Updated October 03, 2014.

Worried that the winter holiday season will derail your weight-management plans? You're not alone. Luckily, Hungry Girl is here with all the need-to-know info, so you can fit into your favorite jeans come January! 

AVOID AN ALL-OR-NOTHING APPROACH

Many people assume surviving the holiday season unscathed by weight gain is not even possible, so they completely put their smart-eating habits on hold until after the new year.

Bad idea! Instead, embrace the 80/20 mentality -- eat well 80 percent of the time, and indulge about 20 percent of the time. When it comes to those holiday dinners, load up your plate with the healthier choices (like salad, lean protein, and veggies), and leave only a little room for the more decadent foods. You can still enjoy a slice of grandma's famous pumpkin pie... Just don't have it morning, noon, and night!

More Diet Mistakes You Could Be Making

 

BE REALISTIC 

Between the office parties and family feasts, the holidays can be a tough time for weight loss. Face it: Dropping ten pounds -- or even five -- during the month of December is an unrealistic goal for most people. Your best approach may be to focus on maintaining. This way, you won't get frustrated and completely throw in the towel on healthy eating if the number on the scale isn't budging.

 

HOLIDAY SHOPPING

When you head off for a marathon session of gift shopping, make sure you bring some smart emergency snacks. Otherwise, you could find yourself super hungry and caving in to mall smoothies (often shockingly high in calories), giant soft pretzels, or other bad choices.

If you have to grab food at the food court, follow this advice. 

Healthy On-the-Go Snacks (Emergency Snacks)

 

STAY ACTIVE 

Take advantage of winter activities. Go sledding, ice skating, skiing, or snow tubing. Live in a warmer climate? Go for a hike! And no matter where you live, there are plenty of indoor activities that burn calories: Throw on a fitness DVD, or just dance around in your living room to the tune of "Jingle Bell Rock." Bottom line: Don’t be a couch potato all season long.

 

HYDRATE, HYDRATE, HYDRATE

Drink a LOT of water. Otherwise, you might mistake thirst for hunger and consume a needless number of calories! Dehydration can also cause you to get cranky, leading to poor food decisions. None of this is good when you're dealing with holiday-season stresses and temptations! Carry around a refillable water bottle so you've always got H2O on hand. Wanna change things up? Try hot water with lemon... it keeps me feeling full.

 

DON'T SKIP MEALS

Bypassing breakfast or lunch leading up to a big feast is a common mistake. You might think it's a good idea to "save your calories for a big meal," but you're basically setting yourself up for failure. Skipping meals will just leave you feeling famished by the time dinner hits the table. And it's much harder to make smart choices when hunger gets the best of you. So eat a satisfying breakfast and a light lunch. Just do it! (Make that just chew it...)

Filling Breakfast Ideas for Weight Loss or Maintenance

 

WHIP UP SMART SWAPS FOR SEASONAL FAVORITES 

Bring a guilt-free dish to any holiday table so you'll have something diet friendly to indulge in. It's easier than it sounds. Hungry Girl recipes aren't complicated at all, and I've got swaps for pumpkin pie, stuffing, peppermint brownies, and more. Your calorie-counting companions will thank you, and other guests won't even know that your dish is guilt-free... My swaps are THAT good!

Hungry Girl's Healthy Holiday Recipes
 

COCKTAILS

There are two reasons to take it easy with the alcohol during the holiday season. First of all, the drinks themselves often pack tons of empty calories. Case in point? A single cup of your average eggnog has over 400 calories and 20 grams of fat! The second reason to limit cocktails? Getting buzzed only makes you more likely to give into the temptation of double-fudge brownies, creamy casseroles, and more. Resisting the urge to go nuts with those is hard enough!

 

LEFTOVERS 

If you’re hosting, send the calorie-dense foods home with anyone who'll take 'em. Stock up on cheap disposable containers so you can give leftovers away without worrying about whether you’ll get your dishes back. You can also freeze any item you have too much of so you don’t feel like you have to consume it all before it goes bad. If you’re a guest, politely decline to bring home the heavier foods.

For guilt-free recipes, food finds, tips 'n tricks, and more, sign up for free daily emails at hungry-girl.com!