Enjoy Thanksgiving without adding guilt to the menu

Who doesn’t love Thanksgiving?  All those delicious foods to eat.  What are some tips to enjoy the Thanksgiving feast and leftovers without adding those extra pounds?  Not easy since food is so plentiful and so tasty.  Not a day to be on a diet but a day we can enjoy every bite but not gain a lot as a result.

Consumer Reports wrote an article:  “Good to the Last Gobble” in which they outlined how many calories Americans eat at the Thanksgiving feast.  They cite the Calorie Control Council (who knew there was such a Council?) that says we consume 4,500 calories or more at our Thanksgiving feast.  That is a lot of calories for one meal, especially since our daily calorie intake should be between 1600 – 2000 for adult women and 2000 – 2400 for adult men.  (If you are active, you can take in more calories during the day.  Check out the chart at “Estimated Calorie Requirements”).  Consumer Reports suggest a meal with all the sides and dessert racks up about 1700 calories.  How did all these calories add up in their Thanksgiving feast?

Food
Calories
Sweet potatoes, candied 4 ounces
187
Green Bean Casserole ½ cup
227
Cranberry Sauce ¼ cup
102
Turkey 3.5 ounces, white meat
177
Stuffing ½ cup
195
Mashed potatoes 1 cup
237
Gravy  ¼ c.
25
Cornbread 3x3 inch piece
198
Pumpkin pie 1/8 of 9 inch
280
Red wine 5 ounces
125
Total Calories
1753

A meal with everything and the calories are well under the 4500 some people feast on.  At our house, we modify recipes to be a little less in calories but not less in taste.  My husband makes the pumpkin pie from scratch.  He uses Low fat 2% Evaporated milk in place of whole evaporated milk.  He cuts the sugar slightly from the recommended ¾ cup to ½ cup.  No cuts in the spices or other ingredients and the pie is quite tasty.  He also makes the cranberry sauce and cuts the sugar from the 1 cup recommended amount to ¾ cup.  A little tangier but the taste of the cranberries is even better.  I make a sweet potato casserole with a recipe from Southern Living.  I alter the recipe slightly reducing the butter a bit and cutting back some on the sugar.  No cuts though on the marshmallows or crusty Corn Flake topping.  My daughter makes an awesome pecan pie with a recipe from Cooking Light.  Some oatmeal is used for thickening and it cuts back on some of the corn syrup.  The pie is delicious – not low calorie but less calories than it would have.  A good thing since WebMD notes that a slice of pecan pie with whipped cream can top 800 calories. 
Try using 2% milk for your pumpkin pie
Some other suggestions to enjoy your day, eat all the delicious food, but not tip the scales for days afterward: 
  • Taste everything – but watch how much – smaller servings of some entries
  • Save room for seconds – yes, if there is a food you really like, take a small 1st serving, then enjoy a second serving if you like
  • Exercise – Thanksgiving morning go for a walk or enjoy some type of exercise.  Then after you eat – walk again or be sure to add in some exercise Friday morning.
  • Skip foods you don’t really like – no reason to add in a lot of calories for a food you don’t really enjoy
  • Do other things beside eating – some families go for a family walk after the meal, some families put a puzzle together or play a board game
  • Clear the table – put away the food and pack a lot of leftovers for guests to take with them
Try some substitutions and other suggestions:
  • Instead of mashed potatoes served roasted baby potatoes
  • Cranberry sauce – use as a relish not a main dish
  • Eat breakfast – don’t skip meals on Thanksgiving day or you may find yourself snacking all day long
  • Don’t forget the water – stay hydrated
  • Pete Thomas of the Biggest Loser recommends:  “You probably won’t lose weight during the holidays, but with careful planning you can avoid gaining weight.” 
  • Eat those veggies – usually lower in calories and fills you up
The main advice on Thanksgiving – Enjoy Every BITE, enjoy it all and enjoy the day!  Happy Thanksgiving!

Sources:  article, calorie intake, chart, calories, pie,  other suggestions,  substitutions, suggestions  Image sources- turkey, milk,  potatoes   

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