Turkey Day Triumph

Thanksgiving weight gain isn't inevitable. With a few tricks, you can enjoy the meal without regretting it come Friday. Check out these ways to avoid Thanksgiving weight gain.

1. Don't Save Up

   Don't save calories from earlier meals for "the big one." You'll inevitably get too hungry and overeat to compensate for missing those meals. Thanksgiving day should include a healthy breakfast, lunch, and a small snack in the afternoon. Then, you won't be too famished to practice portion control when dinnertime arrives.

2. Make Like a Rabbit

   That is, help yourself to a veggie-filled salad or raw vegetables, such as carrots and celery, before the main meal. Doing so will curb your appetite, help you feel fuller longer, and give you something to munch while others are eating high-cal hors d'oeuvres.

3. Figure Out What's Filling

   When deciding which dishes to avoid, think filling -- the ones you eat a serving of and think, "I couldn't eat another bite," but somehow manage to anyway, such as high-fat casseroles (e.g., broccoli and cheese), cream-based soups, creamed potatoes, potatoes au gratin, and stuffing with gravy. Chances are, the more filling, the more fattening.

4. Drink Less Like a Fish

   If your family serves wine during Thanksgiving dinner, try to limit yourself to one glass. A few glasses add up to hundreds of calories. (According to Calorie Count, three glasses of white wine serve up 210 calories!) Plus, drinking can actually stimulate your appetite and make you more likely to disregard portion control and less likely to say no to the dessert table. So after one glass, swap wine for water.

5. Don't Sleep it Off

   Triptophan is a worthy adversary, but fight the urge to nap the evening away. Moving more than usual -- a game of touch football in the front yard or a marathon of shopping on Black Friday -- will help compensate for any little indulgences.

6. Eat Turkey Until You Never Want to See Another Turkey

   Leftover turkey is a healthful, lean protein source that's perfect for making diet-friendly meals. Turkey (without skin and gravy, of course) with brown rice and steamed veggies makes a low-cal, well-rounded dinner ... you can even save room for a slice of Mom's pumpkin pie.

7. Make Maintaining Your Mission

   Losing weight during the holidays is a tough proposition. Resolve instead to maintain what you've already accomplished. Trying to follow a strict diet may lead to you eventually overeat or even binge. Don't stress out over no net loss -- celebrate a lack of gain!

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