Take Control At Thanksgiving Dinner

Kelly Gonzalez
“Busy Bodies” Health and Fitness
Date Published: November 19, 2008


Take Control at Thanksgiving Dinner


No other meal in America is as notorious as the traditional Thanksgiving dinner. All year you may look forward to homemade Apple Pie or sweet potato soufflé, the enticing aroma of turkey in the oven and sight of fresh baked cookies make your taste buds melt. It takes all the willpower in the world to not get up for seconds. Thanksgiving has become a day to not only give thanks, but also loosen the belt buckle and indulge.
I don’t mean to ruin your appetite, but have you considered how many calories you are actually consuming on Thanksgiving? Sure, one day of feasting isn’t going to send you over the deep end, but when you consider the proceeding days of left overs and then holiday parties and treats waiting to tempt you in the upcoming weeks of the holiday season it can add up to a few extra unwanted pounds.
The classic Thanksgiving dinner looks like this: 4 ounces of a mixture of white and dark meat turkey that is untrimmed is about 350 calories, one cup of mashed potatoes is about 150 calories, one cup of homemade stuffing is a whopping 400 calories, slather on some gravy and slather on an additional 300 calories. Top it all off with a slice of apple pie with ½ cup of ice cream, whipped cream, and add another 650 calories to the meal. That’s nearly 2,000 calories on your plate not to mention the beers, wine, beverages, appetizers, and second helpings consumed. On Thanksgiving day its easy to consume more than 4,000 calories and 250 grams of artery clogging fat.
According to the American Council of Exercise (ACE) “To burn off a 3,000 calorie Thanksgiving Day meal, a 160 pound person would have to run at a moderate pace (about 6.0 mph) for four hours, swim for five hours or walk for 30 miles” that’s more than a marathon! If this causes you a bit of waistline anxiety, don’t fret. You can still enjoy your holiday favorites through portion control and healthier versions and alternatives.
Making some minor changes in your Thanksgiving meal choices can cut a lot of calories. Try to eat white meat turkey without the skin. It’s only about 120 calories, which saves you 230 calories compared to choosing the untrimmed dark meat slices. Skip the apple pie and cookies and stick with pumpkin pie, which is only about 150 calories per slice. Try filling up on healthier larger portions of salad and vegetables and minimizing your portions of the high fat and calorie side dishes. Also try to limit your alcohol intake proceeding the big meal, because it will make you less aware and trigger you to mindlessly eat more. It’s Thanksgiving, and fortunately, for your health you don’t have the luxury of eating candied yams or pumpkin pie everyday, so don’t feel restricted from having your favorites, just practice portion control.
A common mistake is to skip meals on Thanksgiving Day in order to save the calories for dinner. When we skip meals, our mind and body go into starvation mode and you will be more likely to overeat at dinner. Not only will you be eating more, but you will mostly likely be eating high calorie and fat filled foods. Try to eat a lower calorie breakfast and lunch throughout the day and healthy snacks like fruits and vegetables. Remember to drink plenty of water. By eating smaller meals throughout the day you will be left feeling more satisfied and will likely be able to control your desires to indulge at dinner. During your meal remember to eat slowly and listen to your body when you feel full.
If you do happen to overindulge, don’t feel too guilty. You don’t have to go out for a four hour run on Friday to work it all off. It’s much easier to increase your exercise activity level preceding Thanksgiving and getting your diet and exercise routine back on track in the following days.
Try getting an intense workout in on Thanksgiving Day. The more intense an exercise session is the longer your metabolism will be elevated for hours afterwards. This can help you metabolize fat from sweet treats more efficiently. Try walking or running at varying paces for at least 20-30 minutes. Run at a faster pace for two minutes and then recover with one minute of an easier pace. Keep repeating this cycle for a total of 30 minutes.
For the days following Thanksgiving, it can be difficult to resume healthy eating habits with a fridge full of leftovers. Divide the leftovers into small portions in sealed containers that you can take to work as lunch or heat up for dinner. Otherwise, one bite of leftover brown sugar sweet potato souffle turns into 5-6 each time you open the fridge. Better yet, encourage your guests to divide the leftovers up and take it home with them. In addition, try to either moderately increase the duration or intensity of your workouts to burn off those extra unwanted calories.
Don’t let the holiday season sabotage your fitness program; put yourself in control through smart yet satisfying choices, and don’t let “lose weight” be an option for your New Year’s resolution.