In terms of holidays, Thanksgiving, the day spent by many gobbling down a week’s worth of calories in one sitting, is widely considered to be the mother of all diet wreckers. The good news however, is that once the dinner does come to a close, so does the bulk of the over eating. Sure, you may indulge in a leftover helping of stuffing or two (it always tastes better the day after, doesn’t it?), but you probably won’t stuff yourself to the point of pant-unbuttoning again.

Christmas, on the other hand, is a stealthier diet destroyer. Though there is also a main meal, it is the lead up – all those holiday parties - that causes the most damage. The punch bowls of eggnog, the plates of Christmas cookies, it’s tough not to be tempted. “Food is everywhere during the holidays”, says Mindy Hermann, MBA, RD, a nutrition specialist in Mount Kisco, New York. “It’s all too easy to just grab something while you pass by.” This goes for your kids as well.

Keep your family’s holiday spirit high, but your waistlines low, with these easy ways to keep your diets on track: