The most common responses: moderation; planning meals and exercise; eating snacks before going shopping or to parties; eating only when hungry; drinking plenty of water; alternating alcoholic, fatty and sugary drinks with water; and not depriving yourself, which often results in overindulging.

Other excerpts from their plentiful advice, with hopes everyone will find something to help enter the new year guilt-free:

When faced with a buffet table, try a small bite of a few choices, then proceed with what you would consider normal and healthy. You have now put yourself in a win-win situation that you can look forward to at other holiday outings. You "win" by allowing yourself a little leeway and getting to try some fabulous treats, and you "win" by sticking to your healthy way of life and thus can wake up the next morning feeling great and not guilty.
 — Ginny Pietila, Club Emerald, Mercer Island

Plan ahead. If you are prepared, and don't allow yourself to get really hungry by having healthy food and snacks ready to eat, you can avoid many seasonal temptations.
 — Theresa Arbow-O'Connor, Fitness Formulas Personal Training, Seattle

I arm myself with heavy "foodtillery" — handy snacks to keep us away from the unforgiving holiday sweets and fats. The armor: protein bars, nuts divided in small portions, lowfat yogurt and cottage cheese, nonfat or lowfat milk, vegetables, lean protein (chicken, turkey, tuna/fish, tofu).
 — Wendy DeLucca, Juanita Bay Athletic Club, Kirkland

Eat smaller portions, five to six smaller meals a day. The actual size of one's stomach is about the size of a fist. Chances are, your stomach will fill up after your first "conservative" serving and you won't need seconds.
 — Tija Petrovich, Pioneer Square

Try to eat healthy 80 percent of the time and let the junk be only 20 percent. If you haven't eaten your five daily servings of vegetables yet, no junk. No punch or other calorie-laden drinks until you've had your water for the day.
 — Gail Cuthbert, Kent Women's Aerobic & Fitness Center

I suggest sampling rather than eating. If you think about all of the hors d'oeuvres and desserts as a big taste party rather than a pig-out feast, you'll get to try a bit of each and still end up only having part of one or two portion sizes, rather than breakfast, lunch and dinner for a week.
 — Stephanie Bettger, PRO Sports Club, Bellevue

Experiment with the "five-minute" rule: Wait about five minutes after each course to decide if you are still hungry.
 — Ornello Arlati, Mill Creek Club

When surrounded by holiday goodies, make yourself eat five baby carrots first. Many times the carrots sound so gross you don't eat anything because you weren't really hungry. Or if you are hungry, you fill up on the carrots first and eat less of the junk.
 — Monica Rowland, Balancing Life, Snoqualmie

Designate one day a week where you can have whatever you want without a guilt trip. The secret to being on any sort of eating plan is getting right back to it if you happen to slip a little bit.
 — Courtenay Schurman, Body Results, Seattle

My husband and I will select three or four of our favorite holiday recipes to make, and give most of them away as gifts (still allowing ourselves to enjoy them, but in smaller quantities).
 — Nicole Damberg, Seattle Athletic Club Downtown

Beware of those who share at the office. Bring your own lunch and healthy snacks from home so you'll be less likely to fill up on the plate of Magic Brownie Bars that your co-worker left on your desk.
 — Laura Seuferling, Valley Medical Center Fitness and Mind-Body Center, Renton

Enjoy the tastes that you encounter only during the holidays. Slow down and enjoy the flavors. Slowing the speed at which you eat allows the nutrients to get into your bloodstream and to the sensors in your brain that tell you when you've had enough.
 — Eric Olson, The Exercise Company, Seattle

Stop the "stress" excuses. If anything, the holidays are the times you must be exercising. Just make better choices and some small changes in recipes to allow some calorie reduction — but don't overdo it. If it doesn't taste the same as the real thing you're bound to eat two or three times as much!
 — Carla Quam, Cross Train Concepts Conditioning Studio, Ballard

I exercise right before I go to holiday parties. I think this works by helping to suppress my appetite, if I work out hard enough. It also helps with body image. After doing something good for my body I'm less likely to just stuff myself with fattening food. And if I do eat the cheesecake at least I've done something to help ameliorate the effects of it.
 — Chuck Kinsey, Senior Wise Consultants, Shoreline

Get outside! Take the time off with your family and go on a family outing. Being in the crisp weather is great for recharging your batteries physically, emotionally and spiritually.
 — Cheryl A. Grassit, Fitness & Integrative Therapies, Shoreline

Don't forget to take care of yourself emotionally. Many people overeat when they are overstressed. Try to keep exercising, even if you have to moderate for time allowances. Take a walk! Take a few minutes to yourself; soak in a tub, listen to music. Veg! Sing your favorite holiday song at the top of your lungs, three times in a row!
 — Sharrón Makela, Highline Athletic Club, Seattle.

(She's also a mother of seven who says, not surprisingly, "Quiet time while I am driving is everything to me.")

Molly Martin is assistant editor of Pacific Northwest magazine. Boo Davis is a Seattle Times news artist.

More On Fitness columns