• What Is OWN?
    What the preview!
    GO
  • Health News
    Get information you can use in your inbox!
    GO
  • Dr. Oz's New Show
    Where and when to watch Dr. Oz weekdays
    GO

Top 10 Holiday Diet Tips of All Time

By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD
Woman dieting
Holidays bring family and friends together to celebrate traditions and spread good cheer. They also bring lots of opportunities for socializing, eating and drinking. Even the most disciplined people struggle with temptation during the holiday season.

To navigate the party landmines with your healthy diet intact, you need a strategy. Experts agree: Having a plan in place will help you handle night after night of eating and drinking.

"Think of your appetite as an expense account, and figure out how much you want to spend on drinks, appetizers, entrées and dessert," advises Michelle May, MD, author of Am I Hungry? What to Do When Diets Don't Work. She suggests giving yourself permission to enjoy your favorite foods—in sensible portions.

To help you survive the seasonal parties without packing on the pounds, WebMD consulted diet gurus across the country for their best holiday diet tips.

Get their top 10 recommendations.



As a reminder, always consult your doctor for medical advice and treatment before starting any program.

Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD, on December 19, 2007.
SOURCES: Michelle May, MD, author, Am I Hungry? What to Do When Diets Don't Work. Carolyn O'Neil, MS, RD, author, The Dish on Healthy and Being Fabulous. Cathy Nonas, MS, RD, spokeswoman, American Dietetic Association (ADA); director, diabetes and obesity programs, North General Hospital, New York. Melinda Johnson, MS, RD, spokeswoman, ADA. Katherine Tallmadge, MA, RD, spokeswoman, ADA; author, Diet Simple. Cynthia Sass, MPH, MA, RD, spokeswoman, ADA; co-author, Your Diet Is Driving Me Crazy. David Katz, MD, MPH, associate professor, Yale University School of Public Health; author, The Flavor Point Diet. Brian Wansink, PhD, author, Mindless Eating, professor and director, Cornell University Food and Brand Lab, New York. © 2006 WebMD, Inc. All rights reserved.