The question is…how do you avoid packing on the pounds while still eating, drinking, and being all kinds of merry? There has to be a way, right? There is, and certain very fit celebrities are sharing their secrets with us

Thanksgiving is over and my pants are t-i-g-h-t! How about yours? I think I ate more this year than any other, and it’s just the beginning. We’ve officially kicked-off the holiday season and ushered in the weight gain that follows. And while I really enjoy the holidays; socializing, eating, cooking, baking, sampling, nibbling, drinking and overindulging in general, I don’t enjoy the way I feel a few days later. As of today, I'm still feeling full, my face is puffy and, well, I feel like hell. Maybe it has something to do with all the pumpkin pie and stuffing I've been eating for breakfast. I don’t know.

One thing is certain though, as enjoyable as the holidays can be they are undeniably a fat-filled, carb-heavy, non-stop food fest. And that’s why I love them. But, the question is…How do you avoid packing on the pounds while still eating, drinking, and being all kinds of merry? There has to be a way, right?

There is, and certain very fit celebrities are sharing their secrets with us. They offer tips and tricks such as what munchies to avoid, what to substitute, and what drinks to pass up. Unfortunately, this info may be a little too late to avoid the Thanksgiving weight gain but think about all the other food land mines coming up- Hanukkah, work parties, cookie swaps, Christmas, etc. And if your New Year's Eve plans involve a form fitted slinky outfit you may want to pay attention to what these celebrities have to say. 

Bethenny Frankel - reality TV star, natural foods chef, and the author of Naturally Thin and The Skinny Girl Dish offers some valuable holiday diet tips for getting through the season while (attempting to) maintain your figure.

“Bingeing at this time of year is very common,” she says. “People indulge a little bit, get anxiety about it and decide to destroy themselves because they've already been ‘bad.’ The only unbreakable rule I have is never binge. You can have a cookie or a few bites of cake or a piece of pizza and it will never make you fat. But, the ‘beat yourself up’ mentality will cause you to binge and that will make you fat.”  

Here are Bethenny’s top tips for enjoying yourself and avoiding the binges.

• Wear fitted clothes to prevent overeating.
• Alternate cocktails with club soda.
• Order your cocktails on the rocks.  They’ll last longer and the diluted ice cubes will hydrate you.
• Before a party spoil your appetite with a 200-calorie snack such as edamame, almond butter and whole grain crackers, low-fat cheese, hummus or turkey on sprouted grain bread.
• Decide where to invest calorically: alcohol, dessert, bread or a very small amount of each.
• Don't waste calories on average hors d'oeuvres, like neon-orange cheese cubes. Instead, allow yourself tiny tastes of luxury foods, such as baby lamb chops or a decadent cheese, you’ll feel more satisfied.
• Once at the party fill up on low-calorie, high-fiber foods first such as crudités or shrimp cocktail. Then have a small amount of decadent hors d'oeuvres.
• Skip the entrée.  Instead, have one appetizer such as salad or soup and a decadent appetizer such as crab cakes.

Finally, she says, “No one can make you eat anything. You have to take responsibility for what you put into your mouth.”

Dr. Mehmet Oz - New York Times best-selling author and host of The Dr. Oz Show, shares his tips for staying fit and healthy this holiday season.

• Bring your own dish to the party. If you take a dish then you know there will be at least one healthy food to snack on.
• Scan the buffet. Before diving into the first thing you see, take time to look at all the options.  Feel free to pick at things too. If the finger sandwiches are drenched in mayonnaise, just eat the meat filling but not the bread.
• Make substitutes.  If you really want to eat some dip, eat it with raw veggies and not the salty chips that will intensify your cravings.
• Sit far from the buffet.  The less food you see the less you will be tempted.
• Keep one hand occupied. Carry around a club soda with lime during the party because if you have only one hand free your less likely to pick up another plate of food.

Valerie Bertinelli - Who lost more than 40 pounds on Jenny Craig, offers her personal tips for avoiding temptation at holiday parties, staying active and splurging the right way.

• Do not go to a party hungry.  Have water and a light snack before you go to your holiday event.
• Try to avoid unconscious nibbling.  Do not eat and grab things while you are talking.
• Don’t make food your enemy. Holidays are a time to gather around with friends and family and eat, but it is not an excuse to overeat.  Just get along with food, and treat it with more respect.
• Do not overextend the celebration.  It’s a holi-day, not a holi-month or a holi-season.  Think of the holiday season as a series of events and plan for each one.
• Think before you drink.  Celebrate with a glass of champagne that contains just 80 to 100 calories, instead of those festive cocktails that average 250 calories each.
• Exercise.  The holidays are a really busy time, so make every little bit of exercise count, even if that means parking further away from the grocery store entrance.

Remember, the average American eats between 3,000 and 4,000 calories on Thanksgiving Day alone and gains about 7 pounds between Thanksgiving and the New Year. But it doesn't have to be that way.  Follow these tips and maybe that little New Year’s Eve outfit will fit after all. You can still eat, drink and be merry this holiday season and not gain weight!

Stacy Matson, a health enthusiast from Southern California, regularly blogs on Celebrity Health for A Healthier World, as well as contributing to the Best of the Best.