Hi all! Wandering the aisles of any store at this time of year will remind the forgetful that Christmas is only a month and a half away, and Thanksgiving is right around the corner.

The health-conscious American knows what’s coming: Turkey. Stuffing. Potatoes. Pie. Cake....and that one - or many! - members of the family take this occasion to make something absolutely deliciously unhealthy—and lots of it.
And then there are the Christmas parties, dinners, more parties, with food and drink and more food and more drink, and by New Year’s you’re lucky if your jeans still fit, let alone that great outfit you bought for New Year’s Eve!

So here are 10 tips on how to enjoy the heck out of your holiday season, and still fit into your clothes!

We’ll start with Thanksgiving.

1. Get in an extra workout. You’ll be eating a lot more calories than usual on Thanksgiving day. If you’re reading this, I know you’re interested in fitness and probably have a good exercise routine going already. Make sure you get in an extra workout that weekend to balance the extra food. Try not to skip your regular workouts, either!

2. Plan for contingencies. A common characteristic of people who successfully change their body size for the better is the ability to deal with falling off the wagon. For instance, if you plan your make-up workout on Friday at noon, plan a backup time, so that if you are distracted by a small child explosion, an unexpected chance to chat with a long-lost relative, or anything really important, you are already prepared with an alternative time, so you don't have to waste time feeling guilty. Guilt is highly overrated. Just be sure you make that alternative time!

3. Toss the leftovers. Really. One big dinner isn’t a problem in an otherwise healthy diet, but 3, 4, 5, big dinners/lunches in a row is. Save just enough for one batch of your favorite turkey-leftover dish (for me, it’s the Thanksgiving Sandwich: French bread with turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce. Yum.), enjoy it, and get rid of the rest! It’s doing you no good. Feel guilty about starving children? Hit a soup kitchen or donate to charity—one Google search of “feed starving children” turned up over a million hits. And you’ll help fight America’s weight problem as well!

4. Before you eat your leftover treat, eat a big ol’ salad. That way, you’ll get your veggies and fiber in with your fat and simple carbs.

5. Finally, enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner on the day itself. Hang with friends and family. Watch football. Eat pie. Don’t feel guilty for one big meal—if it’s the exception, rather than the rule, you’ll be just fine.

So that's Thanksgiving—what about Christmas? Parties, drinks, cookies, feasts—things can get pretty heavy. Here are 5 more tips to keep you light this December.

1. Pick your Christmas parties to go to. Christmas parties generally have tons of alcohol, candy, cookies, cakes, cheese, and other unhealthy things beginning with C. Go only to the ones you know will be a heck of a lot of fun. That way, you can cut down on stress, opportunities to eat unhealthy food, and unwanted obligations. Use the extra time to go shopping, or hang out with the people you really want to see.

2. Eat a big salad and drink 2 glasses of water before eating anything else at each party you go to. It’ll make sure you get your green leafies and hydration (heck, you aren’t going to eat dinner before going to Mrs. Mayer’s Christmas Eve Ham and Cookie Fest, are you?) during the season. It’ll also help fill you up with healthy things. Then, you can eat anything you want. Really. Did I mention guilt is overrated?

3. Since you’re doing Christmas shopping instead of going to all the boring or annoying parties, you don't have to skip your normal workouts, right? Stick to your schedule like glue, but be sure to have a contingency plan in case you get overwhelmed.

4. Again, add extra workouts to your schedule. If you’re home for the holidays, go for a walk with a friend or relative you haven’t seen in a while. Visiting someone with a dog? Win points and burn calories by volunteering to walk it. A friend or relative just got into a new exercise routine or bought some nifty exercise gadget? Get him or her to take you along for a workout. You might discover a whole new interest. (Or drag someone along to your newest addiction. It’ll be fun. Promise.)

5. When you’re not at a feast or a party, eat healthily. Lots of veggies and fruits, lean protein, whole grains and good fats. The body knows what it needs to stay healthy, and will thank you for it!

Use these tips to plan your holiday season. You’ll feel healthier and happier than you did last year, you’ll be more relaxed, and you won’t feel any post-holiday guilt. Better yet, that great New Year’s Eve outfit will still look great on you!

Now go forth, have fun, and be healthy!
Melissa

***Melissa is a fitness professional, dance teacher, and performing Middle Eastern dancer based in New York City. She's currently developing the next Tae-Bo by fusing bellydance and Pilates into an effective and entertaining workout for dance experts and novices alike. Check out www.melisssasdance.com for more information on Melissa, and how she can help you love the way you look. Also watch for the launch of the BellyCore site!Training Notes is Melissa's monthly newsletter on all things health, fitness, and exercise-related. If you've got a question you'd like to see in a future issue, you can contact Melissa at me (at) melissasdance dot com.