Holiday party survival guide: Have fun and be healthy

The holidays offer many opportunities to have fun, see good friends and indulge. The holidays are also the best time to put on the unwanted pounds of winter insulation. Set the intention to maintain your good health rather than gaining winter weight. This year consider indulging in excess fun with ice skating parties, boardgames with friends, dancing and holiday shows. As you RSVP for your next holiday party, keep these easy tips in mind and share them with your friends for a healthy and happy holiday.

• When you're invited to bring something to a party, make it a healthy dish. This is the perfect way to ensure you have something nutritious to eat.
• If you have a dinner party to look forward to don't skip breakfast and lunch. You'll be famished and will eat more than you need and feel stuffed all evening.
• For a cocktail party, have a balanced meal beforehand and let the party be about enjoying your friends not indulging in all the snacks you can pile on a cocktail napkin.
• Let the festivities lift your spirits and keep alcohol to a minimum. Have a wine spritzer, order seltzer with a twist or slow down with a glass of water between each beer or glass of wine. Avoid sweet mixed drinks.
• You'll enjoy your food more, digest better and eat less overall if you sit down and eat slowly, rather than standing and talking all evening.
• At a generous buffet party, choose a table far from the buffet and just serve yourself once. Create a balanced plate with small portions of your holiday favorites and fill the rest with salad and vegetables.
• Walk into every holiday party with an abundant attitude – there's no need to stuff yourself as if you're starving and will never eat again.
• Last but not least, a dessert tray trick: when the cookies and pie are passed around choose your favorite and tell yourself "I will have the last piece". Sometimes the treats will vanish before your eyes - and your waistline will thank you - and other times you will enjoy that last, but not least indulgence.

To your awesome life, Heather