Most people gain weight during the holiday season, especially between Thanksgiving and New Year. This is the time when food is abundant and fitness goals are put aside. They expect to gain weight and then lose it after the holidays. It's no wonder that losing weight becomes one of the top new year resolutions.

With proper planning and awareness, you can enjoy the holidays, eat your favourite foods and stay in shape. Here are 5 tips to prevent holiday weight gain.

1. Plan your workout

Ditch the excuse of "no time" by planning your workouts in advance.

During the holidays, you are likely to be busy with parties, shopping or running around. Schedule your workout like you do for any other appointment. By doing so, you foresee your upcoming activities so your planned workouts do not clash with them. Be sure to follow this schedule consistently.

If lack of time is an issue, focus on short intense exercises such as circuit or interval training. They take up less time and are excellent for fat burning.

Prepare for a feast day by working out in the same morning or the day before. This helps to deplete energy stored in the muscle tissue so you already burn some calories even before the feast.

2. Cheat meal

Plan a feast day to be a cheat meal day. Enjoy whatever you want to eat.

One cheat meal a week allows you to take a break from strict dieting and reward yourself. It helps to prevent cravings and assist you to stay on your healthy meal plan.

On your cheat meal day, you are allowed to consume high calorie and high carb foods. It is crucial to stick to a balance and healthy diet on other days.

3. Indulge but don't over indulge

Yes, you can eat cake, cookie, crisps, alcohol, pudding or whatever your favourite foods are. But don't over stuff yourself. Any excess calories will still be stored as fat.

Use a smaller plate to control your portion size. People who use big plates tend to overeat due to larger portions.

4. Don't starve and binge

Avoid skipping meals prior to a holiday feast or party. If you show up hungry, you are more likely to eat too much. Haven't you noticed that everything looks so good when your stomach is growling? You usually end up making unhealthy food choices.

Have a high protein meal with plenty of vegetables before going to a party. It fills you up and prevents you from bingeing during the party.

5. Alcohol

Go easy on alcoholic drinks. If you're into social drinking, do so in moderation. Alcohol contains empty calories that go right to the belly. Red wine, known for its antioxidants, may be the healthier option. Nevertheless, you should not consume it excessively if you want to stay within your calorie maintenance. Alcohol is still alcohol no matter what it is made from.

By putting these tips into practice, you can enjoy guilt-free holidays with friends or family without depriving yourself and piling on the pounds.