h, the holidays - family gatherings, parties, traditions, food, food and more FOOD. Maybe you especially love the food. But will the extra pounds on your scale in January leave you regretting your overindulgence? If so, it's time you yelled, "Stop!" Forget all your good intentions to "diet." Instead, implement a healthy eating plan for the holidays and stick with it throughout the year. You'll be wrapping up the best holiday gift ever: You won't have to worry about being overweight or about health conditions that are affected by poor eating habits. The foundation of your plan will be the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Guide Pyramid. Don't deny yourself any food you love. But mostly eat nutritious foods and eat them in moderation. And, most important, be sure to adjust your mind-set about eating. Be conscious of every bite you take, and don't make excuses that allow you to partake of an unhealthy diet. Check out some of the unhealthy excuses below. If you tend to spout some of them, use this opportunity to change your outlook toward healthy eating - for the holidays and for the rest of your life. EXCUSE: There's too much temptation over the holidays for me to control my eating. THE FACTS: Of course holiday foods are tempting. Try a bite or two of whatever appeals, but decide ahead of time how much you're going to eat. You may already be adept at setting limits such as this when it comes to drinking alcohol. EXCUSE: I have too much of a sweet tooth to ever be able to eat healthy. THE FACTS: It's possible to tame your sweet tooth (or potato chip or whatever kind of "tooth" you have) instead of letting it rule you. Plan a reasonable amount of sweet food into your eating plan each day if you wish. When you know you can have more tomorrow, it's much easier to refrain from "pigging out" today. EXCUSE: I'm too busy to take time to eat healthy. THE FACTS: You're fooling yourself if you think stopping for high-fat, fast food like burgers and fries is justified just because you're busy. You'll pay for your folly in the long run. Besides, it's not that difficult to eat healthy. Make a list of fresh foods you enjoy, and keep plenty on hand. Also, cooking from scratch is the best way to control what's in your food. (But it may not be a good idea to spend the holidays baking cookies.) However, lots of healthy frozen dishes are available at your grocery store, and most restaurants offer healthy entrees. Another possibility is to double up when you do cook. Follow the "eat some and freeze some" rule, and you'll be a lot more likely to have healthy food available. © Your HealthStyle, 1999.