From late October through December, special foods and lack of exercise result in holiday weight gain. Studies suggest adults gain as many as 5 lbs during the holiday season. This year, avoid ruining all of your hard work with these tips.

Start planning now.

The earlier you develop a strategy, the more successful you will be. Jot down annual parties and family commitments in your calendar. Take note of when you may need to cut back on calories to compensate for celebrations, and set a goal for the number of weekly workouts you will complete. As the season progresses, you will be prepared to prioritize your healthy habits.

Select your splurges.

You will be bombarded with high-calorie foods throughout the coming weeks. It’s important not to go overboard, but it is also important to remember that this time comes only once a year. If you set out to deprive yourself of seasonal treats, you won’t succeed. Plan to enjoy those treats you can only get this time of year. Limit yourself to small portions, and pass on the rest.

Use your slow cooker.

A busy afternoon of running errands makes a quick dinner from the drive-thru tempting. You can avoid this temptation with a bit of planning. Create a list of healthy slow cooker recipes you prep in the mornings. If you have a hot meal waiting for you at home, you’ll be less tempted to stop for unhealthy fast food meals.

Eat healthy foods for energy.

During the holidays, it’s easy to forget about healthy seasonal produce (such as kale, pumpkin, and citrus). Eating high-sugar, high-fat foods as your primary energy source will leave little energy for a workout. Enjoy a treat, but don’t allow the season to change your healthy eating patterns completely.

Order online.

If holiday shopping leaves little time for workouts, you can avoid the traffic and long lines by shopping online. Not only can you take care of your gift list, but you can use an online grocer to bring ingredients straight to your door. Use the time you save to exercise and plan your meals for the week.

Limit your to-do list.

Cut out everything that isn’t absolutely necessary. For example, there will be plenty of sweets around. Do you really need to make all five types of cookies, or could you cut it down to four? This could save 30 minutes that you could use for a workout.

Schedule stress-reducing activities.

The holidays can be stressful. Exercise will help, but also consider taking a few minutes to step back from the hectic day and enjoy the moment. Your list may include deep breathing, reading a novel, meditation, playing with your children, a massage, or a bath. Schedule these short periods of relaxation into each day to reduce stress throughout the season.

Shorten your workouts.

Research shows that shorter workouts can be as effective as longer sessions if you increase the intensity. Save yourself time during the holidays and commit to 20-minute workouts. Add hills, speed, and strength intervals to your regular routine to challenge yourself and burn more calories.

Make exercise part of the celebration.

From Halloween to New Year's Day, nearly every city has a fitness event to commemorate the holiday season. Look for a night-time Halloween walk, a Turkey Trot, or a Jingle Bell Run. Local yoga studios often offer free classes this time of year, and gyms may have holiday fitness challenges to keep you on track with workouts.

Don’t overlook the small stuff.

This is the time when the small things matter the most. Fit in every bit of moving that you can throughout your day. Park on the opposite end of the mall, add an extra flight of stairs, or do a mini-fitness routine each morning with ten push-ups, 15 squats, and 20 crunches. Individually, these activities don’t burn many calories, but when combined, they may help offset the cookie you couldn’t pass up yesterday afternoon.

Lori Rice, M.S., is a nutritional scientist and author with a passion for healthy cooking, exercise physiology, and food photography.