With shorter days, plunging temperatures, stressful work deadlines buttery feasts and festive cocktails, December is hardly the ideal month to start losing weight. But if you are determined to see weight loss results and get a jump start on New Year's, you still can!

How? By making easy decisions, setting aside just enough time for exercise and incorporating these super-easy tips and tricks into your daily routine. Best of all these ideas are just about the very least you need to do to impose meaningful change on your habits over the holidays.

If you are not into a Diet & Meal Plan Coaching Program to keep you on track just yet, here are 13 tricks to help you navigate the “unhealthiest” time of the year.

1. Walk or exercise out in the cold

Simply exposing your body to brisk temperatures can help unleash additional fat burning calories.

According to a study in the Journal of molecular metabolism, cold ambient temperatures will encourage your body to produce more vitamin A naturally - which helps your body convert your body's white fat into Brown fat which is the healthier type of fat we use as energy in cold temps.

When this happens, your body burns more energy than its stores as fat! Best of all you don't need to load up on vitamin A supplements to experience this metabolic boost. So just get outside! And when you feel the chill know that you are priming your body for additional weight loss.

2. Slash your Alcohol consumption in half by using this technique

If you're a Wine Drinker switch over to wine spritzers which are 50% wine and 50% club soda. You basically cut the calories from wine in half.

Also using light beer or hard cider can be an alternative to sugary alcoholic drinks.

For some people altering between drinking water and having alcohol also works well. This also helps keep you hydrated and minimize the risk of hangovers on the following day.

3. Load up on the vegetables and eat them first

Eat the veggies first before you enjoy the roast turkey glazed ham stuffing and sweet potato pie.
This will make sure that you actually eat the vegetables before getting too full. And vegetables are high in nutrients and fiber which is a winning combination for overall health.

4. Savor each bite!

Ask yourself am I still enjoying this? If the answer is yes then consider continuing to eat.

If the answer is no you also have the option to take a break and then re-evaluate the need for more later.

5. Do not skip meals

This is a popular strategy for Holiday eating. If you typically save your calories from breakfast and lunch to allow room for extra Indulgence, this usually leads to overeating.

Instead have a regular breakfast and lunch and just don't eat the same quantity.

6. Eat what you love

Most of us find it extremely easy to eat something just because it's there. Be really picky at your holiday dinner.

Focus only on eating the foods you absolutely love and skip the foods that you are so and so about. Also, don't eat something just because it's a holiday food and if eggnog doesn't excite you just skip it!

7. Get out and walk after a meal!

Walking is one of the healthiest habits you can have during the holidays, especially after a big meal.

There are many studies that say taking a Brisk 15 to 20-minute walk after a meal can help ease digestion and stabilize blood sugar levels.

8. Do some light outdoor activity

In addition to walking consider incorporating some outdoor physical activities into your holiday festivities. Sledding and ice skating are two ways to stay active.

Shoveling snow can also give you a good workout. And if you work out at a gym definitely do a workout if you can.

9. Enjoy dessert and be mindful while doing it

Dessert is a beautiful thing! You will likely encounter endless amounts of cakes, cookies pies and treats at your holiday meal.

Have some! Enjoy it.

If you want to taste every dessert, consider just having small bites of each. And only eat things you really really love! Don't waste your calories on store-bought junk or eat things just because they're there.

10. Start your big holiday meals with soup instead of salad

According to Professor Dr. Barbara rolls a researcher at Penn State University, starting a big meal with a bowl of soup will single-handedly help you cut your calorie consumption by upwards of twenty percent.

And it doesn't have to be a hearty or creamy soup that will fill you up. According to Barbara rolls, consuming the first course of low-calorie soup in a variety of forms can help with managing weight.

So fill your stomach with great soup and you're bound to eat less of the unhealthy Foods in later courses.

11. Lose the guilt!

I know that healthy holiday eating can make some people anxious, but try not to get too worked up. This should be a time of Celebration and also relaxation.

If you do happen to eat more than you planned don't beat yourself up.

More importantly, don't let slip up turn into a fall or complete backslide. If you do go overboard, don't get stuck in a food rut. Take back your healthy eating habits as soon as possible.

12. Slow down your eating

We all know the importance of eating slowly and waiting before going for seconds, mainly because it takes 20 minutes for your brain to get the signal that you're actually full.

As a lifelong foodie, I get super excited when I set my sights on any holiday feast. Remember to pace yourself. By savoring every delicious bite you're more likely to take your time and stop and you had enough.

13. Ask yourself “Am I still enjoying this?”

Whenever you are not sure if you are overeating, one question I recommend to my clients is to ask themselves at different points throughout the meal this question.

I hope you have a great holiday season and enjoy being with friends and family.