Holidays are upon us.  This is a traditional time of the year for yet ADDITIONAL weight gain.  Many homes, offices, clubs, etc. will have various holiday parties, and you might find yourself in a position of going to more than one.  Living a healthy lifestyle doesn't have to mean being a hermit.  You don't have to, as I've said in prior posts, live in a shack in the woods and eat turnips in order to avoid weight gain.  You just need to BUDGET those calories, and be aware of what you are really consuming.  If you have a party to go to, you need to start budgeting early.  Get some exercise during the day, (which, hopefully, you are doing anyway).  Get in your morning run, or walk, or bike ride, or swim.  Take an additional walk at lunchtime.  These things all burn some energy, and that's the name of the game.  Eat breakfast, but go a little lighter, and include plenty of protein.  It will stay with you longer.  Skip the caramel mocha frapawhatever on the way to work, that'll help you to bank  200-400 calories for consumption later.  When you are at the party, be aware of what you're doing.  It's so easy to eat mindlessly at one of those functions.  A handful of nacho chips, 140 calories.  Nibbling on nuts while you're talking, (2 oz., around 300 calories.  Veggie tray..........safe, right?  Nope.  Grab the piece of cauliflower, great.........dunk it in a big glob of ranch dressing, 50 calories.  Do that half a dozen times throughout the evening, and you've glommed down 300 calories worth of just ranch dressing!  Cheese cubes, the ever present tray at many parties.  A 1 oz cube, roughly 100 calories.  Now it's time for dinner!  Never a light calorie affair at such functions, but you may have gulped down 700-1000 calories just hanging around WAITING for dinner!  Just be aware.  It will sneak up on you.  After dinner, a piece of pumpkin pie- 300 calories.  A little scoop of ice cream, add another 100-150.  Budget your needed daily calories, figure out what you NEED that day, depending upon your level of physical activity, and STICK TO IT!  If you go over, you can plan on additional fat storage.  It's not really that simple, of course.  Your body doesn't work that way in a single day.  If you break over one day, you can go lighter the next day or two and even it out with little or no problem, but what I'm getting at is a mind set.  Make a calorie budget and stick to it.  Learn to say no thank you to the chips, the pie, the sweet drinks.  They don't give you much nutritionally, and they are calorie dense with sugar, flour, etc., not to mention the salt that you don't need.  I want you all to stay the course during this upcoming holiday season, and get through it still on track to a healthier life.  Go to the party, but remember that YOU are in control.  Eat some nuts, eat some cheese, eat the vegetables on the platter WITHOUT the big glob of dressing.  You can do it.