With Thanksgiving in the rear view mirror and Christmas coming up on the horizon, it’s fair to say that we’re knee deep in the holiday season already. On the one hand, it’s an obvious and obligatory time to celebrate — to eat, drink, and be merry. On the other hand, it’s also a time when everyone typically gains weight if they’re not careful.

Luckily, family practice physicians know some little habits and tricks that can help keep weight gain at bay. Here’s a simple weight loss system you can put in place to help make sure those Christmas cookies, cups of eggnog, and plates of Turducken don’t pack the pounds on you.

Water Is Your Friend.

Family practice doctors say that drinking more water is always a good idea. Twelve-ounces of cold water before a meal can help suppress your appetite, which means you’re less likely to overeat. Plus, it also increases your metabolism, which means you’ll burn the calories off faster. Water is an essential part of any weight loss system.

Pare Down Your Other Beverages.

While we’re on the subject of beverages, a good weight loss system excludes unnecessary, caloric beverages. This means no more soda or coffee creamer. Cutting sugary sodas out of your diet will help you trim a whopping 1,350 calories a week off of your diet. Taking your coffee black (or with zero-calorie sweeteners) would shave 360 calories per week off.

Eat Your Meals on Small, Blue Plates.

Eating your meals on small, blue plates is a neat little psychological trick you can incorporate into your weight loss system. If you put the same amount of food on a small plate as you might put on a big plate, it’s going to look like a larger meal, which will trick you into thinking you’re eating more, and make you feel fuller faster. Also, blue has been proven to suppress appetites, which means you’ll also feel even more full even faster.

Getting a weight loss system in place during the holidays can seem a bit tricky, but you’ll be glad you did once you step on the scale. If you have any questions about these weight loss system tricks, feel free to ask in the comments. Research more like this.