“Weight Loss Tip No. 7: Downsize Your Dinnerware:  Experts say they’ve seen it again and again: The larger your plate, the more you’re likely to put on it. So serving your meals on smaller plates can help you eat less.  But don’t throw out those dinner plates, Blake suggests. Use the smaller, lunch-size plates to serve dinner, and use the dinner plates for salads.”

Cooks always bring out their best recipes for the holidays. The only problem is that they expect you to eat all that food even if you are stuffed. Unfortunately, cleaning your plate is a signal to the hostess that you enjoyed the meal.

Tip: Ask him or her for the recipe. Imitation in the sincerest form of flattery. Your host will be thrilled that you enjoyed the meal so much that you want to share it with others.

“Eat breakfast: Don’t starve yourself during the day. Otherwise, you’ll be so ravenous come turkey time you’ll stuff yourself silly.

Move the mealtime: Eat at 1:00 instead of 4:00, Salge Blake recommends. Wait till it’s late and you may find yourself saying, ‘It’s a long time between breakfast and 4:00. I’m noshing!,’ she says. ‘The absolute worst that will happen,’ she says, ‘is that we may be hungry again at 6:00. So you pull it all out again then’ to eat when your stomach is really ready for more.

Allocate alcohol: Nothing kills willpower like too much to drink. If alcohol is part of your celebration, sip wine with your meal; don’t imbibe on an empty stomach.”