Exercise, with its benefits to your waistline, also can help override some of the nasty effects of fat in your blood.

High fat meals dramatically increase the amount of triglycerides in your bloodstream, lowering good cholesterol (HDL) and increasing bad cholesterol (LDL). This contributes to heart disease and arteriosclerosis. Researchers found that exercising 1 hour before indulging cut the amount of triglycerides in the blood by nearly 40%.

Working out after, however, only decreased by 5%.

This is significant, because it means exercising before 'cheating' is better than exercising after.

The reason is simple. Exercise stimulates fat-clearing enzymes. Fats are either broken down and excreted, or taken up by muscle and fat tissue. Either way, they are out of the bloodstream and less likely to increase LDL and heart disease risk.

Exercising every day is the best option, particularly for individuals who eat a high fat diet every day.

Of course, to speed the breakdown of fat, your exercise sessions must be moderate-high to high intensity - like strength training. These types of exercises raise your metabolism and will help your body burn fat long after you are done exercising.

When eating our, choose smaller servings. Studies show that people who were given large portions of food eat more than when they were given smaller portions and allowed to get up for more. Have you ever been to a buffet where people stuff food into their plates like there is no tomorrow? This type of behavior predisposes one to weight gain.

It is interesting to note that restaurants serve larger meals for the same price, or a marginally higher charge. The fact is, food is low in cost compared to rent and labor, so it's just as easy to pile on more food.

It is not easy to change People get accustomed to the bigger meals, and when they get less, they feel cheated. That could be why people who dine out frequently are more likely to be overweight.

What's worse is that restaurants serve foods that are calorie-dense, tasty, varied, and in large portions.

But the answer is simple: eat less. Wrap up the rest and take it home. Eat it the next day.

One more technique is very effective, it's called 'save your calories'. Eat a lighter-than-usual dinner the night before, followed by very small, low fat breakfast and lunch on the day of the big meal. Then an hour or two before the meal, have a small snack, such as plain low-fat yogurt. You won't come to the table ravenous. You will be less likely to really stuff yourself, and you will enjoy the meal more.