During the holiday season, there seem to be high calorie foods everywhere.

Co-workers, family and friends offer sweets as gifts. Dinners include rich recipes passed down through generations.

It’s easy to indulge.

Here are some tips from experts throughout Lexington Medical Center for enjoying your favorite holiday foods without the traditional weight gain.

The best advice for maintaining weight is to eat when you feel hunger pangs and stop eating when you are comfortably full without feeling stuffed.

Eating when you’re not hungry means you’re taking in calories your body doesn’t need. Ask yourself, “Am I really still hungry?”

Don’t skip breakfast and lunch to save more room for the holiday dinner. You’ll end up with a huge appetite at the end of the day and overeat.

Weight is mainly a function of what we eat, not what we do. Experts say that 80-90% of weight control is through maintaining a proper diet.

You can’t out-exercise bad eating habits.

If you run a mile, you burn about 100 calories. If you overeat regularly, you’re consuming thousands of extra calories, causing pounds to add up quickly. Approximately 3,500 calories equals 1 pound.

At meals, be sure to eat foods that fill you up. Choose proteins 1st, then vegetables and fiber. Those foods will fill you up the most.

That will allow you to minimize the starches and sweets. You can still have them, but in small amounts.

Consider a “1-a-day” rule. Choose 1 holiday favorite – a cookie or candy – a day to control calories.

At parties, choose foods that are unique or special and bypass foods you eat all the time. So, enjoy Grandma’s cake, but skip the dinner rolls – because you eat those all year.

If you want to eat a high calorie food on Christmas, plan for it. If that delicious piece of cake is 300 calories, exercise earlier in the day to “prepay” for the calories.

When it comes to cooking and prepping, try substituting heart-healthy oils for butter, and non-fat milk for cream in recipes.

Cut excess calories by swapping your soda or alcoholic beverage for a sparkling water with lemon or lime.

Focus on making memories with family and friends through activities and having fun, not just the food. Think about incorporating an outdoor activity or long walk during your time together.

From the Lexington Medical Center family to your family, Merry Christmas!