Indulge and feel great!

It's time to eat, drink and be merry! And these clever strategies will help you enjoy your favorite holiday indulgences without body backlash

- BRENDA KEARNS

Block weight gain with quick stretches

Your fridge is filled with delicious holiday fare, and friends are offering you even more yummy treats. Luckily, you can enjoy it all without gaining a pound! How? By standing and stretching for 3 minutes every hour. California Polytechnic State University experts say that regularly standing switches on genes that encourage fat burn. And the muscle contractions needed to do those deep stretches help build metabolism-boosting muscle.

The trick that boosts cheer!

Carb-heavy foods can hamper blood-sugar control, leaving you grumpy and tired. The fix? At dinner, enjoy the protein and veggies first, then dig into tasty carbs second. Weill Cornell Medicine experts say this prevents post-meal blood-glucose dips. Bonus: It helped their study subjects lose up to 1 pound a week!

OR LAUGH

Carving out 30 minutes daily for some giggles (whether you chat with a friend or watch your favorite holiday comedy) can prevent creeping weight gain and even help you shed a pound or two, Japanese scientists say. Laughter quashes the production of the fat-storing stress hormone cortisol.