Just because the holiday season is upon us does not mean weight gain is inevitable, girlfriend. Kick off your holiday with a plan that will get you through Christmas and the New Year without packing on the pounds.

It might sound a little weird, but before you attend the open houses, toy drives and Kwanzaa parties, devise an eating strategy for the parties, weekends and during the week.

If you know you will attend a holiday event where the main theme is food and everyone is expected to do the "piggy-piggy thing”, please consider a pre-holiday cleanse --- only eat fruits, vegetables, salads and light protein (egg whites, fish, lean chicken) during the 48 hours leading up to the party.

Avoid unnecessary snacking on office pastry platters, cans of caramel popcorn, cutesy cupcakes and all those Christmas cookies this holiday season. A few too many tastes on the lips will do damage to the hips.

It will take some doing, but control yourself and be more selective about what you eat this time of year. Chances are you will not have the urge to overeat, if you commit to crunching calories. The pre-holiday cleanse, leading up to the celebration, will help you to think twice before you overdo it.

Create a meal plan each week and stick to it, particularly if your social gatherings are right after work. If you don’t have time to make it to the gym during the day, take the stairs at work, walk around the block at lunch or park your car a distance from your office.

Your girlfriends and your man are great company, but if they have a tendency to pack their plates, drink like fish or go for seconds when it comes to dessert, don’t follow their lead. It’s okay to have a drink or two, but there are lots of useless calories in that spiked eggnog. In fact, let them know you are watching your weight this holiday season and encourage them to join you.

Even in the days leading up to Christmas and New Years, remember the gym is your friend. Try to get in workouts that target a quick calorie burn because the biggest problem most people have during the holidays is they eat food they don't normally eat.

If you add extra cardio to your exercise routine, those wonderfully, decadent calories won't be so noticeable in January. If you are sincere in your effort to avoid holiday overeating than "eat less and rejoice more" and “put down your plate, if you want to lose weight.”

Have a happy and healthy holiday season, girlfriends.