by Marina Shemesh

Created on: July 31, 2008   Last Updated: June 29, 2009

The holidays can be a stress full time for those of us who wants to loose weight, or just try not to pick up the weight that we managed to loose during the year. Instead of refusing to eat anything sinful and then stuffing your face out of hunger and frustration, the best is to be prepared.

Think of the meals that you are going to have to prepare or that others will prepare for you. Remember how you celebrated previous holidays. Continue with any healthy holiday traditions and be prepared to avoid or circumnavigate any hostesses or holiday fare that you know will not aid you in your quest to keep the weight off.

Here are a few strategies to healthy holiday eating that will help make you look forward to celebrate the holidays.

IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT EATING.
The holiday are not just about spending time to cooking food or eating it. Make time for your family members apart from joining them around a heavy laid table. If you are the guest, "kidnap" your hostess for a walk in the neighborhood. Tell her that you want to spend a bit of quality time with her.

If you are the hostess organize activities to keep everybody out of the kitchen and away from the television. You can have a treasure hunt for the younger children,a day at the zoo or the park. Bigger children and grown ups can go ice-skating or hiking for the day. Use whatever is available in your area. Pack healthy snacks like pretzels, nuts and fruit.

MAKE TIME FOR EXERCISE.
If you have guests, excuse yourself politely and take yourself off for your regular date with the gym or whatever you do for exercise. Your guests will understand and would probably be relieved to have the house for themselves a bit.

Pack your running shoes if you are the one visiting. You can go for a walk or a jog in your new surroundings and get to enjoy a different scenery. Do not feel as if you are being impolite by disappearing every day for an hour or two. Make up for it by offering to prepare lunch or help with other chores around the house.

A good way to squeeze in exercise is to start a ball game in the backyard. For grown ups and children. You can also offer to take all the little kids to the park. Running after all those little ones will definitely help to burn a few calories.

At the park everybody can snack on a healthy picnic consisting of wholegrain sandwiches that are spread with hummus or low-fat cottage cheese. Take enough water for everyone and serve fruit for dessert.

FACING THE FOOD.
It is going to be hard to stick to a low calorie

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