How Not to Get as Fat as Santa Over Christmas

If you celebrate Christmas, it's about now that things start to hot up on the party scene -- even if you're headed for a white Christmas. Too much booze, sugary drinks, cake, nuts, puddings and calories in general, plus an excuse not to exercise, can slam on the weight before you know it. Then comes struggle time at the end of January when reality sets in again and the hard work has to start.

For a while, my running group used to have an hour's run on Christmas morning. (Okay, you can skate or ski if you like!) Now I like to hit the gym for a workout before the craziness starts. That sort of approach is symbolic more than anything else, but what you can do is be very conscientious about your diet and exercise in the weeks leading up to the big week between Christmas and New Year where a lot of the damage is done with family and friends you may not have seen for a while. Not that you'd miss it for the world . . . but you can still get control of things. Try to think of counterbalances for each session of excess. Try not to have two "big" days in a row. Eat and drink light for two out of three meals in a day.

Below are some nutrition tips to refresh your knowledge of how to eat well and keep those calories under control. And of course, keep that exercise going in some form right through the festivities. Home dumbbell workouts are ideal for this.

• Facts and Fallacies of Food for Fat Loss
• Healthy Diet Quiz
• Watch Your Portion Sizes