By Staff
For the majority of people, the winter holiday season begins around Thanksgiving and ends after New Year's Day. This is the time of year that tempting aromas are everywhere, and with these delightful smells comes the desire to eat, eat, eat! 
It is commonly reported that the average American gains five or more pounds during the six-week winter holiday season. This is a myth! Although it may feel like you've gained that much or more, research has shown that most adults typically gain about one or two pounds during the holidays. This is very the good news!
The bad news is that if you are already overweight, the likelihood of gaining five or more pounds during the holidays is high. A pound or two doesn't seem like much to worry about right? Wrong! This is concerning because most people have trouble losing the extra weight after the holidays. 
Here are five quick tips to help you lose those holiday pounds before the New Year begins!
1. Start your dieting and exercise before the New Year.
Don't wait until after. Starting your plan early will help to shed those unwanted holiday pounds, leaving you with less to stress about after the first of the year.
2. Eat what you want, but don't go overboard.
Don't listen to those people who tell you to eat only the breast of the turkey or to stay away from the gravy, unless your doctor says otherwise. Enjoy the holidays! That's what they are for.
Eat what you want, but catch yourself before going for that second helping. After a long day of eating hams, turkey's and mashed potatoes, do a quick work-out when you get home to help burn some of those calories.
3. Take 10 minutes out of your day.
If you set 10 minutes aside everyday for a quick work-out, you can keep that weight off! Try doing push-ups, sit ups, running in place or buy yourself an early Christmas present of a 10-minute work-out tape. You can find them at most stores and they really do make a difference.
4. Stock up on healthy foods.
We all know that the long winter months are perfect for staying inside, curling up on the couch and watching our favorite movies every night. With this comes the comfort of eating popcorn, candy and whatever else sounds good at the moment. Instead of buying these foods, stock up on healthy foods like fruit, yogurt, crackers or anything else that won't rot your teeth. Eating fruits and yogurts will also help you loose weight!
5. Stick with your plan.
This is so important! People tend to fall behind after beginning their program and half of the time end up not finishing it at all. Even if you only have time for two laps around your block a day, it's better than not doing it at all.
All of these tips will help you keep that extra holiday weight at a minimum or completely away.
Remember, don't wait for the New Year to get here. Start your weight loss plan now and get an early start on those unwanted pounds.