A New York City nutritionist says it is important to exhibit portion control over the holidays to avoid gaining extra weight.

"What I do to combat that is I choose a smaller plate. That way I'm limiting myself so the plate won't hold so much," says Laura Barnak, a clinical nutritionist at Jacobi Medical Center.

Barnak suggests limiting carbohydrates and loading your plate with a lot of fruits and vegetables.

Experts say that on average, people can gain anywhere between 5 and 15 pounds during the holiday season.

Nutritionists also recommend exercising after a holiday meal.