Zone Diet can be your best Christmas present this year. Specialty studies and zoners find it enjoyable, balanced and less restrictive than other diets.

The epicenter of each Holiday season seems to be food. Statistics say that during this specific time of the year we gain an average of 10 pounds. This is quite a lot considering how hard it is to lose one pound and then keep it away.

On the other hand, media and news companies put up a genuine marathon in explaining how to stay out of food and still maintain the holiday spirit.

For example, a recent article of CBS News for Colorado offers 13 tips to slalom through high fat, high calorie foods and starches this season. Dr. Marla Shapiro writes a keyword based Holiday survival guide for The Globe and Mail. One last example, The Oregonian's online version offers some tips you can use with the Zone eyeball method.

But how can we do that, moreover, how can one stick with Zone diet throughout the holiday season?

Diet & Party

The idea is to avoid making a drastic change in your dietary program. Of course, when on Zone Diet , you can skip a 40-30-30 meal free of remorse, because the next Zone meal will bring you back into the Zone. The trick works, let's say, for the New Year's Eve party.

If you have to attend, let us say, a dozen parties, the trick doesn't work anymore. The only way to go is to try and find the serves that are eligible for your Zone meal and use the eyeball method for measuring. Divide your plate in three, and fill one third with a slice of low fat meat (size of your palm) and two thirds with fruits and vegetables. Choose fish (e.g. salmon) that is high in Omega 3 fatty acids.

It may help bringing along some fruits when coming to the party, in case your host didn't think of it. Things are much easier when you're a host; but try not to serve exclusively your preferences. A good idea would be to ask people what they want to eat when making the invites.

Having a glass of water in one hand and finding some chatting companions may help you stay out of the dangerous foods.

Stay home for Christmas and... eat more?

Even if you don't go out to parties or other social events that many would describe as caloric bombs, the holiday spirit can cause you to float around the fridge. It is important that you find things to do. Here are a few suggestions:

• Wrap the Christmas gifts;
• Walk the dog;
• Play with the kids, take them to Zoo;
• Exercise more;
• Invite friends and family to a walk in the park together, rather than having them come to your house or up-popping to their door;
• Christmas is a great time for cooking so why not cook in the Zone?

Original Zone Diet is now online - Start losing weight today!