1. Exercise

One of the most effective ways to maintain or lose body weight is to engage in regular, sustained aerobic activity. Some experts recommend 200-minutes aerobic activity per week. But any length of time is still better than no time at all. Exercise is a great way to burn those extra calories you may be taking in this time of year (remember those iced reindeer cookies you had with lunch?). Here are some ideas to get you moving:

• If you have a stationary bicycle or treadmill at home, dust it off and put it in front of the television or radio for some background entertainment while you’re exercising. Why not watch your favorite television show and exercise at the same time?
• Go to the library and get a book on tape or CD, listen to it and read (so-to-speak) as you exercise.
• Haven’t used your gym-pass in awhile? Hire a personal trainer to teach you effective calorie-burning techniques, or join that kick boxing class you’ve always wanted to try.
• Go for a morning or evening walk alone or with a friend.
• Put a little kick in your cleaning technique. Fire up some music and dance while you clean. Who ever knew cleaning could be so fun? 
• Have bad knees or other joints? Don’t worry – water aerobics or swimming is your answer! The water prevents your weight bearing down on the joints and is an effective way to burn calories.

Note: If you haven’t exercised in at least 6-months, check with your doctor first before starting.

2. Aim for five-a-day

Fruits and vegetables are a triple-win situation.  They fill you up so you have less room for more fattening food, they are full of good nutrients, and they provide more fiber, which helps to fill you up even futher.  Fruits and vegetables fill you up faster than other snack foods.  Make it convenient for yourself, so that fruits and veggies become an easy-grab option.  Pack your refrigerator with bags of cut-up vegetables and whole or cut-up fruits. Grab a bag while on the go or at work. Make a pact with yourself that you’ll eat your five-a-day before you snack on any cookies or other holiday treats. You’re sure to take in fewer calories overall.

3. Avoid tempting situations

While you can’t avoid all of the tempting holiday situations, focus on the many ones you can. For example, do you keep candy or cookies at your desk or workspace? Do you frequent the dining room table or pantry where you store all your holiday goodies? How many times do you pass the break room in your office to grab a chocolate?

Make a mental note of tempting places and try to control them. For example, make a pact with co-workers that goodies will be kept solely in the break room, not at the front desk or in various offices. Then, plan to go into the break room only once a day to take a small treat. Store your cookies in a pantry or in sealed containers. Only go near them when you are ready to take them out for a party or to give as gifts. When going grocery shopping or to the drugstore, avoid the candy or cookie isle and read a magazine while waiting at the checkout instead of eyeballing all of the sweets by the registers.

Mentally plan out how you will avoid tempting situations. If you can’t avoid them entirely, see number 4.

4. Limit to one-a-day

While you can’t control every situation, you can control how much food goes into your mouth. If you are constantly bombarded with holiday parties and displays of desserts or candies you can still effectively help prevent overeating and weight gain. One way is the one-a-day method. Allow yourself one small serving of a cookie or piece of candy each day during the holiday season. Remember that you may have to compensate for it later in the day by reducing your total caloric intake or by burning a few extra calories while exercising. If you aren’t confronted with holiday foods that day, just skip your one-a-day – but don’t compensate and double-up on your serving the next day.

5. Never go to a party hungry

One of the worst things you can do is skip eating all day to ‘save up’ for some type of binge-eating episode at a party. Have a nutritious snack like a low-fat trail mix, a piece of fruit, cut-up vegetables, yogurt, whole grain crackers with peanut butter or even a glass of skim milk before the party. This way you’ll be satisfied when entering the party and enjoy small portions of foods without overeating.

6. Plan ahead and bring a low-calorie dish with you

Offer to bring a dish with you to a holiday party. Whatever you bring, make sure it’s low in calories such as fresh fruits, vegetables or low-calorie dips. At least you’ll know you have at least one good dish to choose from.

7. Say No Politely

Many times you feel forced to eat foods because people keep putting it in front of you. Learn to say no politely, such as "No thank you, I’ve had enough. Everything was delicious,” or "I couldn’t eat another bite. Everything tasted wonderful.” You’ll find saying no isn’t so hard to do after all, and people will get used to your new behavior soon enough.

8. Focus on Socializing

Don’t stand around the food table when you are at a party – focus your energies on making conversation with others instead of focusing on foods. Conversation is calorie-free.

Remember, the holidays are meant to celebrate good times with family and friends. Enjoy the holidays and plan effective strategies to help you achieve your weight loss goals. Achieving what you sought out for will give you one more good reason for holiday cheer!

9. Practice Self-Hypnosis or See a Professional Hypnotherapist

If you know that your personal behavioral patterns are difficult to change, see a hypnotherapist or embark on a self-hypnosis program to change your behaviors subconsciously.  It’s much easier to make healthy food and exercise choices when those choices are driven from a healthy self-image.  In hypnosis, you can change your self-image, and by doing that, you create a change in your behavior.  We always act in congruence with our self-image.  What’s yours?