( CNN ) -- If you 're trying to lose weight , close your eyes for a minute and imagine the moments that make you fat . Think through your day , and you 'll see them , as big and obvious as a hot fudge sundae sitting right in front of you . You 've been good all day , and wham , your friends suggest you go to a buffet for dinner ; or you 've diligently worked out and wham , you end up at a cocktail party with an array of the most killer desserts ever . Do n't rely on your willpower to get you through these tough times , advises James Hill , executive director of the Anschutz Health and Wellness Center at the University of Colorado . `` Willpower is not inexhaustible , '' he says . `` You only have a certain amount of it , and it 's gone . '' The key is to accept the fact that your willpower will run out at some point , and plan strategies to get you through fattening situations . Here are the top five moments that make you fat , and what you can do to outwit them . On vacation . The problem : You 're on vacation and you want to kick back , relax , and enjoy the local cuisine -- but you do n't want to come home with pounds to shed . The solution : `` Go for it , '' advises Frances Largeman-Roth , a registered dietitian and senior food and nutrition editor at Health magazine . But share with others . If you 're in Paris , for example , do n't skip a visit to the bakery -- that would be tres triste -- but share the goodies with friends . After a break-up . The problem : You want to bury your sorrows in a pint of ice cream . The solution : `` Instead of meeting your friend for a drink to dish about your ex , meet up for a power walk or run , '' Largeman-Roth advises . Also , sign up for a team that is training for a 5K or some other race to distract your self and meet new people . A party with fabulous food . The problem : You 're at a party and everything looks delicious . It 's free , it 's in front of you , and no one 's stopping you . The solution : Do n't arrive famished , says Dr. Melina Jampolis , CNNHealth 's diet and fitness expert . Eat a small protein snack before the party , such as a few slices of turkey , a half a cup of low-fat cottage cheese , or half a protein bar . Also , limit your alcohol , and not just because it 's caloric , but because if it 's hard to control yourself while you 're sober , imagine how much harder it is while tipsy . Watching TV . The problem : You want to plop in front of the television with a high-fat snack . The solution : Use a small bowl , Largeman-Roth says , or snack on frozen grapes or veggies with a yogurt-based dip . At a buffet , or a restaurant with enormous portions . The problem : Buffets offer limitless amounts of food , and much of it has tons of calories . Restaurants with big portions of delicious foods make it hard to push the plate away . The solution : Simply do n't go to buffet restaurants , Hill advises . But if you really have to , sit at a table where you can face away from the buffet -- Jampolis says studies show people who face away tend to eat less -- and load up initially on fruits , vegetables , and lean proteins so ( at least hopefully ) you wo n't have enough room for the bad stuff . At the end of the meal , she suggests having everyone at the table get just one dessert and share , so you get a little taste of lots of things . As for big portion restaurants , the trick is to get the doggy bag at the front end , not the back end . Hill suggests when you order your meal , ask for half of your dinner to be brought to you on a plate , and the other half in a to-go box .
Do n't rely on your willpower to get you through tough times , expert says . Never break - up , meet friends for a power walk or join a 5 K Club to help others . Sharing food on vacation or at a restaurant limits calories .