Well, the party season’s now in full swing so here are some seasonal tips from the British Dietetic Association – although I fear they may have come too late for some …!

The LBD (little black dress) and LBT (little black trouser) Guide to Getting the Christmas Parties Started

Okay ladies and gentlemen! Your Christmas clobber has been hanging up in the wardrobe for weeks, party invites have come in aplenty, and now it’s party time!

How do you ensure you don’t overdo it and run the risk of piling on the pounds? After all, the average person may eat an estimated 500 additional calories every day over the Christmas season, resulting in a possible weight gain of 5lb.

The British Dietetic Association (BDA) lists the top five tips to enjoying the festive party merriness while maintaining a healthy balance and a healthy body.

The BDA, founded in 1936, is the professional association for dietitians in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It is the nation’s largest organisation of food and nutrition professionals with over 7,500 members. The BDA is also an active trade union.

Eat before!

You make the decision whether to fill up on food of your choice, or run the risk of a limited choice at the buffet table, usually consisting of fat-filled stodgy offerings like quiche, sausage rolls, pastries and deep fried samosas.

Try eating something healthy and filling before you make your grand entrance, such as hearty vegetable and bean soup, hummus with oatcakes, fresh fruit and a yogurt-based smoothie. Also, you won’t be drinking on an empty stomach or have to worry about embarrassing spillages down your party clothes.

Walk this way!

If you are travelling by car, why not park a little further away and walk the extra distance (if safe to do so of course). Not only will that walk be a good source of exercise and burn some calories, it will also get your blood supply coursing which will make you more alert and energetic for the festive fun ahead – and bring a glow to your cheeks.

In addition, if you drive, you won’t be tempted by those calorific alcoholic drinks (see below), but watch the calories too in those soft drinks.

Drink, but think!

The latest Christmas chart offerings are blasting around the room (between the regular spinning of Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas), but take it easy and don’t get carried away. Those brightly-coloured cocktails are often full of sugar, cream and hangover favourites, ‘congeners’ (mostly found in darker spirits like whisky and rum).

If you are going to drink alcohol try sticking to a refreshing white wine spritzer (less alcohol and fewer calories) and alternate your alcoholic drink with a glass of water, low calorie soft drinks or unsweetened fruit juice mixed with fizzy water. If you do want to indulge in cocktail hour with your friends, you could go for the good old fashioned Screwdriver (vodka and unsweetened orange juice) or a Sea Breeze (vodka and cranberry juice).

Festive Foods!

If you do decide to eat at the party, go for the more healthy options, such as skinless chicken, salads without dressing, veggie crudités with hummus. Try to avoid creamy dips, mayo-loaded salads and fried foods, and the pastry offerings that will be in abundance. Step away from temptation, visit only once and use a small dessert sized plate

I bet you look good on the dance floor!

Get those feet moving and throw some shapes on the dance floor and boogie the night away to Slade, Shakin’ Stevens, The Pogues (featuring Kirsty McColl) and, undoubtedly, more Mariah Carey. Dancing is a great way of burning calories and it is also the perfect distraction from drinking and eating more. Just remember to drink lots of water throughout the night to maintain your disco dancing powers.

Sian Porter, consultant Dietitian and Spokesperson for the BDA commented:

“For many of us, Christmas time is the one time of the year we get all our friends together in one place for a night, or nights, of fun and celebration and we can all get a bit carried away and, actually, why not, we’ve all worked hard throughout the year!

“All too often we can over do the eating and drinking, meaning the party clothes that look absolutely fabulous on, on December 1st can become a little snug, shall we say, by the time we get to New Year’s Eve party on the 31st.

“It’s not about being a party pooper, it’s all about having fun and making choices. We can choose to go all out and gorge on all the food and drink we clap eyes on, or we can choose to pace ourselves and use portion control. Either way, the British Dietetic Association wants to wish everybody a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy 2015!”

Also, might be prudent to avoid office photocopiers – and that really funny text message you were going to send to your boss ..? Perhaps best not, eh!