It's estimated that Americans gain an average of seven pounds during the holiday season, beginning at Thanksgiving and continuing this little food fest until New Years. Unless you want to count yourself among the millions who wake up on January 1, vowing to kick your chubby butt in gear, practice some simple steps at all your holiday parties to keep your weight under control.

1. Eat before the party. That doesn't mean eat a four-course meal and then go partying. That means eat a small, healthy snack at home. Some suggestions: fresh fruit, yogurt, whole wheat bagel, rice cakes, a couple of peanut butter crackers.

2. Eat the healthy stuff first. When the hors d'oeuvres trays start coming, reach for the fresh fruits and vegetables first. Make these healthy snacks the base of your party consumption and you may find yourself too full for too much chocolate.



3. Don't stand next to the food all night. We've all this person at parties. He or she guards the food table like the Snack Police. Don't let this be you. You're at the party to mingle, make new connections, have fun! So talk to people you know and introduce yourself to some you don't know. Leave the Snack Police job to someone else.

These are my first three tips. I'll continue tomorrow with three more because I, for one, don't want to get up on New Years Day, unable to button my favorite slacks.

'Til next time, my pretties.