During the holidays, all good intentions of trying to keep your health and nutrition on track is a lot easier said than done, especially when there is a feast of stuffing, gravy, and warm buttered rolls coming for you hot from the oven.

The holidays are for merriment and only come once a year, but it’s important to realize the cost of delaying your daily exercise routine and enjoying an extra serving of mashed potatoes and small slice of pumpkin pie.

Which is fine every once and a while—we’ve preached about enjoying yourself and having a few treats here and there. But there’s a limit on how much you should indulge.

According to some estimates, Americans consume up to 4,500 calories during traditional holiday celebrations including Thanksgiving, office parties, Friendsgiving, and Christmas and Hanukkah festivities. If you’re a social butterfly and have a lot of commitments, those extra calories can add up and you’ll be going into the new year with a few extra pounds (and not the good type).

We’re not telling you to not show up to the family potluck, but keep in mind that those extra servings come at a cost. Don’t let poor eating habits carry on into the colder months. The accumulation of these pounds unfortunately won’t melt as fast as the snow in the spring. But there are ways you can shed those extra pounds before you have to shed the puffy winter jacket.

Here are my five ways to lose weight after holiday eating, that I even follow myself.