**Dear Doctors: **We have young kids, so our holiday party season starts right around Halloween. I just turned 40, and I’ve noticed it’s getting harder to lose the weight I gain this time of year. I need a plan so things don’t get out of control.

Dear Reader: When it comes to putting on a kilo or two during the autumn and winter holidays, you are far from alone. The data show that by the time the festivities are over, many people have gained a bit of weight. For most, it stays somewhere in the range of half-a-kilo to several. In the big picture, that may not sound like much.

However, when small increases become cumulative, it can begin to affect your health.

Understanding that you’re going to need a strategy to manage the holiday season is a big part of the battle. Your secret weapon here is awareness. Start by identifying your specific weaknesses in typical holiday situations. These may be casual parties with an endless buffet, the cookie plates and candy bowls that suddenly pop up at the office, dinners where everyone brings their most indulgent recipes and eating at home, when short days and long nights seem to call for cozy comfort food. Now you’re ready to plan.

A study in England, which we have referenced here before, found that education is key. People who learned exactly how much holiday treats would “cost” in terms of calories – and how much physical activity it would take to burn them off – made it through the holidays without weight gain. For example, a slice of pie meant 20 minutes of running, and a small glass of wine equalled a brisk 30-minute walk. Their counterparts in the study, who learned the same basic information but weren’t coached on a pre- and post-game eating plan, added a kilo or so.

This three-fold plan starts before the event. While still at home, take the edge off your appetite with a high-protein, high-fibre snack. When you arrive, don’t eat randomly. Instead, begin with another high-protein or high-fibre bite or two. Protein and fibre each help stabilise blood sugar and keep you feeling full. Next, scope out all the offerings. That allows you to eat to your specific cravings.

It’s a good idea to have a plan for drinking, too. Start with a glass of sparkling water before you have any adult beverages. When you do move on to wine or cocktails, slow the pace by alternating each drink with something non-alcoholic. Soda and juice drinkers can do the same, which will moderate the sugar and calories. Finally, stay aware of how much you have consumed. This will allow you to be realistic about how much activity it will take to even out the indulgences. And yes, for this to work, you will need to take that walk or run or extra dance class to keep the calorie/energy accounts in the black. Universal Features Syndicate

Dr Eve Glazier is an internist and professor of medicine at UCLA Health Sciences. She hosts the Medically Speaking podcast for UCLA Health. Dr Elizabeth Ko is an internist and assistant professor of medicine at UCLA Health.