The average person consumes 2,300 calories during thanksgiving. Follow the tips below to enjoy yourself but avoid the holiday bulge.
1. Mashed potatoes will add about 220 calories and 8 grams of fat per 1-cup serving. Instead of piling on the mashed potatoes, cut your portion in half and save 110 calories, or, swap traditional mashed potatoes for cauliflower "potatoes".
2. Go easy on the gravy: serve by the tablespoonful rather than ladelful.
3. Add more vegetables to your stuffing. Onions, water chestnuts, mushrooms, carrots and celery are all low-calorie additions to your stuffing that taste amazing and help keep you full.
4. Hold the butter. Eat your roll without butter and save 102 calories (in 1 T).
5. Swap white flour rolls for whole wheat for a more nutritious side.
6. Swap oil for apple sauce when baking cakes and cookies. One cup of applesauce contains 194 calories, while a cup of canola oil contains 1931 calories. Substitute 1/4 cup apple sauce for every 1/4 cup oil.
7. Swap white sugar for coconut sugar or spices, like ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon in your pies and candied yams.
8. Canned cranberry sauce has nearly 21g sugar and 110 calories. Swap for fresh, home made sauce sweetened with stevia.
9. Pick pumpkin pie over apple pie and ditch the crust. You'll save 112 calories and 7.5 g fat per slice. One slice of apple pie contains 400 calories and 21 grams of fat while Pumpkin pie has roughly half the calories and half the fat.
10. Instead of a scoop of vanilla ice cream which contains 145 calories per 1/2 cup serving, go for whipped cream at 16 calories per two tablespoon serving.
11. Eat slowly, savor and enjoy your meal to feel satisfied with one plate full of food. Watch your portions and select foods you don't normally get to eat every day.
12. Go easy on the alcohol. Calories from alcohol can add up quickly (not to mention add holiday drama!). Enjoy a sparkling water between drinks to say sober and stay hydrated.
13. Walk it Off. Stay activite after your meal. Get the whole family to join you in burning off a few extra calories and leading a longer, healthier lives together.
