How much weight do you think people typically gain over the winter holidays? Five pounds? Ten?

Research indicates most people put on just under a pound between Thanksgiving turkey with all the trimmings and New Year’s Day’s ham-laden hoppin’ john.

“The trouble is, most of us never shed that weight, so over the years it can really add up,” cautions Joyce Price, Teer House educator and dietitian. However, she says it is possible to prevent that incremental weight gain and still enjoy the season. “My motto is balance, variety, and moderation.”

Price shares her healthful holiday strategies below.

• Aim to maintain your weight. Don’t gain but don’t try to lose weight during the holidays.
• Don’t skip meals. If you go hungry now so you can indulge later, you may find yourself binging.
• Indulge selectively. Which foods do you really like? Enjoy them, just limit portion size. Eat half a slice of cake, for example. Don’t go back for seconds.
• Don’t go to a party hungry. Get something to eat and go to the other side of the room so you won’t be tempted to graze at the buffet. Wearing something snug may remind you not to overeat. Focus on socializing. Dance!
• Look out for liquids. Those festive beverages can add hundreds of calories to your diet. For example, an eight-ounce serving of egg nog with rum is 450 calories. Opt for alternatives: tomato juice, diet soda, seltzer with lemon.
• Pace yourself. When given a gift of food, remember, you don’t have to eat it all! Limit yourself to one serving a day or one every other day. Or share it at the office.
• Don’t let the holidays derail your physical activity. With celebrations to host and attend and the added stress of travel, there’s less time for exercise, so find new ways to fit it in. Take a brisk walk after a holiday dinner. Don’t fight for parking spaces at the mall; park farther away and walk.
• Enjoy all the pleasures of the season: family, friends, parties, gifts, and food.

Lighten Up Holiday Fare

Jennifer Prish, dietitian and manager of Durham Regional Hospital’s Live for Life program, offers these healthy substitutions for holiday favorites.