Posted by Niapage

Although Christmas appears to be a long time away it’s time to start planning on how you are going to get through the holiday season without blowing your diet. Here are a few simple tips to get through the holiday season without having to add losing weight as one of your New Year’s Resolutions.

1. If you are one to bake many of your Christmas gifts start looking for healthier recipes instead of the normal cakes and cookies. Purchase pretty glass bottles and fill them with flavored oils such as olive oil with sprigs of rosemary or hot chili peppers. This will not only save you many calories from being tempted to eat all the goodies that you have baked, but gifts of flavored oils are healthier for your gift recipients and will last them many months.

2. Do you really need to have a coffee table filled with double chocolate chip and butter cookies just in case someone drops by? Instead have nuts and dried fruit available. Or better, yet freeze berries or grapes that are in season now and take them out of the freezer when guests arrive. They will love being treated to summer fruits on a snowy winters day. This also makes a great take-along treat for pot luck dinners.

3. Alcoholic drinks may be fat free but they are loaded with calories. If you must drink, have a splash of wine in a glass of club soda, or mix your drink with diet soda instead of regular soda.

4. Love eggnog but you know that just 4 ounces of eggnog can add up to almost 200 calories and 10 grams of fat and that most eggnog is served in a 6 ounce glass? If you can’t make it through the holidays without eggnog and your host didn’t purchase a low fat version, add a bit of skim milk to stretch it, add additional nutmeg for extra flavor and then drink it out of a small but very decorative glass.

5. Although we all love to try every food item when we go to a party, you know how stuffed you can get. Hit a few parties during the season and you will soon notice that your pants are getting tighter. Instead of filling your plate up with full serving of each, just take small servings. If the host or hostess then asks you if the don’t like the food express that your trying a bit of everything and if they wouldn’t mind sharing a few of their recipes. This will make them feel good and will let you get away with just nibbling without hurting any feelings.

These are just a few ideas to get your own creative juices flowing. Over the next few months as you hear good holiday strategies write them down, then once the holidays start getting closer, pull out your list and use it. Then maybe you won’t be looking at larger size clothes in January.

by Patricia Zelkovsky
Patricia is a health focused content author. Visit Patricia’s site for more Weight Loss, Dieting and Fitness Tips