If you're like me, you overindulged a little during the holidays. Now a month later, the daily ritual of hopping to pull your pants over your hips and sucking in the gut to button them is starting to get a little old.

Sure, we should exercise more but who has time to squeeze that into a morning schedule? They say you shouldn't exercise right before bed, and anyway there's Grey's Anatomy et al to consider.

You can find all sorts of great dieting tips on Good Morning America, but I like to supplement those ideas with time-tested tips from my mom and grandmothers. They call it Apron Logic - I call it genius. Here you have it then:

Notes From The Apron: How To Lose Those Pesky Christmas Pounds

1. The Water Trick - every time you feel a hunger pang, drink a glass of water and wait 5 minutes. The water will take the edge off and make you less likely to stuff the last of the Rudolph cookies in your mouth, plus it helps you meet your daily water quota. If after five minutes you're still hungry, try another tip.

2. The Cooking Trick - cook up a nice meal, preferably one that requires more time and multiple steps. The aroma plus the obligatory taste tests reduces my appetite so much that by the time we sit down to eat I only want a small portion. I have no idea why this works, I just know that it does.

3. The 3-Course Meal - eat your meal in courses, starting with a large helping of salad or veggies. Eat at a slower pace so that by the time you get around to the fattier meat and starch course you'll be almost full already.

4. The Snack Prep Trick - nip your impulse snacking in the bud and prepare a selection of healthy snacks ready to grab. Chop up fruit and veggies into snackable portions, stock up on unsalted nuts or raisins, and make sure you have your favorite yogurt flavor on hand.

5. The Shop Smart Trick - never shop for groceries when you're hungry. If you shop right after work when your tummy is grumbling in anticipation of dinner, you'll probably fall victim to an unhealthy impulse buy. Instead of choosing a quick box meal, go for the healthier version. It may take longer to prepare but isn't jammed full of preservatives.

6. The Chocolate Switch - sometimes you just need a chocolate fix, but instead of creamy milk chocolate you should try a decadent dark chocolate. Not only does dark chocolate contain anti-oxidants, its richness satisfies you sooner and you'll eat less. Bars with 70% cocoa are best.

7. The Goal Setting Trick - don't make goals that are too big to swallow. Take it one day at a time and set mini goals for yourself that are attainable. Decide "I won't snack on junk food today" instead of worrying about what it'll take to lose 5 pounds in a month.

No matter what your big-picture diet goals are, snacking smart will keep you healthier and less worried when the hunger gremlins strike. With all the negative attention diet pills and weight reduction surgery are getting, it's good to get back to some common sense ideas of how to live better without sacrificing your enjoyment of good food.

This post was co-authored by MizzRobin and Mamaluv.

MizzRobin is a ChickAdvisor member and researcher. She loves Cosmos and hates people with no common sense. She can be found most days sharing her good sense in ChickChat.