Passing on those hefty holiday calories

Some of the finest foods you'll taste during the year come during the holiday season -- turkey and trimmings, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, sweet potato casserole.

But six weeks and 10 pounds later, that second helping of grandma's figgy pudding doesn't sound so good after all.

It can be easy to slip out of your diet and exercise routine over the next few weeks. So, take some advice from a professional. Bob Wright is the director of education at Hilton Head Health, a weight loss and lifestyle management clinic on Hilton Head Island.

Here, he offers some tips on how to handle the holidays:

• Portion control is a must. None of us want to offend Aunt Sally by not trying her signature dish, so rather than letting her give you a giant spoonful (or two or three), serve yourself and only take a bite-size portion.

A few key points to remember when filling your plate fill it half with fruit and veggies, a quarter with a low-fat protein (such as skinless chicken, fish or lean beef) and the remaining quarter with either whole grains, legumes or a starchy vegetable.

• Although it might seem like it makes sense at the time, don't try to "bank" calories by skipping meals.

The combination of hunger and entitlement (I earned it!) will lead you to consume far more calories than you will save.

Instead, try to have six small meals daily or eat small healthy snacks throughout the day. These small snacks won't only keep you from getting hungry and overeating at a later meal, but they'll also help stabilize blood glucose levels, promote the consumption of fruits and veggies, and potentially increase your metabolism.

• Allow yourself a reasonable amount of treats. Because there are sure to be many delicious homemade goodies, be selective. Ask yourself if you really want it. If so, have a small portion, savor every bite and enjoy it without guilt.

Keep holiday treats out of sight. Tell family members where they are, but bring them out only for visitors.

• When going to parties, arrive a little late and leave a little early. Eat a healthy snack beforehand and spend your time socializing. Focus on friends and family rather than food.

Keep alcohol to a minimum. If you choose to have a cocktail or glass of wine, drink it with your meal -- not before. When hosting a party, provide plenty of healthy snacks and beverages, and encourage guests to take home leftovers.

• Stay active. Exercise burns calories, preserves fitness and helps manage the stress that often accompanies the holidays. Less stress helps you make better food choices.

If it's not realistic to exercise as much as usual, do what you can. Something is always better than nothing. And if you only have a very limited amount of time, try a full-body circuit workout that combines strength training and cardio.

• When giving gifts, think fitness. It's a great time to upgrade your treadmill or other fitness equipment -- and pedometers, heart rate monitors and iPods make great stocking stuffers.

If you want to go high-tech, consider the new Nike+iPod system that tracks time, distance and calories or a GPS Garmin watch that tracks time, distance, pace, heart rate and more.

• If you overindulge or skip exercise, don't panic, you haven't blown it. Think about it this way, if you missed a turn on a road trip, would you just give up and go home?

Of course not, you'd get back on track and continue onto your destination. The only consequence is that you'd arrive a little later than planned.