Everyone over-eats during the holidays, and that's a fact -- no matter whether you're fat or thin.

It's not surprising that you can gain ten pounds or more during this time of the year with all the calorie-rich cassava pie, Christmas pudding, and egg nog.

With Christmas passed -- leaving all that food hanging around -- and the new year fast approaching, people should try to refrain from continued over-eating and consuming alcoholic beverages, which are also fattening.

According to Nutrition Services, thin people over-eat but they accept the fact without punishing themselves.

"They eat, enjoy what they eat and then it's all over. Their normal eating and exercise pattern continues.'' "Weight conscious people tend to be locked into the `diet mentality'. They eat as little as possible which causes them to feel deprived if they don't have a goody, and guilty if they do -- punishing themselves either way.

"When they do overeat it often turns into stuffing, gorging, or bingeing, which goes on for the whole season.'' Nutrition Services also states that whether you like to throw or attend parties, moderation of all things is the key -- don't deprive yourself completely, but be selective with food and drink.

"Exercise is the only thing that you can't get enough of!'' When socialising you should also choose your drinks sensibly.

"Alcohol gives you extra calories and makes you more relaxed so you eat and snack more. Have a sparkling water or a diet drink between any alcoholic beverages you may have.

"Or better still, try the de-alcoholised beers and wines or the sparkling grape juices.'' For persons who need to abstain totally you need to look for "alcohol-free'', as to choose non-alcoholic will mean some alcohol.

Non-alcoholic beers taste like the real thing with a third less calories. The flavour is in the drink and not the alcohol.

Wines, on the other hand, depend on the alcohol for the flavour so they do not taste like the real thing.

Drinking in moderation means consuming no more than two drinks per day, and studies show that having more than two drinks per day significantly increases your blood pressure.

Nutrition Services also stated that if you do decide to have a few, it is wise to use mixers liberally -- for example, wine spritzers and ginger beer shandys -- and make sure you eat before you drink.

"Food can act as a barrier between alcohol and the stomach wall to decrease absorption there. Food delays emptying time of the stomach so it takes longer to get to the intestine where most of it gets absorbed into the blood stream.'' The department also warns it is unwise for parents to let their children have "a sip or two'', as it could start the child on the road to alcoholism.

Also because of their small size, they will be more susceptible to alcohol's effects.

If you have over-eaten and drank too much the best way to bounce back and loose those few extra pounds is to exercise which does mean cleaning the house after the holidays, catching those after Christmas sales or standing on your feet at work.

Things to keep in mind: Some people can hold their liquor better than others because of their size, sex, and genetic differences and drinking habits. The more you drink the more your body learns to tolerate it -- the CNS and the liver adapt to frequent alcohol exposure.

A 160-pound man can handle four to five drinks over two hours for a blood alcohol level of 0.1 percent, while a 120 pound woman would reach that level with less than four drinks.

If there is a history of alcoholism in your family stay away from it, you may have the genetic predisposition to develop it.

TOO MUCH FOOD, TOO MUCH DRINK -- Is your stomach feeling bloated? If you feel like you're going to explode, that's the result of overeating and too much booze. Now it's time to get back on track.