It’s a sobering statistic. According to the American Council on Exercise, the average Thanksgiving meal racks up a whopping 3,000 calories. After eating a meal like that, you’d have to walk at a brisk pace for almost 9 hours to burn off the calories – and that doesn’t even include the food you eat before Thanksgiving dinner is served. No wonder many people gain a few pounds during the holidays. It’s okay to indulge a little on a day that’s so focused on food, but if you don’t want to fight to lose an extra pound or two after the festivities are over, do a little planning. The key is to make better selections, so you’ll feel full and satisfied without calorie overload – and to stay active.
Don’t Lie Around the Morning Of
If you’re going to consume more calories than usual, don’t spend the morning lying around. Start the day with a brisk run in our Cathlete Turkey Trot 5K or try one of my high-intensity workouts from my new Low Impact series to prime your metabolism for the calories to come. Do some resistance training too if you have time. Don’t use Thanksgiving as an excuse not to burn calories. That’s when you need it the most.
Don’t Go to the Table Starving
It may be tempting to starve yourself the morning of Thanksgiving to reduce your calorie intake for the day. Bad move. Chances are you’ll be so hungry that you’ll eat more than you planned once you reach the Thanksgiving table. Instead, start the day with a small meal that contains lean protein and complex carbs. An egg and a small bowl of oatmeal is a good option. Go a little lighter on your portions size since you’ll be eating more at Thanksgiving lunch or dinner.
Eat a High Volume Food First
Eat a bowl of salad or broth-based soup before attacking the rest of your meal. These foods will fill you up faster because of their higher water content. It’ll keep you from overloading on higher calorie foods.
Help Yourself to Turkey
Thanksgiving dinner is known for its high-calorie delicacies like mashed potatoes with butter, decadent casseroles and pecan pie. But turkey is a guilt-free choice that’s high in protein and low in fat, as long as you don’t soak it in gravy. Load up on turkey, preferably light meat, since it contains fewer calories and less fat than dark meat. Light meat turkey has only 160 calories per serving and an impressive 30 grams of protein. The protein load will help keep your appetite in check.
Choose Your Side-Dishes Wisely
Sides are where the calories can really add up. Mashed potatoes with butter, dressing, and the gravy you pour over it all can increase your calorie load fast. Enjoy a taste of these foods, but look for lower calorie options such as steamed vegetables, green beans and carrots to bulk up your plate. Watch out for broccoli casserole, sweet potato casserole and green bean casserole. Most are high in fat and have three times the calories of plain vegetables.
If you’re making Thanksgiving dinner yourself, substitute pureed cauliflower for half of the potatoes in “mashed potatoes, and use light butter or light sour cream. You’ll reduce the carbs, fat and calories without sacrificing taste.
Dessert Time
It’s hard to pass up a little dessert on Thanksgiving, especially when tempted by an array of freshly baked pies. What’s the best pie for you plate? Pumpkin pie reigns supreme. Compared to pecan pie, which has around 500 calories and up to 30 grams of fat, pumpkin pie has only 320 calories and half the fat. Pumpkin is also rich in healthy beta-carotene. To save even more calories, throw away a portion of the crust.
Tempted by the eggnog? Choose a cup of coffee or a cappuccino instead. Eggnog has up to 400 calories, and when you combine that with a piece of pie, you’ve done some serious damage and have little nutritional value to show for it.
Remember the Important Things
Thanksgiving is a holiday to give thanks and enjoy the company of friends and family. Focus on your guests and the food. Slow down the pace of the meal by putting your fork down frequently to rest. When you start to feel full, stop eating. You’ll feel better if you don’t feel as stuffed as the holiday turkey.
The Bottom Line?
Enjoy Thanksgiving food and festivities, but make your choices wisely. You can take in a lot of calories without proper planning. And make sure to use the coupons save on all of our Fitness DVDs, Downloads and Fitness products:
References:
Nutrientfacts.com.
World’s Healthiest Foods website
ACE Fitness website. “Hard to Believe: Average Thanksgiving Meal Equals 3,000 Calories and 229 Grams of Fat”
