by Mary Rose-Sellers

Created on: November 07, 2010

Every year when the holidays come we dread the fact that we are going to eat and gain weight.  As much as we love the holidays, it seems that it’s one big gathering after another; all associated with food.  All this begins with Thanksgiving.  Holidays reflect family gatherings, happiness, and with that comes food.  Comfort food that is; with all it’s trimmings like mashed potatoes, turkey and gravy, stuffing, yams, cranberries, pumpkin pie and whip cream.  As much as we look forward to it, we want to make sure that we don’t sabotage our healthy eating habits that we have been able to keep through out the year. 

Every dish on the Thanksgiving meal is laden with carbs, heavy creams, sugar and butter.  When you are done with the meal you regret that you had that second helping of mashed potatoes, or that extra turkey leg. 

There a few tips and some self control, that you can practice when it comes to eating the Thanksgiving meal.  First of all don’t go to the dinner hungry.  That is the worst thing anyone can do.  When you are hungry you tend to eat everything on sight.  It doesn’t matter how much self control you have, your hunger pangs won’t let you think twice when the food is in front of you, luring you to try every dish.  It’s best to have a piece of fruit or a small yogurt to curb your hunger.  This way, by the time the meal is served you will be hungry but not starving. 

Choose white meat turkey pieces instead of the leg or thigh.  White meat has less calories and it’s healthier for you.  Always remember that a piece of meat should be the size of your palm.  Not bigger.  As for mash potatoes have one scoop which constitutes about ½ a cup, the allotted amount of carbs when dieting.  Skip the gravy, or drizzle a tablespoon on your mash potatoes and turkey.  Better yet, serve it on the side of your plate and dip your turkey meat in it.  As for the candied yams, you can have one tablespoon, or skip them altogether.  Instead, choose any other vegetable dish that is served, granted is not laden with heavy cheese sauces.  Fill up on salad, that is full with fresh vegetables and have the salad dressing on the side, as you would at a restaurant.  If the host is serving veggies and dip, fill up your plate with the veggies but skip the dip.  The vegetables will fill you up

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