What if you’re on a diet and you have a banquet or a holiday party coming up. You’re expecting a big meal to be served for dinner, and there will be open bar with lots and lots of “party snacks.” You’re not sure if there will be any healthy food there, but you are sure that you’re going to be in a festive, partying mood! What should you do? Maybe you cut back on your food earlier in the day to make room for the big feast? In other words "Banking Calories".

What I’ve just described is commonly known as "banking calories," which is analogous to saving calories like money because you're going to consume more later, and it’s a very common practice among dieters. If you’re really serious about your diet and fitness goals however, then the answer is no, you should NOT “bank calories! Here's why and here's what you should do instead:

First of all, if you're being really honest with yourself, you have to agree that there's almost always something healthy to eat at any gathering. You know those tables you see at holiday parties that are covered with yards of chips, dips, pretzels, cookies, salami, candies, cheese, punch, liquor, and a seemingly endless assortment of other goodies? Well, did you also notice that there's usually a tray full of carrot sticks, cauliflower, celery, fruit, turkey breast and other healthy snacks too?

No matter where you are, you always have options, so make the best choice you can based on whatever your options are. If nothing else, you can choose to eat a small portion of "party foods" rather than a huge portion.

If you skip meals or eat less earlier in the day to bank calories for a big feast at night, you are thinking only in terms of calories, but you’re depriving yourself of the valuable nutrition you need all day long in terms of protein (amino acids), carbohydrates, essential fats, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that come from healthy food, as well as the small frequent meals required to stoke the furnace of your metabolism.

Not only that, but eating less early in the day in anticipation for overeating later is more likely to increase your appetite, causing you to binge or eat much more than you thought you would at night when the banquet does arrive.

Eating healthy food earlier in the day is likely to fill you up and you'll be less likely to overeat in the evening. High fiber foods, healthy fats and especially lean protein, tend to suppress your appetite the most.

I don’t like the concept of "banking calories." Your body just doesn't work that way - it tends to seek equilibrium by adjusting your appetite to the point where you consume the same total amount of calories in the end anyway.

Even if it worked the way you wanted it to, why would you eat less (starve) in an attempt to burn more fat, then overeat (binge) and put the fat right back on? Why allow yourself to put on fat in the first place?

A starving and bingeing pattern will almost certainly cause more damage than an occasional oversize meal. Some dieticians might even say that this kind of behavior borders on disordered eating.

A better approach is to stay on your regular menu of healthy foods and small meals through the entire day - business as usual - and then go ahead and treat yourself to a "cheat meal," but sure to keep your portions small.

It should be a big relief to know that on special occasions, whether it's a party, restaurant meal, banquet or holiday dinner, you can eat whatever you want with little or no ill effect on body composition, as long as you respect the law of calorie balance. However, you CANNOT starve and binge and expect not to reap negative consequences.

To burn fat and be healthy, you don't have to be a "party pooper" or completely deny yourself of foods you enjoy, but you do need to have the discipline to stick with your regular meal plan most of the time and control your portion sizes all of the time.

Most people are familiar with the use of peanuts in snacks, desserts and in Asian cuisine, but did you know that peanuts and peanut butter are cholesterol-free sources of protein that offer 13 vitamins and 26 minerals? Now you can enjoy them knowing that you are making smart choices. Check out the following Peanut Pointers about why you should pop more peanuts:

1. Peanuts' and peanut butter's combinations of fiber and mono-unsaturated fat satisfy for hours, which means fewer cravings for empty-calorie snacks.

2. Peanuts have no cholesterol. They are also a good source of protein, fiber and other nutrients like vitamin E.

3. Scientific evidence suggests that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, including peanuts, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease.

4. Peanuts contain resveratrol, a naturally occurring phytochemical also found in red wine, which has been associated with reduced cardiovascular disease and reduced cancer risk.

5. Harvard School of Public Health researchers reported in 2002 that consuming one tablespoon of peanut butter or an ounce of peanuts five or more times a week is associated with a 21 percent and 27 percent reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes, respectively.

In a nutshell, peanuts are a sweet and savory food that you can enjoy knowing they are beneficial. Keep peanuts in your pocket, purse, desk drawer, car or even under your pillow so you can always have a natural and nourishing snack handy. Peanuts are helpful in the kitchen too-add them to meals for an extra punch of protein.

Try roasting your own peanuts at home for a personal spin on flavor:

Place raw peanuts, in-shell or shelled, one layer deep in a shallow baking pan. Roast in a 350°F oven-15 to 20 minutes for shelled and 20 to 25 minutes for in-shell peanuts. Remove from heat just short of doneness desired, as peanuts continue to cook as they cool.

Eat your homemade peanuts plain, or while they are still hot, add some extra flavor. For delicately sweet peanuts, add sugar and cinnamon. Or add grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. You can spice things up by adding spices such as paprika and cayenne pepper. Be creative! One big batch of roasted peanuts can be put in separate bowls with different flavors for a peanut party.