The Plan is There is No Plan...

And, well who wants to plan to fail? Not me! So I went and looked around to see what the experts say on how to survive the holiday on a diet. Here are some of the best practices I have found from around the interwebs:

Trim back on the trimmings (WebMD) Go all out and deck the halls with boughs of holly, glitter, and lights, but when it comes to holiday food, accessorize with care. To shave calories, go easy when adding nuts, cheese, cream sauces, gravy, butter, and whipped cream -- additions that don't add much to the meal, but can add plenty to your waistline. Trim calories wherever you can so you leave the party feeling satisfied, but not stuffed, recommends Carolyn O'Neil, MS, RD, author of The Dish on Eating Healthy and Being Fabulous.

Have a low-calorie snack before leaving for a holiday party. (Suite 101) Arrive fashionably late at cocktail parties so you miss some of the temptation to eat more. Position yourself away from the food. Find someone interesting to talk to.

Be active! (Associated Content by Yahoo) The mistake that most people make during the holidays; don't stay in all day sitting down or laying down. Consider going for a walk at the mall, or perhaps doing some visiting around with your neighbors. Don't stay sitting down for more than an hour at any time, unless you're sleeping.

And well, we all know that we have to survive the workplace minefield of holiday parties, potlucks, and well intentioned goodies brought in by co-workers. Remember at work you are battling stress and fat! Here are a few workplace ideas:

Have eggs for breakfast or lunch! (Sheknows.com) Because they contain all the essential amino acids in the perfect portions for humans, eggs are the highest quality protein available. In fact, they're the most effective at increasing nitrogen stores in muscles, making them firmer so they burn more calories even when your body is at rest. Eggs also an ideal food when you're trying to keep blood sugar and cortisol under control: Their satiating protein and healthy fats prevent fat-trapping blood sugar spikes and they're loaded with vitamin D, a nutrient proven to reduce cortisol production.

Plan a counter attack. (Thedietchannel.com) Prepare your own large platters of fruits and veggies. Place them next to the goodies and every time you walk past, grab a veggie instead of the candy. Even if you only take the healthier snack half the time, you’re making an improvement.




Now, I want to know. Are you planning to use any of these strategies? Got some of your own? Or are you throwing caution and your scale to the wind and enjoying the holiday season? I want to know!

Update: I had to drop by and add my awesome news! I hopped on the scale, and despite Aunt Flo's visit this week I am down 5lbs! Woo! Hoo! *happy dance*