As a weight loss expert, I know that so much of losing weight is won in the mind. And the easiest thing to do the day after Christmas is to give in to overeating. Many of us think, “Oh well, I might as well give up until I can hit the gym in January.”

Don’t go there. Pace yourself on the leftovers and goodies that remain in the house. It will help you in the long run. Instead, say, “I can have a treat each day but it needs to be a small portion.” This way, you don’t deprive yourself-the thing that makes most of us overeat.

When you feel the guilt of overeating, keep in mind that most of us gain about a pound over the holidays. And while we don’t want to gain weight, a pound can be lost by cutting back and getting into a healthy eating routine once again.

Here are a 5  tips to help you stay on track:

1) Weigh yourself regularly. Sounds counter intuitive, it is not. People who weigh regularly don’t allow that extra five pounds to build.The exception to this would be if you have an eating disorder.

2) Control your portions. It is all about how much you eat, not that you ate that cookie.

3) Don’t go hungry to events. Drink water or have a light snack (e.g., piece of fruit) to curb your appetite.

4) Keep tempting food out of sight–It’s true, out of sight, out of mind.

5) Limit the variety. The more variety of foods available, the more we overeat.

Above all, avoid mindless eating. Don’t use food to relax or for comfort. For more help in that area, order a copy of my book, Press Pause Before You Eat: Say goodbye to mindless eating and hello to the joy of eating. It is filled with practical tips on how to develop a healthy relationship with food and be in control of your eating habits.