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During the holidays, with all the pies and cranberry sauce that almost everyone will be facing during dinner time, it is hard for one not to gain weight. Many people tend to over eat during the holidays because let’s face it, who does not love to eat? But what can someone do in order not to gain weight during the holidays?

Below is a list of ways to avoid weight gain during the holidays:

• When going to a holiday party, do not arrive hungry. Eating something light, like a bowl of fruit with yogurt or a bowl of vegetables can help terrible eating habits when going to a holiday party. When individuals arrive hungry to a dinner party, eating more than intended is probable. With a little bit of food in the stomach, it will not be tempting to take a lot of food in one sitting. If there is no time to eat prior, ingesting a few glasses of water will curve hunger.
• Do not only focus on food during the holiday party. It is called a holiday party for a reason, and food should not be the main focus of the party. Have some fun, enjoy the night with family and friends,, and talk about the old times.
• Lori Purwin, the director of the health service department, gives advice on how not to gain weight during the holidays. Her advice:  “if you are going to ‘cheat,’ do it for one day, not for the whole weekend or the entire winter break.” If anyone is going to break his or her diet during the holiday break, do it only on a day a holiday is being celebrated, and then he or she should go back to their day-to-day diet the following day.
• Another piece of advice Purwin gives is “quantity control”. “One can be selfish when it comes to his or her plate of food”, states Purwin. Just because a family member is serving food, it does not mean the person receiving the plate cannot say stop. Control the amount of food that is being put on a plate, this will stop overeating.
• Limit the amount of alcohol consumption. Not only does alcohol have a lot of calories, but over indulging in alcohol may hinder control over what a person eats.
• Be picky about the desserts. There will be several delicious desserts sitting on the table, such as apple pie, brownies, cupcakes, and so forth. Almost everyone has a sweet tooth; however, this can badly affect a person’s teeth and also affect weight. By the time dessert comes out, a lot of food has been eaten so do not over indulge with the dessert. Take small portions.
• Walk off the dinner. A great way to help lose some of the calories that were consumed throughout the night is by walking. Encourage the family to walk before or after a meal; fifteen minutes, half an hour, or even an hour of walking can help with staying fit. Walking is a very effective way of keeping fit.

Remember to enjoy the holiday break. Holiday breaks should not be filled with work and school work; it is supposed to be a time of relaxation. Stress can also lead to weight gain, so holiday breaks should be considered as a stress reliever and filled with tons of laughter. So stay healthy, relax, and enjoy the upcoming Thanksgiving break!