7 Tips For Preventing Thanksgiving Weight Gain

Thanksgiving is just a few short days away…that holiday of uncontrolled gluttony that strikes fear in the hearts of many a fit runner.

According to the National Institutes of Health, Americans gain approximately one pound every holiday season, but there are ways to decrease the “danger factor,” simply by making a few simple adjustments.

Here are 7 tips for preventing Thanksgiving weight gain:
Courtesy of Judi Sheppard Missett

1) Be Reasonable

Don’t attempt to lose five pounds during the holiday season.  Set a more realistic goal – like simply maintaining your current weight.

2) Choose Wisely / Allocate Accordingly

Your membership in the “clean plate club” ended when you left home.  Don’t feel obligated to eat everything that’s put on the table.  Choose 3 dishes you really enjoy and watch your portion size.  (Remember to think ice-cream scoop sized helpings.)

3) Keep Your Training Schedule

With friends and family in town it might be more difficult to make time for yourself, but try to schedule at least one hour daily for your training and fitness schedule. Fun tip: How about a fun, local ”Turkey Trot” race over the long weekend?

4) Know Your Limits

See tip two.  And when it comes to alcohol intake, set limits there too.  Substitute water or other non-alcoholic beverage.  Resist the urge to refill your wine glass until you have completely finished it.  Try to abstain from distilled spirits which contain more calories.

5) Don’t Skip Breakfast

Eat a healthy breakfast and a small midday snack before you sit down to your big Thanksgiving feast.  If you’re not starving by the time you hit the table it will be a lot easier to limit your consumption of high calorie accompaniments like stuffing.

6) Make Substitutions

Use low fat or fat free ingredients in preparing your Thanksgiving meal.  Try fat free milk in the pumpkin pie or mashed potatoes, whole wheat rolls for biscuits.

7) Skim the Fat

Stick to white meat and try preparing your gravy the night before and chilling it.  Then, skim off the hardened fat before heating and serving.

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Typical Thanksgiving Calorie Count – You Have Been Warned!

6 OZ mix of dark and white turkey meat:     450 calories

One cup of home made stuffing:                  400 calories

One cup of mashed potatoes:                      350 calories

One cup of giblet gravy:                                300 calories

One cup candied sweet potatoes:              400 calories

½ cup of cranberry sauce:                           200 calories

2 rolls with butter:                                          200 calories

Two glasses of wine:                                    300 calories

Slice of pumpkin pie w/ topping:                550 calories

Grand Total:                                                3150 calories!

Looking for ways to trim the fat off this holiday?  Here’s a link for slimmed-down recipes for traditional Thanksgiving fair…

…And a Thanksgiving calorie calculator that does the math for you!

Enjoy!

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