Avoiding Thanks-Gaining

Navigating your way through the Thanksgiving spread can be a nightmare.

According to the American Council of Exercise the average Thanksgiving meal contains about 3,000 calories and 229 grams of fat! And unfortunately because most meals are homemade, there's no real way to tally the calorie count of the various dishes without offending the meal's maker.

There are, however, a few general guidelines you can follow to diminish the damage of this fabulous but fattening feast.

1. Eat a Balanced Breakfast.

Just like every other day of the year, you need to eat a full healthy breakfast to prevent yourself from gorging later. If you starve yourself waiting for the big meal, you will just end up eating that much more later. Start the day with something light like an egg white omelet with spinach mushrooms, and diced tomatoes and a side of fresh fruit.

2. Take Advantage of the Turkey.

It's pretty much the only thing on the menu that you can be sure is healthy. The white meat on the bird is about 150 calories per 4 oz serving, while the dark meat is about 180 calories but packs 5 grams of fat. Just don't eat the skin, especially if your turkey is deep fried.

3. Remember that Homemade Means Concealed Calories.

After checking the calorie count on many traditional Thanksgiving dishes, I found that the store bought versions tend to be a lot less calories. For instance Stove-Top stuffing is only 110 calories per 1/2 cup...not bad! But when I compared it to a variety of homemade stuffing recipes, the "Grandma's Special..." variety had up to 300 calories per serving! This is because along with an unworldly taste Grandma's recipe comes with fatty ingredients like cornbread, pork, and loads of butter.

Another good example is Green Bean Casserole. This vegetable centric dish can be diet-friendly when made simply with the beans, fat-free mushroom soup, and a fried onion alternative like onion flavored pita chips or soy crisps. However, the more flavorful, i.e. fatty, versions incorporate half-and-half, cheese, and fried onion rings.

4. Don't Go Crazy With the Cranberry Sauce.

Cranberry sauce is made from an antioxidant filled fruit, but don't let that distract you from it's sabotaging secret. Half of the holiday-hued side is usually made from sugar. So at 40 calories a serving (2 tbls), make sure to only use a drizzle and not a dollop over your turkey.

5. Pick A Piece of Pumpkin Pie.

If you're going to have pie for desert, pumpkin pie is the lowest calorie of the famous favorites. Marie Callender's lists theirs at 460 calories a serving compared to the Apple pie at 640 calories. An average grocery store pumpkin pie is about 230 calories a slice. Neither is a very healthy option but to take down the cal toll even lower, just eat the filling. Another option is to make your own. Here's the healthiest recipe I've found: Libby's Lighter Pumpkin Pie with Whole-Grain Crust

6. Fill Up On Family Fun.

After the big meal, maximize your family time by getting everyone together for a fun physical activity. A pick-up game of touch football can burn about 250 calories in 30 minutes. Is a stroll around the neighborhood more your speed? A 30 minute brisk walk (4 mph) can burn about 150 calories. Even just helping your mom with the dishes will burn 40 calories in 20 minutes (goodbye cranberry sauce) while you bond! Pick your favorite activity and enter the time to see how much you can burn at Health Status.com

Finally, remember that it's only one day. Try a little of everything you love once, but don't let your dietary damage continue throughout the weekend. Stick to making turkey sandwiches on whole wheat with the leftovers, and get back into your fitness routine right away!