Now that Thanksgiving is only weeks away, and decorations are already firmly in place in department stores, it's impossible to ignore that the holidays are coming -- and the few extra pounds that always seem to accompany the holiday season whether you like it or not. Which is why, then, that this week has been declared the official start to to the pre-holiday diet -- you know, that mad rush to lose a a little extra weight before party dresses and egg nog start making a regular appearance in our life.

It's not just you and I, either. Studies show that 58 percent of women will make an attempt to slim down before the holiday season -- mostly because they want to look their best for the their office party but also, I suspect, because they don't want to feel quite so guilty when they polish off another rum ball at the neighbor's open house.


And how do we intend to do this? The majority of women -- 71 percent, in fact -- take the sensible approach to dieting by eating three healthy meals a day. But there's still a worrying 10 percent who will skip meals to lose weight. But they needn't bother -- apparently 17 percent of holiday slimmers will gain it all back by New Year's Eve, just in time for another round of dieting called the January Detox.

Welcome to Walking the Walk, a feature that takes a deeper look at commonly shared diet and fitness advice. Every other week, I'll choose one piece of advice and practice it for seven days. Then I'll report back on what I discovered about making it work in real life and how it affected my own personal fitness -- and how it ultimately can affect your own efforts.

For the first time ever, I can proudly say I didn't pack on weight over the holiday season. In fact, I've managed to lose about eight pounds since Thanksgiving. I owe it, mostly, to my ban on sugar and chocolate.

Still, I have a lot of work to do. Take, for instance, my abs. They are very sad abs, abs that must be stuffed into too tight undergarments to look good in holiday wear. They're just crying for attention.

We all know that spot training alone doesn't work. After all, you could have the most gorgeous set of six-pack abs in the universe, but if they're covered with a thick layer of flab, who's going to notice? True spot reduction comes from a healthy diet, aerobic exercise and strength training.

That said, I'd really, really like to squeeze into something nice and a little smaller on Christmas. But that's just over a week away, so I'm going to work these abs like crazy every day as an experiment and see what happens. If it works ... hurray! If not, well, a lesson learned for all of us.

This morning, I encouraged you to start a new tradition with your family -- a healthy one. So instead of chugging egg nog and gossiping about Aunt Rita's new facelift, don your winter coat, hats, mittens and snow boots and head out to the great outdoors. Here are five activities you can do as a family:

• Go tobogganing. The going down part? Exhilarating. The going up part? Exhausting. You're sure to work off those extra calories you're planning on eating at Christmas dinner -- or perhaps you've already eaten them.
  
• Build a snowman. Extra points if you can make it look like someone famous. Though I'm thinking Amy Winehouse might not work, seeing as the hair is bigger than the body.
  
• Have a snowball fight. Play nice ... or not. It depends on your family dynamics, I guess.
  
• Make snow angels. Come on, when was the last time you did that?
• Play Wii. OK, the outdoors isn't for everyone. If the whole clan ishappier in front of the TV, so be it -- just make sure you're getting active at the same time.
  

Have a healthy family tradition of your own? Do share.

The temperatures are well into the minus double digits where I live, and that definitely puts a kink in my active lifestyle. I try to walk a couple of miles every day, but that's just not possible when five minutes outdoors takes away all feeling in my fingers and toes.

But I still want to be as active as I can this Christmas ... indoors, of course. Here are some things my family is doing to avoid being total couch potatoes:

• Wii. Virtual bowling and tennis are great ways for my brother and I to relive our competitive younger days.
  
• Games. Charades and cranium provide hours of laughs.
  
• Cooking. It's not the most fun activity out there, but helping out in the kitchen will not only get you off the couch, it will make the chef's day.
  
• Better yet, cleaning. Volunteering for dish duty is a good way to earn your keep.
  

What indoor activities are on your Christmas Day agenda?

It's Christmas Day and the last thing you're probably thinking about is pirates.

But if you've got time for a quick workout before your company arrives, Fitz and Paddie (a.k.a. Captain Feathersword of the Wiggles) want to help you stay in shape over the holidays.

While you're there, don't forget to look around ... and Merry Christmas!

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When you get up on Christmas morning, it might seem like a good idea to skip breakfast so you can eat more at dinner. Plus you've got all those shiny new presents to distract you from the innate need to seek sustenance. But skimping on your first meal can slow down your metabolism for the rest of the day, according to our friends at Fitsugar. And let's be honest -- that's the last thing you want when the spread is so fantastic.

A better option? Prepare a platter of fresh fruit for breakfast and serve it alongside some low-fat yogurt, cottage cheese or oatmeal. Omelets are also a great option -- the more veggies the better.

What do you have for Christmas breakfast?

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So your bags are packed, the car is stocked with festive wrapped presents and you're about to go over the river and through the woods when you realize ... you forgot to buy cousin Jimmy a gift.

We've all been there. At this point, you may not have time to purchase one of our favorite fit gifts, but there are still plenty of health-promoting gifts you can pick up on the way to your Christmas celebrations. Check out the gallery for ideas.

Eating too much has some uncomfortable side effects. I'm sure you are acquainted with them -- too-tight pants, that uncomfortably full feeling, the possibility of embarrassing gas ...

But eating binges aren't actually dangerous, are they? According to the New York Times, they could be -- they could be deadly, even. According to Dr. Francisco Lopez-Jimenez of the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, "Overeating will make your body work harder. The extra digestive workload demanded by a food binge requires the heart to pump more blood to the stomach and intestines. Heavy consumption of fatty foods can also lead to changes that cause blood to clot more easily."

Yeesh, that sounds pretty serious. This Christmas, eat until you're full and stop there. Nobody wants to witness a Christmas-day fatality.

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Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answers. Our ThatsFit.com fitness expert -- and now your own virtual personal trainer -- will help you get fit, increase your overall health and do it in a fun way. Drop your questions here in the Comments section below and we'll choose one per week to publish on That's Fit! Learn more about Fitz here.

Q. Hi Fitz, I love to exercise, but may only have about 15 minutes to do anything on Christmas Day. Can you give me a quick circuit to do at home before we take off for the family party? Thanks and Merry Christmas, Johnny

A. Sure, Johhny! I'd love to. Before I do that, though, I want to tell you how impressive it is that fitness is such a priority for you. Lots of folks are going to use the holiday as an excuse to do nothing. You and I both know that a brief workout will probably make us feel more energetic and happy on the big day and give us a little more wiggle room to enjoy an extra indulgence without paying the price. High five to you!

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'Tis the season to be merry, and being merry usually involves copious amounts of food and drink. While there might be a salad or veggie tray at your disposal, it's more likely that the spread at your next holiday party will be stocked with unhealthy stuff, like egg nog, cookies, cheese and junk food.

What's your Holiday party weakness? Here's what you told us:

• 27 percent of you have a soft spot for Christmas cookies.
  
• 24 percent of you are crazy about chocolate -- but what else is new?
• 14 percent of you say alcohol is your vice.
  
• and seven percent of you said all of the above -- here, here!
  

Thanks for sharing!

I'm sure it hasn't escaped your notice that, Holy Moly, Christmas is tomorrow. If you celebrate like my family does, the day goes something like this: Eat, open presents, eat, play with new presents, eat, lounge, eat, lounge, half-heartedly help mom in the kitchen, eat a huge meal (the others were just snacks in comparison), eat dessert, pile everything into the dishwasher, lounge some more, then go to bed. It's a pretty perfect day, if you ask me, but all that eating can add up.

The big meal of the day, of course, is Christmas dinner. And after a day of constant snacking, a large meal can put you way over your recommended daily caloric intake. But by just how much?

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Over the past couple of months, Bethany and Maggie have been diligently updating you with their picks for the best fit gifts available this holiday season. Now, with only two days until Christmas, it's crunch time. You've gotta get your gifts together and under the tree pronto.

Need some inspiration? Here are a few of the best of the best fit gifts of 2008:

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It takes a hard-core fitness buff to run in the frigid winter weather. It takes just a touch of insanity to run in the winter ... in a Speedo ... wearing a Santa hat.

Need a little inspiration? Or maybe just a time-out from all the holiday hoopla to look at some hard bodies in Santa wear? Then check out this Santas in Speedos gallery over at Holidash.

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The days before Christmas are winding down. If you're in need of a quick gift, a DVD is a good choice. While a couple of hours plopped on the couch certainly doesn't do anything for fitness, many sports-themed movies have an inspiring message. So, when picking out a flick for your favorite movie buffs, why not choose one that motivates them to become more fit? Check out the gallery for some ideas.