It's the holiday season ... you know what that means — expect your pants to be just a bit tighter on January 1. Which is the day you start your new diet, right?! However, with a few tweaks here and there now you won't have to bust out your fat pants later.

Every holiday season we hear things like eat smaller portions, eat before you head to a party, and don't drink too much because it causes you to make bad decisions (hey, we're talking food here people). Personally, I'm tired of those suggestions. If I want to imbibe, I will and I do during the holidays. However, I try to ramp up the exercise to counter the calories and to make myself feel better about gorging on homemade eggnog and peanut butter cookies. SO GOOD!

Often we have no control over what foods we will encounter during the holidays because we're running to one party and then off to another. But if you're planning your own party I have a few tips to keep your desserts healthier.

1. Use egg whites instead of whole eggs. You will have to tweak your recipe a bit, but with a quick search online you can find tons of dessert recipes made with egg whites.
2. Go gluten free. So many people these days have allergies or intolerances to gluten. It's easy to find recipes or even bakeries that cater to gluten-free living.
3. Incorporate pumpkin. Pumpkin not only tastes good, it is good for you and filling!
4. Use fruit. A bowl of fruit with a spoonful of whipped topping is a delicious and healthy dessert. Think about having a fruit bar at your next shindig!
5. Substitute sugar with sweeteners like Splenda, made with sucralose or natural sweeteners made with stevia. Avoid aspartame-based sweeteners.
6. Use apple sauce and yogurt as substitutes when bread baking. They keep the bread moist, but lighten up the calorie count!
7. Use the Internet! There are so many healthy dessert recipes out there, I bet you won't be able to choose just one.

As I have mentioned before, I love Hungry Girl recipes. She always takes food that is bad for you and makes it healthy without compromising on taste. The South Beach Diet Cookbook also has some really delicious and filling desserts. My favorite is the Almond Ricotta Creme. I can picture serving those in individual souffle cups with little mint sprig garnishes. No one will know they are actually good for you!

What healthy dessert tips do you have for the holidays? Do you watch what you eat around the holidays or do you wait until January 1st?