Ways to overcome the "willpower gap".

• Position: Festive Fare

Do you ever wonder why it is so hard to resist overeating during the holidays? The answer is simple, indicates Susan Thompson, president of the Institute for Sustainable Weight Loss, Aberdeen, N.J.; CEO of Bright Line Eating Solutions, Rochester, N.Y.; and author of Bright Line Eating: The Science of Living Happy, Thin, and Free: willpower is not a dimension of personality or character--it is a cognitive function available to us in limited doses.

Research shows that we all have as little as 15 minutes of willpower at our disposal at any given time before it runs dry. It is no surprise then that, when there are temptations everywhere, we cave. Thompson refers to this as the "willpower gap."

Here are the five key steps she recommends to expand your willpower to better manage holiday eating:

Plan ahead. Do not leave yourself to make decisions in the moment when you are tired, hungry, or overwhelmed by the crowd. Decide In advance what--and when--you will eat each day. This way, you will not be making food choices when your willpower is depleted.

Eat regular meals. When they become part of the- scaffolding of your life, it takes the burden off of willpower. A...