This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

The average American will gain 1 to 5 pounds in the six weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year's. Most people struggle with overeating, but it is particularly difficult during the holidays. Stress levels are high and there are many obligations which makes healthy lifestyle choices more difficult.

Here are a few tips to keep you on track this holiday season:

1. Keep your stress in check. Make sure you keep life balanced. Often people feel obligated to say yes to every invitation. This leads them to feel overloaded and leads to a lot of stress eating. Be thoughtful about which events are most important and don't be afraid to say no.

2. Get plenty of sleep and physical activity. During stressful times, sleep and exercise are the first healthy habits to go in our lives. They are actually the two things that will help you maintain your weight most. Sleep deprivation leads to increased eating when our body can't balance our hormones. Physical activity naturally helps us manage stress and sleep better.

3. Start traditions that don't involve food. So many of our celebrations have food as the centerpiece. Try focusing on activities that build relationships with your family and friends. Go sledding, build snowmen or play games. Those activities will be more meaningful than what you ate!

If you are heading to a party, use these tips:

4. Don't go to a party famished. When you allow yourself to get too hungry, you will likely overeat. Try eating something small before you arrive. This will allow you to eat more consciously.

5. Scan the spread. Look at all of the available food items and prioritize before you put anything on your plate. This will allow you to identify which items you truly want most.

6. Take small portions. Just because it looks good, doesn't mean it is! Take enough to taste. Otherwise, you may find yourself finishing something you don't like because it is simply in front of you or out of a sense of obligation. You can always go back for more.

7. Use a plate and sit down. Using a plate allows you to see how much you are eating and sitting limits access. If you stand near the food and eat from the platter, you don't have any clue how much you are eating.

8. Delay and distance. If you find yourself wanting more food, wait 10 minutes and find something other than food to capture your attention.

After 10 minutes, if you find yourself wanting to eat, go through the steps again.

Salt Lake Weight Counseling specializes in emotional barriers to weight loss and weight management. By specifically targeting emotional eating, binge eating, food addiction and patterns of self-sabotage, we help clients achieve their weight goals. We have two locations in Salt Lake and Clearfield. We also offer video sessions outside of these areas. Visit our website to learn more about our services or attend a free orientation session www.SLWeightCounseling.com.