The holidays are a difficult time for many who are striving to achieve their weight loss goals.  The holidays do not have to be a difficult time.  As long as you keep in mind a few pointers, you will still continue to achieve your goals and enjoy the holidays at the same time!  The first mistake people need to avoid is give up completely on your goals, during the holiday season.  Some people don’t even attempt to try staying on track rather they already have their mind made up that it is going to be impossible and therefore just put things off until after the Holidays are over.  Making a decision like, “I’m NOT going to think about what I’m eating over the holidays at all — I’ll worry about it on January 1st,” is not the solution! With all the crazy-fattening foods that are everywhere during the holidays, that approach can easily cause you to gain several pounds very quickly. So don’t do that. Instead, take one day, one meal, and one snack at a time, and remain aware of what you are eating. If you splurge at one meal, be a little more cautious at the next. Another mistake people make is to set huge goals that are sometimes unattainable. If you commit to not eat ANY holiday foods or to LOSE ten pounds by New Year’s, you are likely setting yourself up for failure. Then you might become discouraged and just give up. My advice is to be realistic. Know that this is a difficult time of the year when it comes to food temptation, and you’re going to be faced with holiday goodies that you’ll want to indulge in a little. There’s nothing wrong with that. Try not to get overwhelmed and let that throw you off track. Stay focused and be realistic with yourself. You can do it! Use this time of year as a personal challenge and better yet to learn how to make those holiday treats the healthy way!