Chris Freytag, an American Council on Exercise-certified personal trainer, health coach, speaker and author, says “the holiday season is one of my favorite times of the year, but I recognize that it has the potential to be hard on my health.”

Exercising in the morning is one of the biggest tips Freytag recommends. “To alleviate the potential negative impacts of the season, I recommend making sure workouts are in the morning so you don’t get distracted later in the day by parties, events or other holiday hoopla. I also recommend getting plenty of rest and maintaining lists to stay organized and stress-free.”

If you’re able to work out in the morning, you’ll set yourself up for having a productive day and feeling accomplished. Then you can enjoy holiday activities and time with family without worrying about when you’ll have time to exercise.

“We are glass half-full people, so we hope for the best, but we prepare for the worst,” say Lee and Beth Jordan, American Council on Exercise–certified personal trainers and health coaches based in Jacksonville, Florida.

“We always have an emergency bag of healthy food that requires no refrigeration and can be readily eaten as is – a health umbrella of sorts.”

You can apply this approach in a couple of different ways:

While it’s easy to get discouraged when you’re not fully on top of your holiday fitness, Jessica Matthews, an associate professor and program director in the College of Health Sciences at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, California, says to allow yourself some grace.

“The holidays are hectic, but do your best to avoid the ‘all or nothing’ mentality when it comes to healthful eating and physical activity. In reality, there is more than just one way to live healthfully and be active.”

Matthews suggests getting creative with exercise and making physical activity a family affair. “From exploring new group fitness classes to building physical activity into holiday traditions – like taking a family walk around the neighborhood before opening Christmas presents – think outside the box when it comes to ways to have quality time with family and friends while also prioritizing your health.”

Pete McCall, American Council on Exercise–certified personal trainer in San Diego, California, and host of the All About Fitness podcast, says that planning is the best way to make sure you don’t lose track of your goals.

“Plan your workouts for the week and note them in your schedule to assure they are a part of your day. Also, remember that some exercise is better than none. Rather than skipping the gym altogether, make time for a quick workout.”

There are plenty of options for working out at home if you can’t fit in time to go to the gym. “If my schedule keeps me from the gym, I find at least 15 minutes to do body-weight exercises or kettlebell swings in the evening. It may not be my normal weightlifting workout, but I do sweat and feel a lot better when I’m done,” McCall says.

“It’s easy to overindulge when the season of parties and leftovers – so many leftovers – is upon us,” says Sherry Pagoto, a licensed clinical psychologist and professor in the department of Allied Health Sciences at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Connecticut.

Particularly if you’re hosting a holiday gathering, you’re likely to end up with additional sweets and treats that you wouldn’t normally choose as part of your regular diet.

“Avoid allowing ‘treats’ to become staples by not letting them linger in the house after the celebration has ended. When the party is over, it is time to dump the junk,” says Pagoto.

To avoid wasting food, you can also take some types of foods to your local food bank or donate items to a program like Meals on Wheels, which delivers food to seniors in need. Or, send your guests home with the leftovers!

Jonathan Ross, an American Council on Exercise–certified personal trainer based in Annapolis, Maryland, says that it’s important to remember that the entire holiday season isn’t an excuse for overindulging or stopping your exercise routine.

“Enjoy the holiday. If you worry about eating too much on this single day, the reality is that one day won’t make or break your health plan. Unfortunately, most people start a pattern of daily ‘treats’ in some form or another or skip exercise due to visiting relatives. That routine then somehow continues from Thanksgiving through the end of the year,” says Ross.

You don’t have to suddenly become an exercise fanatic during the holidays, and you can even incorporate exercise into fun holiday activities.

“Try doing some periodic bursts of ‘fast walking’ for about 30 seconds when you go to the indoor/outdoor malls and when you’re walking around your neighborhood enjoying the holiday decorations,” says Len Kravitz, professor and coordinator of exercise science at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

“This is a form of interval training, which has been shown to be wonderful for your heart and helps burn extra calories, which is always beneficial during the holidays,” says Kravitz.

You can also plan holiday activities with the whole family that require walking:

Finally, check in with yourself and take care of your stress levels.

“Stress is pervasive, and it increases exponentially during the holiday season. Stress leads to poor sleep, more sedentary behavior and – you guessed it – a craving for those comfort foods,” says Erin Nitschke, professor of exercise science at Laramie County Community College in Sheridan, Wyoming, and American Council on Exercise–certified health coach.

“Take a ‘me moment’ each day. If we are intentional about our self-care routine and remind ourselves to breathe in and think ‘let’ and breathe out and think ‘go,’ we have a better chance to mitigate the effects of daily stress. In doing so, motivation isn’t as likely to wane, and we feel better and move more.”

While it’s easier said than done during the holiday season, try to prioritize your emotional health by making time for self-care. Step out of the celebration for a moment to breathe if you’re feeling overwhelmed, and remember that the holiday season isn’t a picture-perfect celebration for most people. The important thing is to do the things that make you happy and spend time with people who are important to you.