Michigan Journal

Issue date: 11/25/08 Section: Features

Media Credit: Google.com

Baby, it's cold outside. And with all this bad weather and good food, who wouldn't feel the need to indulge in comfort food. Maybe just a little more pie, you'll think. Sure, gravy goes good on everything. Then all of the sudden it's February and you're staring down at your favorite jeans with a new belly rolling over the top…if you manage to get them zipped in the first place.

According to the Calorie Control Council, the average American will consume more than 4,500 calories and 229 grams of fat on Thanksgiving Day alone. Does that seem like a lot? It should, being that most women should eat 1,500 calories a day and men 2,500 to maintain a healthy weight.

That's a huge amount of calories that turns into weight that is difficult to lose. The average person only adds one pound during the holidays according to the National Institutes of Health, but 85 percent of people will still have that extra pound the next time the holidays roll around. So what can you do to avoid hefty weight gain?

Know what's fattening and what's not

I'm not saying say adios to mashed potatoes or stuffing, but know what you're eating. Do you know what traditional thanksgiving side has the least amount of calories? Green bean casserole. Don't believe me? Think about it, all that casserole contains is green beans and cream of mushroom soup, all low calorie low fat ingredients. Keep an eye on what goes into your food, such as butter or salt. Also remember that dark meat is fattier than white meat.

What's on top matters

So you're proud of yourself. It's the holidays and you have mostly veggies on your plate. But take a closer look. Are those greens slathered in day-glo cheese sauce? Do those yams have marshmallows smashed on top? Veggies and yams are in general good for you, some of those toppings are not. Another surprising fact, homemade gravy has much less fat in it than canned or jar gravy and homemade cranberry sauce has almost 50 percent less sugar than canned. Know what's going on your food.

Control you portion size

Portion size is probably the most important thing to remember. To find out what a portion of meat and a potion of grain looks like go to the dollar store. See that pack of cards? That's one serving of meat. See that baseball? That's one serving of grain. A good way to control your portion size is to exercise before or after that big holiday meal. Take a 10-minute walk or do some yoga to energize yourself and reminded yourself of why you're watching what you eat. Also don't skip meals during the holiday. You'll be more likely to load up on the bad stuff while trying to keep your tummy empty. Controlling your portion size counts for alcohol as well. One or two drinks is fine, but anything more is just going to keep adding more calories

Using these three simple rules you can avoid over eating and still enjoy every part of the thanksgiving experience, even dessert. Let's take pie for example. Pumpkin Pie has less calories in each slice than a slice of cherry or apple, so you can avoid the more calorie laden choice. Make sure you're putting fat free whip on top and cut yourself a sensible size.

Healthy eating and drinking this year might be hard, especially if you've treated past holidays as a time for shoveling food into your face rather than focusing on eating with control. Support will also help you get through this season without the extra pounds that plague most people. Some great Web sites to help you out and get information this holiday season are sparkpeople.com and ahealthyme.com. Stick to these rules and you won't be playing Santa Claus next month.

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