Are you one of many who dread the holiday season and the wonderful selections of food that seem to come with it? Even the most diet conscious people have trouble staying away from the many buffet tables during the holiday parties and family get-togethers. While it is ok to splurge every now and then, it is not impossible however to be true to yourself and stick with a diet.

If you plan for your holiday party attendances in advance, you can keep from over-indulging on some of the more fattening choices. You can have fun at the party without having to graze at all the buffet tables. All it takes is a plan of action. Here are some pointers when face with a smorgasbord of food opportunities:

1. Don’t go to a holiday party hungry. This will cause you to actually overeat! Instead, eat a healthy snack before you leave for the party. A bowl of filling soup, a small salad, cheese and crackers or a handful of nuts can fill the tummy just enough so you cannot overindulge at the party.

2.  Allow yourself to cheat a little bit on food. Browse the buffet tables first to check out all the offerings before making a food selection that is probably not on your preferred dietary food list. It is a party after all and no one can be good all the time. Give yourself permission to have a treat and then savor it. You are less likely then to overeat and cheat with other foods.

3.  Who said you have to finish what is on your plate? If the party is a sit down dinner, there is nothing in the etiquette rule book that says it is rude not to be a clean plater. If the holiday dinner is a buffet, you then have complete control over what you eat. Be sure to grab a plate that is a bit smaller than the average dinner plate so you are less likely to fill up.

4.  Avoid over-imbibing the liquid holiday cheer. Beer, wine and eggnog are empty calories and will bust your diet for the day. Besides, you want to have all your wits about you for the drive home. Offer to be the designated driver so there is no room to cheat on copping a few drinks.

5.  Ask the hostess of the party if you could bring a few goodies too. If you can, you could take to the party some healthy and nutritious snacks you know you will like and then you would have something to eat. Besides, other health-conscious eaters would probably thank you for the nutritious eats.

6.  Engage yourself in other holiday activities during the party such as passing out presents, going caroling or conducting games. Keeping busy will deflect your attention from the tasty, fattening food and you are less likely to graze and crash your diet.

Before RSVPing any holiday parties, make sure you have a game plan in place and call the hostess in advance if you can bring something too. When you are prepared for every contingency, this will leave you no wriggle room for breaking your diet.  And if you do indulge in that extra whipped topping on your piece of pie, forgive yourself and work twice as hard the next day.