Lafayette, LA (KPEL News) - You've probably resigned yourself to wearing stretchy pants until the new year. Most of us have, especially those who live in Louisiana where we have the best food on the planet! We gained a few pounds when we ate our way through the smorgasbord of delicious holiday food, and now we are tempted with all the baked goods we receive as gifts and are facing a scrumptious feast for Christmas.

Here's some good news: Research suggests that we can dodge holiday weight gain, if we remember 9 simple tricks, even with delicious Louisiana food calling to us from the holiday table.

How in the world, though, do we pass up the green bean casserole, pecan pies, honey-baked ham, and bread?

The answer is that we don't need to forego eating all the treats and amazing dishes we love. The study showed that simple behavioral changes are key to beating the scale. You may not lose any weight, but maybe these ideas will prevent you from needing to shop for bigger sizes.

GET YOUR STEPS IN

You may not pay much attention to the steps being captured by your smart watch, but start now. Do your best to get in the recommended 10,000 steps a day. COVID had us sitting down and not moving much, so you may have gotten out of the habit. If you don't have a smart watch or wearable pedometer, keep your smart phone in your pocket. Your phone actually is paying attention, and it counts your steps!

PAY ATTENTION TO PORTION SIZE

If you're of a particular generation, you were taught to clean your plate. That habit may be engrained, so serve yourself less of the foods you like. If a less than full plate depresses you (like it does me), opt for a smaller plate. A former coworker of mine lost an impressive amount of weight, and I saw her enjoying all the food we love. Baffled, I asked her what she was doing differently. She said,

I take half of what I want and eat half of what I take.

I'm not sure that I'm that disciplined, but it's worth a try!

DON'T DRINK YOUR CALORIES

A can of soda contains about 160 calories. As much as we loathe thinking about them, calories matter. Opt for a diet soda, use zero-calorie sweetener in your tea, or drink water.

DON'T GRAZE

We always joke at my house that the calories we eat while standing up don't count. Sweet thought, but entirely untrue. It's tough to see appetizers laid out and not eat it. We need to taste the food while we're preparing it, right? Be mindful of how often your grabbing "just a bite." Before you know it, those bites add up to a serving.

MINIMIZE GRAB AND GO

We run to the store to pick up last minute gifts, we dash around the house trying to clean up, we sit down to wrap presents, and we need to be in four places at one. We also need to eat. All of these things together is the perfect storm for bad eating. Stop when you eat. Multi-tasking during your meal leads to overeating.  No eating in the car or with your phone or computer in front of you.

CHOOSE YOUR FAVORITE DESSERTS

Sweet treats are plentiful during the holidays! Take a look at the desserts that are available at any gathering and pick which ones are your favorite. Have a bit of those and leave the rest for others to enjoy. Keep in mind portion control. Do you need a whole slice of pecan pie to satisfy your sweet tooth? How many cookies do you really need to eat? Think about it and dine accordingly.

TAKE A FOOD BREAK WHEN YOU CAN

Christmas dinner will be grand and scrumptious, and you should enjoy every bite. The food options at parties tempts every palate. On days when you don't have a gathering or big event with fantastic food, choose healthier, lower calorie options. We want to celebrate the holidays, but we don't need to eat like we're celebrating every day. If you know about an event your attending on a particular evening, plan to eat lighter for other meals.

FIVE A DAY

Dieticians will tell you that eating five servings of fruits and vegetables every day makes a difference because it does. They offer the nutrients your body needs and they help fill you up with minimal calories.

WEIGH YOURSELF REGULARLY

Truth be told, I groaned aloud typing that. "Loathe" isn't a strong enough word for how I feel about the scale. Experts suggest choosing a cadence for weighing yourself. Some people benefit from daily, others weekly, and still others monthly. As much as we detest it, the scale keeps us accountable.

If you've made it this far in the article, you may have been hoping for a magic bullet or spell that would prevent those pounds packing on. Unfortunately, there is nothing on the market that offers sustainable weight loss like behavioral changes do.

Maintaining or losing weight during the holidays is tough, but it's not impossible. The majority of the "tricks" involve being mindful all the time and aware of what you're putting in your mouth.

You may decide to simply not think about it until the new year. Be aware that you'll have a steeper hill to climb and plan accordingly.