How to get through the holidays without adding pounds

Did your office's holiday treat table get a jump start this year? Mine did.

Instead of early December marking the onslaught of homemade sweets tempting me and my officemates, a co-worker made one too many Thanksgiving pumpkin pies and brought it in. Jiminy.

I also overheard a few folks say that even before Thanksgiving they had set aside their food diaries and hid their scales.

This is my first holiday season since losing 160 pounds, and it has been tougher than I thought it would be to stay on track. I sample a few goodies thinking I'll work off the extra calories at the gym, but then errands pile up, the weather turns nasty and I skip that workout. Then Weigh Day arrives and the numbers don't look so good.

It's not too late for me to make a few dietary adjustments to keep my scales from tipping higher as the new year approaches. Maybe you can benefit from my strategy as well.

Be realistic. With all the holiday treats and temptations if I make it through this holiday season without gaining weight, I'll consider myself a success.

A success? Yes. In fact, I'll give myself a huge pat on the back if my scale reads the same on Jan. 2 as it did on Nov. 15.

Be active. Studies show your metabolism slows w-a-y down when you're sitting, so get up and walk whenever you get the chance -- even if it's a short distance. View not being able to park near the mall's front door as an opportunity not an obstacle.

Once in the mall, climb the stairs instead of being whisked up mechanically.

Increasing your activity levels not only burns calories but also can raise your spirits. Keeping active may keep the holiday blues at bay.

Be selective. When you're at the mall, shop, don't eat. Those long and testy lines at mall food courts will make it easy to say "no" to mall food and wait for more healthful fruit or veggie snacks at home.

When I'm confronted with a buffet table brimming with holiday fare, I use a dinner plate to serve myself a green salad (dressing on the side), and the salad plate for my entrée. This role reversal gives me a large serving of low-calorie food and a smaller serving of high-calorie food. Perfect.

When I eat a favorite dish, I savor it, taking one bite at a time and relishing each morsel. Any urge to have more can then easily be managed, since I enjoyed what I had so much.

If you enjoy holiday spirits, remember that alcoholic drinks can be packed with calories -- a single cup of spiked eggnog can deliver a 400-calorie wallop. Alcohol also can reduce your willpower, convincing you that three or four more squares of homemade fudge is a good idea.

Try this recipe: This is one of my very favorite holiday breakfasts. I can make it the night before and let it bake while I make the morning coffee and get the rest of the brunch ready. And, it's virtually guilt-free. Now there's a smart choice.

Pecan French Toast Casserole

1 loaf (8 ounces) French bread cut into 1-inch-thick slices

1½ cups whole milk

1½ cups evaporated skim milk

6 large egg whites (or ¾ cup nonfat egg substitute)

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

teaspoon fresh-grated nutmeg

teaspoon ground cinnamon (or more to taste)

Topping

1 packet (.5 ounce) Butter Buds

½ cup hot water

1 cup packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons dark corn syrup

¼ cup finely chopped pecans

Lightly spray a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with vegetable oil. Place the bread slices on their sides in the baking dish (crowding is OK). The dish will be completely covered with bread and filled to the top.

In a large mixing bowl whisk together milk, evaporated milk, egg whites, eggs, vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon until combined. Pour over the bread slices, cover the dish with foil and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning: Remove casserole from fridge. Place oven rack in middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.

For the topping: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk Butter Buds and water until combined. Whisk in brown sugar and corn syrup until sugar dissolves. Drizzle topping evenly over bread slices and then sprinkle with pecans. Bake, uncovered, until puffed and golden, about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven; let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Serves six.

Lean note: This casserole is sweet, so serve it with some lean ham browned in a touch of vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet.

Nutrition values per serving: 391 calories (18.8 percent from fat), 8.2 g fat (1.8 g saturated), 63 g carbohydrates, 1.6 g fiber, 16.7 g protein, 81 mg cholesterol, 545 mg sodium.