Five Tips to help you avoid looking like the holiday turkey this season. Frightening Fat Facts: The average individual may gain 5 to 15 lbs of fat during the holiday season. 1. Eat more frequent small meals rather than one or two big meals a day. Eating three moderate meals a day including two snack meals of smaller proportions will help curb hunger throughout your day. Eating more often will eventually speed up metabolism and allows your body to burn calories efficiently. Remember to regulate each proportion to approximately 250 to 600 calories per meal (depending on your caloric goal). See your fitness professional to design the appropriate program for you. 2. Avoid unnecessarily eating when going out. You might be involved with many engagements, such as visiting relatives and friends, and it’s very easy to overindulge in snacks and refreshments. Sometimes you may catch yourself going out to dinner or lunch twice a day! 3. Schedule time to exercise frequently. Plan your workouts to fit in with your daily errands such as shopping for gifts. A good habit is to prepare for a morning or daily run or cardio activity 3 days a week and perhaps to incorporate a resistance training routine after work or before your last meal of the day. 4. Create fun and active activities at your holiday parties. Instead of playing sit down games like board games or cards, try playing charades (for adults) or pin the tail on the donkey (for kids). Outside sports such as throwing the football or frisbee are great physical activities. 5. Prepare healthy dishes at your holiday party. If you are planning to bake or cook a feast, try substituting some of the minor ingredients in your recipes. Sugar can sometimes be replaced with honey, butter can be replaced with light margarine, apple sauce instead of oil and skim milk versus 2 percent. Don't be too strict, the holiday is for fun and love so make time to enjoy yourself! But, watch those calories!