The temptations are everywhere over the holidays – cheese, crackers, cookies, chocolate and dare I even mention the mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy!? How is a festive party goer to avoid the seemingly inevitable holiday weight gain? Here are 5 quick tips to keep even the merriest of us focused:

1. Many parties start at mealtimes or afterwards. If you typically eat dinner at 6:00 and the dinner party doesn’t start until 6:30, you know you’re going to be hungry. Before heading out, have a large salad or a bowl of broth based soup and a tall glass of water. This will keep you from being too hungry when you arrive at the party and allow you to make rationale food choices instead of being ravenous and needing to eat whatever is available, as quickly as possible.
2. When you arrive at the party and there is an endless assortment of delicious food just ready to be enjoyed – stop and browse for a few minutes. Make a plan! What foods must be tried and which could be left for another time? Maybe you’d prefer to have a one of the decadent chocolate cheesecake squares for dessert and can pass on the double cream mashed potatoes?
3. We hear it all the time, but watch the portion sizes. Go big on salads or steamed vegetables and stay small on the higher fat and calorie options. Consider filling half your plate with the healthy options and then use the other half of your plate for tastes of the other foods.
4. What’s a party without some beverages? Of course you want to enjoy the latest martini or your favourite wine at the party. Just keep in mind that each drink has over 100 calories and over the course of the party, those drinks can add up. Have a look at this calorie calculator to figure out how your libations add to your calorie consumption. If you are someone who likes to have a glass in hand during a party, consider alternating between sparkling water and your favourite alcoholic refreshment.
5. Stick to your regular eating pattern at home. Just because it’s the holidays, don’t let your good habits go out the decorated window. If you are a person who enjoys fruit and Greek yogurt for breakfast and salad for lunch, keep it up during the holidays whenever possible. Obviously, the holidays are going to throw your regular routine off a little bit, but if your routine makes your body and mind feel good, stick with it as much as you can.

Happy holidays & good luck!