It’s party season! ‘Tis the season for holiday gatherings, family get-togethers, office parties, Halloween candy (you’ve probably already started that, right?), etc. Now combine that with the sugar craving tooth turning on between gatherings because of those gatherings and we end up with a belly, butt and hips about 10 pounds heavier than they were in the summer.

So how do you combat this yearly cycle? It’s easy with the right strategy and it’s all about the brain training. Here is your 5 step routine for partying like a fit person:

1.) Eat before you go to your party. Fill up on the good food: Water first, veggies second, good fat third (i.e. butter from grassfed cows, coconut oil, organic olive oil, etc.), and then protein.

2.) Start drinking water as soon as you get there ( at least 10 oz.).

3.) If you drink alcohol, fake sip your drink most of the time to give the appearance that you are drinking with everyone else and your drink will last all night. Remember that at least 1/2 of the alcohol you drink turns to fat, thanks to the way you liver processes it, so minimize that as much as possible. Personally, I don’t have a problem with alcohol (heck, Jesus was a wine maker in His first recorded miracle), but I just don’t like the taste, so when I’m offered a drink, I just let them know that I never acquired the taste. That way no one feels judged and I have an easy out.

4.) If you have more than 1 drink, be sure to chug at least 2 glasses of water between drinks. Dehydration is another reason alcohol is so fattening, so drinking twice the amount in water helps prevent that (and reduces the severity of hangover symptoms later).

5.) If they have food at the party, go for the veggie tray first, then more water, then protein (meat, cheese, etc.), then more water, then nuts (except cashews), then more water, then the bathroom because you’ll need it a few times that night if you are really drinking enough water as I suggest here and then if you still want some junky stuff, implement the 7 minute rule (click here to see what that is).

That’s your plan! Easy as that!

Now if you still succumbed to eating garbage at the gathering or drank too much, try the tapping technique the next day. Click here to see what that’s all about.