Atlanta If the five golden rings you crave come from Krispy Kreme, your diet probably goes into a downward spiral during the holidays.

Fall and winter bring out the baked goods, the invitations and the eggnog. But maintaining good eating habits is still possible, even around a holiday potluck and an open bar.

Linda M. Bell, a human-resources specialist from Hampton, Ga., says she once gained 6 pounds over the holidays through eating large portions. Later, after having a baby, she resolved to take the weight off for good. Now, even though her office turns into one long baked-goods buffet at year's end, Bell carefully chooses her meals and fits those choices into her dietary plan. No food is off-limits, but "it's very difficult" to stay focused, she says. "I plan what I'm going to eat. I'm very conscious of what I eat and how much I eat," she says. She's kept the weight off for five years, using workplace nutrition and weight-management classes as inspiration.

Most people don't gain more than 1 or 2 pounds during the holiday season, but a slow, gradual weight gain adds up over the years, says registered dietitian Marisa Moore, an Atlanta spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.

If you eat a slice of cake, don't panic or give up. One splurge won't ruin your diet. The key is to enjoy yourself sensibly.

Be careful not to fall prey to common diet slip-ups.

Diet trap: The slice of cake you ate doesn't count because you already exercised that day.

Why: Dietitian Marisa Moore says exercise doesn't perfectly offset food servings. Your power walk may have burned only 150 calories, while the cake weighed in at 500 calories.

Diet trap: You starve yourself all day to "save calories" for your big splurge later.

Why: That's bad, says registered dietitian and Auburn University nutrition professor Robert Keith. You'd probably end up eating more to make up for the missed meals, even more than if you had eaten three balanced meals that day.

Diet trap: The buffet is full of high-calorie foods, so you stick to the small appetizers

that are passed around on trays.

Why: Just because it's small doesn't mean it's light; some bite-size treats have 100

calories each. And since you'll be talking and drinking, you might not pay attention to

how many you eat.