It's that time of year again. We are now officially in holiday zone with upcoming festivities, holiday parties and family gatherings. It's very easy to gain a few extra pounds if you're not careful. Here's some scary food for thought: to gain five to ten pounds from now until the end of January, all you need to do is to eat an average of an extra 200-400 calories per day. An ounce of fudge here, a few more pieces of chocolate, a slice of pie, extra whipped cream in your hot cocoa or coffee, a little bit more gravy, or a few more appetizers can all add up pretty quickly to your frame. Do you notice you may not move so well with that added weight when you're training capoeira? Perhaps you feel more sluggish and heavier while you're executing kicks, or your speed is just not there? On the other hand, you may be training less with all the holiday activities which therefore makes it much easier to let your eating and exercise go out the door. Stop right there! Don't let the winter months get the best of you. Planning and strategizing is the key to a successful fitness and nutrition program to help you keep up with your training.

The holidays typically encourage people to indulge in high-fat, high-calorie foods that are low in nutrients. This leads to a barrage of excuses since you're most likely indoors more often due to the colder weather and darker days. It's harder to motivate. One of the most significant diet dangers revolve around sugar consumption. When you binge on sugar, you crave more and more and your body slows down. Sugar binges, along with sunlight deprivation cause a drop in serotonin, a chemical in the brain that regulates sleep and appetite. A lack of serotonin can often lead to depression since you won't feel calm or in control. Here are 10 tips to stay on track during this challenging holiday season.

1. Eat small, but frequent meals - this is important to help boost your serotonin level naturally. Ever notice how cranky and tired you get when you skip a meal or wait too long to eat? You should work on a good balance of :

Complex carbs such as oatmeal, brown rice, lentils, yams, sweet potatoes, corn, quinoa, whole grain cereal, whole wheat pasta, whole wheat wraps or breads

Do not make the mistake of skipping meals as the hunger and low blood sugar level are a recipe for overeating.

2. Keep up your regular exercise routine - stop looking for every excuse in the book. Of course it may be more challenging to fit everything in, but how important is your health and fitness to you in the long run? Those who have always been the most successful with their fitness goals throughout the years are the ones that stay consistent one way or another. If you cannot make it to capoeira three times a week, you need to set a minimum requirement for yourself or practice on your own. Don't forget your cross training either to prevent injuries.¦nbsp; Exercising on a regular basis will help you cope better with stress since you will be releasing endorphins to feel better. You should do no less than two to three times a week for approximately one hour. The days you are not exercising, you should stay on your feet as much as possible (ie: walking to the train station, up and down stairs, walking during lunch time, or down the hallway. Take a break from your computer every hour.)

3. Plan your meals according to your daily activities - even on days you won't get to train, you need to schedule in your meals and snacks just as you would an important meeting. Quite often, you may not have time for a sit down meal if you're swamped at work. ¦nbsp;In that case, you will need to make the best of your situation by having healthy snacks or dried foods on hand. Natural almond or peanut butter with whole wheat crackers, english muffin or brown rice cakes can be prepared at home. Trail mix, lean protein bars, and protein shakes are quick options as well. On the days you are doing intense training, you will obviously need more calories. As long as you eat small meals throughout the day, you should have enough energy when you still attend class after work.

4. Don't deprive yourself of your favorite foods - any time you restrict yourself on an extreme level (think dieting), you will often end up bingeing at one point or another. Allow yourself indulgences in moderation as long as you are eating cleanly for the most part. "All or nothing" is not normally sustainable in the long run because we are human beings with wants and needs. Even those in their prime shape: athletes, fitness models, and martial artists all cave into their indulgences every now and then. It's ok as long as you're not overdoing it.

5. Cut down or eliminate trigger/comfort food from your cabinets - if you have these foods around the house, the temptation may be too great. Instead, fill your kitchen up with fruits and vegetable that you like. You can be creative if you have more time and make a fruit salad. Take advantage of the seasonal vegetables such as pumpkin and all types of squashes for extra nutrition and vitamins. You can make a veggie dip with lowfat Greek yogurt and dill instead of sour cream.

6. Avoid cutting fat out entirely - consuming moderate amounts of good fats (polyunsaturated or monosaturated) during the holidays will satiate the appetite and prevent carb overload. Incorporate fats such as unsalted nuts, almond or peanut butter, avocado, fish, olives and extra virgin olive oil. This also helps lower bad cholesterol levels (LDL) while raising good cholesterol (HDL).

7. Watch your alcohol - alcoholic beverages can easily add up so if you are drinking, pace yourself and drink a glass of water between each beverage. Stick to lighter beers, wine or champagne spritzers for lighter calories. Stay away from creamy cocktails and too many mixed cocktails to limit the sugar intake.

8. Hold the whip cream - or go for a lighter version. Whip cream goes great with desserts, coffee beverages and hot cocoa for many people, but do you really need all that extra stuff?

9.Don't go to a party starving - do you want to stuff yourself up like Santa Claus? The biggest mistake people will make is that they will starve themselves all day before a holiday meal or festivity. Not only does this lead to an over consumption of extra calories and a decrease in your metabolism, but you are undoing all that you worked so hard to achieve! Take your time to savor the food and enjoy yourself in moderation. You will feel much better at the end of the night.

10.Hydrate, hydrate - one of the most important things you can do to prevent yourself from overeating during the holidays is to drink good old h20 throughout the day. 8-10 glasses is average but you may need more depending on your activity level. Water helps to flush out toxins and prevent you from fatiguing whether you are working or are training capoeira. Those classes which can sometimes go up to 2 or 3 hours can completely dehydrate you if you don't drink enough liquids. Coconut water is also great to replenish electrolytes lost.

The holidays are a season filled with festivities, work and family gatherings. It's a time which can also bring us closer to our capoeira families as we come together to celebrate and to bond. Although training usually keeps us in check, there may be many things outside of capoeira which may take you away from your regular routine . This is normal and to be expected during this time of year. You owe the responsibility to yourself and to your families to take good care of your health and fitness. You may not be as disciplined as you were during the summertime, but you can certainly implement damage control and take charge for your actions.

Planning and preparing is the key to success for a good fitness regimen as well as to stay balanced in life. Don't look for excuses. Strategize accordingly to balance work, personal life and capoeira training. You just need to make the effort and prioritize on what's important to you. Stay focused and don't neglect your training. At the same time, what you feed your body will depict your physical performance along with your mental wellness. Don't beat yourself up either. Allow yourself to indulge in moderation but follow a clean, consistent nutrition program to stay energized during the cold winter months. Too much food and not enough exercise will also deplete you of your energy levels and may lead to depression. All of this is in the power of your fingertips. You have the choice to lead a healthier and a happy lifestyle at this time of year. So, let's hop to it!