The silly season is fast approaching and with it, a silly amount of eating and drinking.

Celebrating over a copius amount of food and drink is an Australian tradition. Whether its cheese and dips, wines or beer, pavlovas or choc-ripple cakes – our consumption of sugary food and alcohol skyrockets when we’re making merry.

But there are ways to keep yourself from overindulging at the upcoming round of work break-ups and Christmas barbecues.

Here, we look at five easy ways to stop you from gorging yourself and potentially undoing all the year’s good work:

You’re not obliged to pig out

People often think they need to attend parties and eat and drink as much as everyone else there. That’s just not the case, said Jemma O’Hanlon, senior dietitian at the Heart Foundation.

“My biggest tip when it comes to the silly season is to avoid the all or nothing mindset,” she said.

“Focus on continuing the healthy habits you already have in place throughout the festive season.

“Christmas is just one day of the year. We can enjoy a treat on Christmas day but we don’t need to turn that into a Christmas month or a longer term indulgence because that’s when we can get ourselves into a bit of trouble.”

Weave in exercise

It’s a hectic time of year – we hear you. Presents to buy, platters to bring…your gym time just dissolves.

That’s why it’s important to make time for exercise, even if it’s just five minutes here and 10 minutes there.

Go on, enjoy yourself. Just don’t overdo it. Photo: Getty

Take the stairs instead of the lift, organise walking meetings, ditch the car. Cycle or walk to the cafe, the shops or school pick up and drop off.

Be flexible

Of course you can drink that extra glass of wine and down another slider, but have a strategy in mind. Plan to eat healthy the next day or not to drink alcohol for some time afterwards, said O’Hanlon.

“Be a little bit flexible and be able to enjoy Christmas parties, but then come back and get back into your usual habits straight afterwards,” she said.

Drink water. Then drink some more

Drink water while consuming alcohol and your body will thank you the next day and in the long run.

“If you are indulging in some alcholic beverages, drink slowly and focus on quality rather than quantity,” O’Hanlon said.

“Have a water between every wine, so drink water regularly. Even have a tall glass of sparkling water with fresh lime and no one will notice it’s just you hydrating.”

There’s also a growing list of non-alcoholic or low-alcohol beverages to choose from. Ask at the bar and you may be surprised by the range.

These drinks not only spare you the nasty hangover, but they contain less kilojoules than alcoholic drinks.

Eat beforehand

If possible, have a healthy meal before you go to a party. Include protein and vegetables, as well as some wholegrains and for flavour, some fresh herbs and spices.

If you can, find out what food is being served and when. Often lunches and dinners are served later than you might expect and this in where a lot of people come unstuck by drinking on an empty stomach as they wait.

Knowing what’s being served while help you eat accordingly beforehand and you’ll avoid spoiling your appetite.