4. No "fat talk" at the table. We've all spoken the "language of fat" at some point or another. Whether it's the number of calories in your soufflé or the size of Aunt Edna's expanding thighs, fat talk is self-defeating and full of guilt, blame and shame. Instead of focusing on fat grams, calories and carbs and debasing your body in front of others, talk about how delicious the spread looks or how great it is to have some downtime with your folks. Face it: No one wants to hear about how fat you'll be after you polish off the dessert plate.

5. Go on a media diet. This is one extreme diet I actually recommend! The media bombard us with diet angst and mixed messages and make us think our body is inevitably doomed to balloon out and bulk up. So be careful about the information you consume, especially around holidays. It has yet to be put to the test, but I have a hunch that prolonged exposure to airbrushed photos of celebrities in bathing suits touting weight-loss tips is cause for mass anxiety and depression during the holiday season.

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