Your Holiday Party Survival Guide

We've all been there: You head out to your annual office party with the best of intentions. You fill your plate with crudit?s, you sip seltzer water while your friends slam mojitos, and then you see the dessert cart. After that, the night gets a little fuzzy—an overdose of chocolate truffle cake can do that to a person. The next morning you groan, convinced that you've derailed from your diet.

One night won't kill you. It's often after that first major slide that you start to drift from your healthy eating habits.

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Tip #1: Choose Your Pleasure

When you arrive at a holiday party or gathering, do a perimeter check while you make the social rounds saying hello. Make a mental note where the healthy options are, what the splurge options are, and then make a healthy eating plan before you dig in. Decide what your "splurge" will be. Love grandma's apple pie? Plan to have a piece. Have a weakness for anything coated in chocolate? Make a mental note to grab a few pieces once you've finished your main, healthy meal.

Start with as close to a balanced meal as you can get, depending on the menu, before any decadent options are introduced to your palate. You're prepping the battle space. It's harder to say yes to a huge piece of chocolate cake when you've just finished a big plate of salad, whole grains and grilled chicken.

A small piece of cake? Yes, but not a huge one. Fill ? to 3/4 of your plate with fresh salad and roasted vegetables, and the rest with a fist-sized portion of lean meat and a scoop of a healthy side dish option like tabouleh, rice, quinoa or beans. Once you've finished your meal and let it digest a bit, give in to that one piece of temptation and don't feel guilty about it at all.

More: 2 Quick and Easy Dessert Recipes

Tip #2: Avoid the Mindless Munching Trap

We all know what those "mindless eating" choices are. They're the foods that if you were given a bowl of them—you would eat every last morsel without even thinking about it. Chips, pretzels, Chex mix, nuts, flavored popcorn and candies usually fall into this category. While not terrible if eaten in moderation, these calorie traps are best avoided at parties.

Have you ever been that person at the party who didn't know that many people? Did you then find yourself making besties with the bowl of chocolate covered pretzels? We've all been there. Why nixing foods entirely from your life is never a good idea because it can lead to binge eating, on these occasions it's a good idea to steer clear of any food that isn't either a healthy choice or your one splurge for the evening.

More: Easy Comfort Food Recipes Made Healthy

Tip #3: Beware of Liquid Devils

Did you know a single glass of eggnog has roughly 225 calories? And that's in one 8- ounce cup. Most party-sized glasses are 12 ounces, pushing the number to more than 300. Wine, depending on the type and size of the glass, can have anywhere from 120 to 200 calories. Now, a holiday party isn't something that comes around all of the time, and let's face it—something has to get you through another evening with weird Aunt Judy. Sticking to water is just downright unrealistic.

Many people grossly underestimate how much of their daily caloric intake is used up by liquids. Sugary or fattening holiday drinks don't give you any satiety; they usually leave you hungry because of the insulin spike. And alcohol lowers your inhibitions, making that second piece of pie seem like a fantastic idea.

Much like your eating, your drinking needs a plan of attack. Decide on two drinks when you arrive. Maybe have one of the holiday cocktails and a cup of eggnog. The trick is to make a plan, and then space it out. Once you finish that Gingerbread Man martini, sit on the sidelines for a while and have some seltzer water with lemon. Then, later on in the evening, say yes to that cup of eggnog and really enjoy it.

More: Healthy Holiday Cocktail Tips and Recipes

Tip #4: Make a Day of It

Planning your holiday party-eating plan should really begin before you even arrive at the party. Do some exercise during the day, but don't make it a marathon session to try and counteract every morsel you eat—that will just backfire. Do something you really enjoy: Go for a hike, take that spin class you've been dying to try, or meet a friend for a bootcamp class in the park. That little bit of exercise will set you up right for the evening, not just by boosting your metabolism, but by putting you in a positive mindset to stay on track and treat your body well.

More: 15-Minute Workout to Boost Your Metabolism

Tip #5: Get in the Holiday Spirit

Do you know those people at holiday parties who just seem to be living in the moment and so happy? Meanwhile, you often find yourself freaking out in the corner about the presents you have yet to buy, the wine that spilled on your shoes, or the second piece of souffl? that you weren't supposed to eat but you did. Try to be more like them—your waistline will thank you. Stressing out not only increases cortisol levels (which encourages your body to store fat), it makes you more likely to over imbibe, overeat and analyze what should really just be a fun evening celebrating the season.

Put some extra effort into looking the part. Wear that dress that makes you feel (and look) amazing, and really own it. Do your hair, paint your nails in a festive color. If you aren't naturally confident try faking it at first and you'll be amazed at how good you'll feel and how much others will take notice.

Feel confident in the fact that your eating and drinking plan is set and you did that super fun kickboxing class before the party. Now go in there and enjoy yourself—you deserve it.

More: Holiday Workout: 25 Days of Fitness

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