Australians can pack on between half a kilo and two kilos over the festive period as a result of overindulging in decadent sweat treats, fat-laden meats and over-doing it on the alcoholic beverages.
Many tend to allow themselves to slack a bit on their exercise regimes too, with their focus becoming more on buying presents, planning holidays, Christmas parties, coordinating family events, decorating the house and ensuring the kids have a special holiday break. 
While for many this is a small price to pay for a couple weeks of guilt-free leniency
in their otherwise healthy diet, others might beat themselves up and inevitably fall into a pattern of fad dieting and over exercising.
Surviving the “silly season” with your mind and body in healthy shape however doesn’t always mean skipping out on your well-earned Chrissy cake and glass of Champagne.
Here are some tips on combatting weight gain and remaining sane throughout the festive period:
Be mindful of how much you eat and drink
You will likely be surrounded by treats at just about all times of day during the festive period, providing a true test of will power. And with your social calendar
filling up with more events than any other time of year, keeping your weight in check could prove a real challenge. What’s important to keep in mind is moderation: have your cake and eat it, but don’t go overboard. Same goes with booze, allow yourself a couple of drinks but try to limit your intake so you’re not getting inebriated at every event. Constant overindulging will inevitably lead to a bit of weight gain, which can be tricky to lose come the new year.
Don’t go to parties on an empty stomach
Arriving somewhere already feeling peckish means you are more likely to reach for
the salty, sweet or fatty food on offer, and when combined with some alcohol, will
make you even more susceptible to consuming a surplus of calories. Having a healthy meal before leaving can help stave off cravings for party food and offer a more sustainable stream of energy throughout the course of the event.
Pick your poison
While there’s no need to head out to a lavish Christmas meal with a restrictivemindset, it’s always a good idea to be a little selective with what you’re choosing to indulge in. You will find sticking to just one delicacy per event will pay off in the long run. Decide what food you enjoy most at any given party, and stick to just that. Obviously, these rules don’t apply to Christmas day – we all know calories don’t count on Christmas.
Don’t slack on your exercise
The festive period presents a convenient excuse for many to slack off on what
would otherwise be a consistent workout regime. Staying active and sticking to a regular routine however will be crucial in avoiding those often hard to lose Christmas kilos. Make sure to schedule at least 30 minutes of activity into your day, even if it means getting up a bit earlier in the morning, or squeezing in a late-night session. You might even want to consider doing a little extra if you know your food and beverage consumption will be higher than usual.
Don’t drag it out
Christmas fanatics are prone to dragging out celebrations for as long as reasonably possible, with some pushing through all the way until the end of January. While it’s all in good festive nature, doing this can be of extreme detriment to our waistline.
Especially if you’re one of those people who kicks of festivities as soon as we hit November. Try not to “let yourself go” for months on end, as the festive season can quickly turn into a large chunk of the year and leave you with hard-to-budge weight that can stick around right up until June. Staying active and trying to keep treats in moderation will be key in not ruining your healthy diet, and remember you will need to burn all those extra calories off at some point!