If there’s one thing we all know about the holidays, it’s that there will be food. Lots of food. Desserts, candies, dips, cheeses, meat trays, cracker displays, appetizers and cookies.

And truth be told, you most likely don’t have visions of celery sticks dancing in your head.

You’ve probably heard that the average person gains seven to 10 pounds between Thanksgiving and Christmas. And when asked, people say they gain an average of about five pounds during the month.

But several studies have shown that the average weight gain during the winter holidays is just one pound. That’s not so bad, right?

Now the bad news: most people don’t ever lose the pound of weight they put on during the holidays each year.

It can follow you around for a very long time. The average weight gain during adulthood is around one to two pounds a year. And those one to two pounds add up.

To keep from packing on that extra pound this year, try these strategies to help keep your choices on track.

-Dishing desserts at home: Serve bite-sized portions of pie or cake in soufflé cups or cupcake liners. A small indulgence won’t put the fit of your holiday pants in peril.

-Watch those extra bites. One lick of the spoon from your bowl of brownie mix can have 60 calories. That broken cookie from the cookie sheet has 45 calories or more. A teaspoon of hazelnut chocolate spread? 40 calories. 

-Sweet tooth on alert: Don’t go to the dessert buffet alone; share a serving with a friend or family member. Skip the whipped cream or vanilla ice cream topping on your pie.

-Black coffee: If you’re into peppermint mochas, eggnog and gingerbread lattes with whipped cream and the like, you could add 400 calories or more per coffee break. Having one every day could leave you with an extra 20 pounds a year. The solution? Order your coffee black or with non-fat milk. Try a seasonally flavored black coffee.

-Make your own: One way to be ready for holiday food mania is to beat others to the punch bowl with your own recipe collection of go-to healthy holiday favorites. Then you’ll know there’s a least one item on the buffet designed with healthier eating in mind.