How to watch waistlines during holiday season
Libby Langdon

If you know you're going out for a dinner or to a cocktail party that night, have a good breakfast and a simple bowl of soup or a salad for lunch - as long as you don't overeat in the evening you'll feel like you can treat yourself a little.

Don't skip meals; you'll be ravenous by dinner and ready to overeat.

'Drink a few glasses of water before a cocktail party, you'll be full and less likely to fill up on high calorie cocktail food - the trick to enjoying holiday food is to keep portions small.

During this busy time of the year we get less sleep than we need and some of us feel a slump in the late afternoon (3 to 5 p.m.), schedule your day so you are out and running errands or shopping at this time - just 10 minutes of brisk walking can give you up to two hours of increased energy.

If you are lacking in the sleep department steer clear of high fat foods, which tend to make you feel sluggish.

Stay hydrated; even slight dehydration can lower blood volume, which forces the heart to pump harder to keep blood circulating. Water (preferably) will help you fight off fatigue.

Don't position yourself close to the food table at a party, focus on the people instead.

Leave time in your schedule for exercise - and in December shopping qualifies as a full contact sport.

Make a big pot of soup on Sunday and plan on having it for lunch during the week - get creative by adding something new each day, mushrooms, leftover chicken, whole wheat pasta - if you've already made the base you'll know it's there and it's good for you and you'll stick with the plan - plus what's more comforting than homemade soup on a cold day?

Just because you need to be careful during the holidays doesn't mean you need to punish yourself - treat yourself to a teaspoon of each dessert (no, not a big honkin' tablespoon of it all), as long as there aren't 42 desserts - you'll have a taste and won't be resentful.

If you've hosted a party, try to package leftover desserts and send them home with your guests so you're not tempted to nosh later on. If it's not there you can't eat it!

Lookout for the eggnog and seek out the red wine - red wine is about 74 calories per glass (depending on glass size) and is full of heart healthy flavonoids.

Stay away from Cream based soups, sauces and dips - they are empty calories that can set you way back from your goal of having a healthy holiday season!

What to do with the KIDS on their Christmas school break!

Get older kids to come over and throw a "make your own pizza" party - the older kids get pizza but they have to watch the smaller kids - it's an activity that entertains them and quiets them all while they are eating.

Decorate Christmas cookies - this activity is a classic and never gets old - buy some special sprinkles or some new big cookie cutters to add some variety.

Give the kids red and green crayons, or stamps and acrylic paint - let them draw all over a roll of white butchers paper - you'll have homemade wrapping paper that will mean lots more to friends and family than any store bought paper (and cheaper too)!

Let your kids go through their old toy chests - have them pick out toys they don't play with anymore - have them wrap them up and take them to a homeless shelter, church or Salvation Army.

They'll realize they are sharing with others and learning the true meaning of Christmas.

Let kids draw with marker or crayon on one side of old fashioned shipping tags, use these as your gift tags for presents.

Let kids make wreaths from paper plate templates, glue on popcorn or cotton balls and finish with a ribbon, It's time consuming and perfect for little hands, just put plenty of newspaper down to protect furniture from good old glue!

Let Kids collect "natures decorations" from your yard. They can run around picking up pinecones, twigs, berries and branches, they'll get some exercise in the fresh air and you'll have all the ingredients for a fresh, holiday centerpiece.

Plan fun holiday activities for your kids but also make sure they have some quiet downtime; it's such a magical time and so exciting for them but the meltdowns come from being over tired.

Schedules during the school week are so hectic for them; it's OK for them to balance that with a little quiet time during holiday vacation.

Rent some great old Christmas Classics - These wonderful old movies will be new to the younger kids and just as fun for you to watch along with!