It’s no surprise holiday weight gain is due in large part to an increase in consumption of calories and a decrease in activity. Those who attempt to stay active through this nutritional gauntlet, however, can end up looking more like Günter Schlierkamp than Santa Claus by January.

“If you commit to training hard all the way through the holiday season, you wont really have to worry about the additional calories, says bodybuilding nutritional guru Chris Aceto. They can be just what your growing body needs, providing a temporary surplus to help you add some serious muscle.”