Trainer answer.....

"How do I keep from gaining weight and eating bad food during the holidays?..."

Remember....celebrate with people, not food. As hard as it is, just do it. And thats what it is...you just have to do it. Keep in mind your goals at all time. Before you eat something yummy thats on the desert table, ask yourself, "is this worth how I'm going to feel later?!" BUT....don't deprive yourself either. Instead of having a large slice of pie, have the serving you would give to your kids.
Drink plenty of hot tea and fluids to curve your appetite. Constantly remind yourself that you are worth the effort. And most of all, that no one will ever take care of your body the way that you will. Ever.
Be good to your body, and it will be good to you. You want to feel good from the outside in. You want to feel more energetic, happier, vibrant. High sugar foods, and all the crap we tell ourselves that we "have to eat" during the holidays is absolute poison for our bodies. Guess what happens to that apple pie you had? It turns into sugar, and then your body stores it as fat. It's that simple.
The holidays is a hard time for all of us to stick to our "diet". But it really doesn't have to be. There is absolutely no reason whatsoever, that we have to eat crap every day just because its November and December. You have to identify what the emotional connection is to the "holiday food". Does it make you feel happy, comforted? Bring back memories? Thats all wonderful and terrific and it's nice to have things to give us euphoric feelings. However, what is not wonderful and terrific or in any way euphoric is the way our jeans will fit later, or when we feel like "crap" from eating all the "crap" and we start our self destructive habits..."well, I'll eat what I want in December and then start a diet again in January." Its truly not worth the time and effort. It takes NOTHING to gain weight (fat), it takes everything you have, all of your will power and determination to get the weight (fat) off of your body.
Think about fat this way, the fat inside your body, specificlly in your torso/abdomen is essentially 'suffocating' your internal organs. All of that pressure from the adipose tissue (fat) is surrounding your major organs, your heart, your lungs....causing detremental, even life threatening disease/illness. That right there, not how you look naked (that comes later), should be the reason for picking healthy/nutritious foods that fuel your body, not hinder it.
So, how do I survive the holiday season? You just do. Pick a day, Christmas day for example, to have your favorite, comforting foods (all in moderation of course). Then be done with it. You will have had your holiday fix, and you will have saved yourself from days/weeks/months of self destruction.
Life is short, and we create the world we live in. So, why on earth would we chose to pollute our bodies with "food" that was never intended to be consumed? You clean your house, you service your car, you dry clean your clothes...but you feed your body trash?
On another note, take away all the guilt you may have when declining a holiday dish. Don't worry about hurting other people's feelings, or missing out. There is something to be said for someone who takes the time to nourish and take care of their body. Someone who values themselves and their body (you only get one) is someone to be admired. It's okay to say no.
Think about all the health problems that would'nt exist if we simply gave our body what it needs?
Again, your car is clean, serviced and runs beautifully....but your body is tired, weak, and you vow to "get to the gym", or "go back to weight watchers" in the New Year. Don't wait for January. Start now, and continue taking care of you every single day.

Happy Holidays.