Coping with the season of temptation.

In the summer and fall, people's senses are deluged with the best foodstuffs available. Not only are they awash in fresh fruits and vegetables, they have the health industry's blessing to consume at will and never mind moderation.

Then comes the holiday season, that gobbler of diets and motivation. 'Tis the season of gravies and desserts, when sweets and delectably fatty dishes are in such abundance that it almost seems like a harvest, with acres of brownies, glazed cookies, and powdered confections, like tomatoes in August, needing to be consumed before they spoil.

Of course, the health-conscious know better. Most Americans are making fervent promises not to touch one of those tempting dishes, even if they are as delicious in appearance as the greenest cucumbers and reddest watermelons.

Despite these vows, when faced with the approach of this season of nutritional sin, willpower is going to vanish like tan lines in January. However, health experts have become more realistic about how to handle its temptations. "Balancing the calories and fat we consume is still the goal," indicates nutritionist Alice Lindeman, Indiana University, Bloomington. "Plan ahead so you can allow yourself to overeat on certain days. On the days before and after a `gorge,' eat a little less and exercise a little more."

It would be prudent to give a polite thumbs-down to some of the holiday invitations, she suggests. "The fewer parties you attend, the less the...