Avoid overeating

'Watch your portion sizes'

Start small and instead of using dinner size plates, serve yourself with a salad portion plate. Observe the various food choices and decide what looks good to you. If everything looks good, then try a little bit of everything. If only a few items appeal to you, serve yourself those foods, being careful with your portion sizes. Avoid stacking upward on your plate; keep the portions small enough so you can have a little bit of everything you want.

If sharing interests you, then splitting a dinner plate between two people is a great way to reduce portion sizes and avoid over eating.

'Ask yourself if you are enjoying the food'

This last suggestion may be the most challenging of them all, but is crucial to follow in order to ensure that you do not overeat. If you notice you do not enjoy the taste of some of the foods you have served yourself, then by all means, do not eat them.

Similarly, if you realize that your body no longer feels physically hungry, but you still have food in front of you, stop eating. You do not have to clean your plate.

And, finally, if the foods are just too good to pass up and you do not want to miss out, consider taking home a small plate or asking for the recipe. Many hosts love to know just how much you are enjoying their food and are happy to send you home with extras or share their beloved recipes.

Most importantly, enjoy your parties and embrace all that your experiences have to offer, including taking pleasure in the foods you love without the discomfort of overeating and weight gain. You will feel much better about yourself as a result.