is to exercise three times a week, how many sessions do you miss before you admit you are slipping?  Going to an event without a plan is also a signal that you're not focusing on your eating.

The Holidays can be stressful.  You may be feeling financially pinched or extra tired from lack of sleep.  And extended visits with your family are not always tension-free.  To avoid getting trapped into using eating as an emotional crutch, devise strategies for basic self-preservation, such as focusing on what you absolutely need to get through the season. 

This may mean having time alone, getting enough sleep, having your family help out with shopping or food preparation, or hiring extra help to handle chores and errands.

 

When hosting parties and preparing meals for your guests, keep in mind that it is perfectly acceptable to modify recipes, using lower-fat options, or to offer a variety of choices.  This will give you control over the kinds of foods offered. 

Also, share the wealth: Give calorie-laden leftovers to guests as they leave, instead of packing them into the refrigerator, where they'll be tough to resist.

Every week, try to have as many "normal" days - when you eat healthy foods and exercise - as possible.  While a workout can't compensate for overeating, it does help stabilize weight and gives you a psychological boost too.  While exercise is frequently the first thing to be eliminated from a busy schedule, write your exercise time in your weekly planner and consider it as absolute. 

If you have a weight problem, family members and friends may not know how to help.  It's up to you to figure out your vulnerabilities and strengths - and communicate them.

• Wear form-fitting clothes, with a belt if possible.

• Make socializing, rather than food, the focus of the event.

• Keep your portions in check - to keep calories under control.

• Plan how much alcohol you'll drink.  It loosens your inhibitions and contributes to calorie consumption.

• Don't stand near the buffet table.  In fact, keep your back to it, so you won't even see it!

• Practice saying "no, thank you."  It's okay to turn down invitations or tell a pushy host you don't want seconds.