€Tis the season for the congregation of friends and family in the confines of a warm and trusted abode to celebrate cheer and togetherness. It's a time of year where the inevitable (and mostly welcome) barrage of annual office holiday parties helps usher out the tired, worn year and ring in the alluring prospect of a fresh start. And, as is expected, the holidays contain a fair amount of merry-making in the form of poor nutritional choices from an excessive intake of party-friendly food and drink.

Whether gathering around a piano and singing timeless Christmas carols, or surrounding a menorah during one of the eight nights of Hanukkah, It is fairly commonplace for party-goers to tie a few on during the festivities. And a holiday party wouldn't be complete without a benevolent bounty of foods rich in fats and sugars, such as cookies, pies, roasted meats and so on.

The morning after a night of fun-filled holiday partying can be harsh to the entire body, from the skin to the stomach. It's no secret why: Ingesting highly fattening foods and alcoholic drinks (I'm looking at you, eggnog and buttered rum) with minimal nutritional value doesn't help our skin complexion or overall well-being.

We wouldn't be human if we didn't indulge ours inner glutton during the holiday season. It's too easy to justify the ingestion of such delicious and tempting foods if you've been good about your caloric intake for the majority of the year. Recent studies suggest that the average American puts on an extra pound of body weight each year during the holidays because of a lapse in regular dietary habits.

So how are we, the holiday-diet-doomed populace supposed to counteract these adverse effects of ritualistic overindulgence? Here are a few tips that could help keep your skin healthy and maintain your bodily figure amongst all of this holiday cheer:

€ Switch out your regular mixer of Coke for a Coke Zero. Considering that the average 12 oz. soda contains about 40 grams of sugar and 150 calories, it's a no brainer why you should swap for the alternative. And that's not even taking into consideration the amount of calories and sugar in the alcohol itself! Wine spritzers would be a healthier alternative to wine, comprised of half wine and half seltzer water.
€ While others make a beeline for high fat h'orderves like, €pigs in a blanket,€ munch on highly fibrous foods like fruits and vegetables to cut calories and maintain a healthier nutritional intake. Fruits like cranberries are rich in anti-oxidants, which your body will be thankful for.
€ Avoid dark meats and stick to lean. Going for the fish or poultry instead of red meat roasts will generally boost the levels of Omega-3 and Omega-6's in your diet, which will compliment skin complexion. Also, lighter meats tend to have less saturated fats then poultry and fish, which your body will be thankful for.
€ When confronted with desert items, you could do worse than reach for the pumpkin pie. Pumpkin contains beta carotene, which is converted to vitamin A, boosting collagen production in the skin. Just do yourself a favor and skip the whipped cream topping, and consider a smaller slice than usual.
€ Limit yourself! It's easy to fall into the seasonal trap of overeating for the sake of overeating. Savor your food and eat in small doses. To counteract the onslaught of party foods, consider eating a salad or some veggies at home before you head out for the night. And when you begin to feel full, STOP!

And with that, we hope you have a safe and peaceful holiday. Following some of these tips could help you maintain the luster in your skin while keeping your waistline from growing to Kris Kringle sized proportions!