The holidays are a great time of year for many people. There are a lot of celebrations, and you often get to see friends and family members you might not have seen for a long time. Unfortunately, those same holidays can also lead to eating and drinking more than normal, and not sticking to your exercise routine.

Here are some tips and tricks to consider, so you can reduce that risk and stay in shape throughout the holidays. If you have a good plan and stick with it, you'll get through this time of year happy and healthy, and still have a lot of fun in the process.

Don't Let the Perfect be the Enemy of the Good
You may not be able to stick to your fitness plan 100% with the holidays happening all around you, but that doesn't mean you should abandon that plan. A fitness plan that's performed at 50% is still better than not sticking to a plan at all. So try to stay with your plan, but forgive yourself if you can't meet 100% of your exercise and diet goals during the holidays. Make wise food choices the majority of the time, and plan time to get some exercise in.

Eat Before You Go Eat
If you're headed to a family dinner or a night out with friends, have something small and healthy to eat before you go. You won't be as hungry, so you'll be less likely to overindulge. Even if you do choose less healthy foods during your visit or outing, you'll also eat smaller quantities of those foods if you eat a little before you leave your house. It's a great way to keep your diet in check during all the festivities.

Stay Active, Even if It's Only a Walk
Getting to the gym and keeping your same workout routine might not be very realistic during the holiday season. But you can still get some exercise in each day. Even if all you have time for is a short, brisk walk, that's still much better than not getting any exercise at all. If you're really limited on time, focus on your strength training. You don't want to lose the muscle you've already gained, just because the holidays are here.

Don't Skimp on the Water
When you make smart eating choices and get some exercise you'll feel better, and that can make the stress of the holidays easier to handle. You should also make sure to drink plenty of water. That can help you stay in shape during the holidays by filling you up and keeping you from over-eating. You'll be less tired and hungry when you're well-hydrated, and feel more alert so you can enjoy your time with family and friends.

The holidays can cause some adjustments to your fitness and diet routines. But when you plan for those adjustments in advance you'll be much more likely to have a good holiday season and still stick pretty close to your goals. Then you'll be ready to tackle the new year.