Personal Fitness Training Studio in Frederick Maryland

Here's why: A few years ago a National Institutes of Health study examined holiday weight gain. It found that people at a healthy weight add just about a pound during the holidays and generally take it off in the spring. No big deal.

But it's a different story for overweight and obese people, who now account for more than two-thirds of U.S. adults. The study found that they gain an average of five pounds and don't shed that weight in the spring. Through the years, that weight gain adds up.

So each week from now until the New Year, you'll get weekly emails with food and activity goals as well as tips to help you meet them during this joyous -- and stressful -- time of the year. Find a weight chart and forms to track your food intake and activity at http://www.washingtonpost.com/leanplateclub.

So how do you start? Step one, send me an email to sign up. Step two, weigh yourself today. You can do this at home or at the studio with your trainer. Regularly stepping on the scale is one of the most important things you can do during the holidays, notes Thomas Wadden, director of the Center for Weight and Eating Disorders at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. It's also a habit that has helped people in the National Weight Control Registry (a group of several thousand "successful losers") maintain their weight over the long term. If you haven't faced the scale for a while, remember: The goal here is not to fret over what you weigh, but to maintain that weight from now until New Year's Day. To reduce errors, weigh yourself at the same time each day and wearing the same clothes, since body weight can fluctuate by several pounds during the day.

It's also important to find your caloric balance -- that is, to make sure the calories you eat equal the calories you burn. Do that by multiplying your weight in pounds by 10. So if you weigh 150 pounds, for example, you need about 1,500 calories to maintain your weight. If you get at least 30 minutes per day of activity, add 10 to 20 percent more.

This week's food goal is to eat two cups of fruit and 2 1/2 cups of vegetables daily. By reaching for these low-energy-density foods, you'll be able to control calories without feeling deprived.

The first big challenge is Thanksgiving. Budget about 1,000 calories for the feast. That enables you to enjoy plenty of food but doesn't give you license to gorge. (Here's how 1,000 calories add up: about four ounces of turkey, half a cup of stuffing, salad, green beans, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, a roll, a glass of wine and a slice of pumpkin pie.)

Want seconds? Reach for more vegetables or salad. Have a side of fruit with your dessert.

Also, be sure to stay active. No need to go to the gym. Walking is fine. This week's goal: Add five minutes today to whatever activity you already do. Build up to 10 minutes daily by the end of the week.