Marion, November 2007, Thanksgiving
The Roadmap to a Healthy Thanksgiving
By Marion Webb
It's countdown to "Turkey Day," and for most Americans that means preparing and enjoying traditional favorites: Green been casserole, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potato casserole and pumpkin pie with a slice of football—yum, yum!
Problem is approximately 3,000 calories and 200 plus grams of fat later, which is the average total calorie and fat content of a traditional Thanksgiving meal, the festivities keep on, resulting in more calorie consumption, and—cha ching—extra pounds!
Marjorie Geiser, a registered dietician, personal trainer and owner of MEG Fitness in Running Springs, Calif., and Kim Mack, a dietician at the St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates Il. and an ACE Master Practical Trainer, attest that most people struggle to resist holiday treats, but then pay the price in trying to lose extra pounds later.
"The statistics vary, but on the whole the average American gains between two to six pounds over the Holidays," Geiser says. "Thirty-five hundred calories make one pound, so all it takes is 500 extra calories a day over a week and there are your extra pounds."
With millions of Americans already being overweight or obese, ACE has asked the two nutrition experts to offer some easy tips for making a scrumptious Thanksgiving meal as well as advice on how to avoid overeating. Geiser and Mack remind us that we always have choices and that making small substitutions can pay off huge dividends without insulting your taste buds.
Turkey vs. Prime Rib
Many Americans may be relieved to hear that roasted turkey is actually a good food choice: High in protein, relatively low in fat. Geiser says one slice of turkey breast—one portion should be no bigger than a fist or a deck of cards-has about 41 calories.
Geiser recommends skipping the other traditional meat, prime rib, which has a whopping 330 calories for one moderately sliced piece.
It is better to prepare the accompanying high-calorie gravy from vegetable broth rather than using turkey drippings.
"Chicken gravy has 40 calories for a half a cup and is still home-made compared to 150 calories for the same amount of gravy made from turkey drippings," she says.
Waldorf and Cranberry Salad
This year, instead of preparing a mayonnaise-laden Waldorf salad (1/2 cup has about 110 calories) and sugar-loaded cranberry salad (1/2 cup has about 190 calories), offer a mixed salad with lettuce, tomatoes, sliced onion and carrots with a non-fat or low-fat dressing.
"You can eat three cups of salad with non-fat dressing for only 100 calories," says Geiser. Mack however, cautions readers that most non-fat items tend to be loaded with sugar to make up for taste. She opts for buying low-fat items instead.
"You get the real thing in a reduced-fat version," she says.
Casseroles
Granted, green been casserole is a vegetable, but made with fried onions and a high-fat cream soup, this popular dish is a caloric time-bomb. By contrast, sautéed green beans seasoned with herbs instead of butter offer all the benefits of green beans—Vitamin C, K and A and fiber—without the added fat and calories (only 50 calories for a half a cup vs. 220 for the same serving of casserole).
The same goes for the calorie-loaded sweet potato casserole. Cooked potatoes stirred in chicken broth and added spices or thinly sliced with fresh herbs offers rich flavor while keeping calories low.
Pecan pie vs. Pumpkin Pie
Few people can deny the delights of pecan pie, which according to Geiser, has to be one of the highest-calorie pie there is: One slice has 480 calories, the equivalent of three protein pancakes and a low-cal banana muffin. Indulge instead in a slice of pumpkin pie, which comes at 180 calories, and without the crust is a truly lean dessert.
Alcohol
If you're looking to lose weight or maintain weight, don't let alcohol be your downfall, Geiser says. But this is the time of the year when few people can abstain from having at least one drink. The choice and amount of the alcoholic beverage can make all the difference.
Consider this: Generally, mixed drinks tend to have high amounts of concentrated sugar, and thus, add up quickly in empty calories.
A 12-oz. bottle of regular beer tends to be lower in calories (one bottle of Budweiser has 145 calories; one bottle of Coors Light has 102 calories) than a cocktail mixed with whiskey (100 ml has 220 calories) or Southern Comfort (1/2 cup has 184 calories).
One glass of wine a night, assuming one didn't drink anything else prior to Thanksgiving dinner, may be fine calorie-wise, but not for hitting the road.
The bottom line: Alcohol consumption quickly adds extra calories, offer little health benefits, and likely leaves you with unwanted pounds.
Eggnog
With eggnog being the classic holiday cocktail, this creamy drink goes down as smoothly into your stomach as it leaves a layer onto your midsection. Made from whole fat, one cup of eggnog has a whopping 343 calories. A half a cup of fat-free eggnog has only 100 calories, which is still about twice the calories of a cup of coffee with cream and sugar, Geiser notes.
Eating Tips
These eating tips from the experts can help you avoid putting on extra pounds altogether in the coming weeks. No. 1: Commit to eating one serving of food on your plate without going back for seconds or thirds.
Portion Control
Mack tells her clients to control portion sizes by mentally dividing a 12-inch dinner plate into three sections of three-inch-sized circles. Each circle represents one food group: Proteins, vegetables and starches. Secondly, she asks, what type of eater are you?
Some persons like to eat a lot of one food group; others prefer choices.
The key is to stay within your circle for each food group.
So if you're a turkey lover, load up one three-inch circle with turkey meat. If you want turkey and ham, choose less of both to stay within your portion size.
Also, "If Thanksgiving is the only time of the year you eat stuffing, really enjoy that and don't eat foods you always eat throughout the year," Mack says.
Finally, bring your own low-cal side dish or veggie tray to the party, if you're worried about the food choices. This way, you have your own healthy dish to fall back on.
Fight Against Overeating
One sure way to overeat at the Thanksgiving dinner table is to skip breakfast and lunch.
"A lot of people try to save up calories for the big meal, and really, our bodies aren't meant to handle 2,500 to 3,000 all at once," Geiser says. The body can process about 700 calories at once. Excess calories tend to be stored and can turn to fat.
Also, left-over foods are great for next-day turkey sandwiches and light dinners, but all in moderation. These experts say "sharing is caring."
Drink plenty of water to fill you up and to offset dehydration after consuming alcohol and caffeinated drinks. Geiser lives by this rule: "I walk around the room and drink water all night. It fills you up and you'll eat less."
Mack advises her clients to come up with a pre-Thanksgiving day verbiage plan to cushion the impact of turning down foods and prevent hurt feelings.
Be Active
Government regulations prescribe 60-to-90 minutes of daily, low-to-moderate physical activity for controlling and maintaining a normal body weight.
That recommendation is especially critical during the Holiday season when it's tempting to eat more and exercise less.
Start Thanksgiving Day with a run, bike ride, or a gym routine or whatever physical activity gets your blood flowing and heart pumping.
Even travel during Thanksgiving day is no excuse for skipping physical activity.
"A lot of my clients walk before dessert or move around before eating the next food," Geiser says. "Going for a walk between appetizers and lunch and dessert is also a good idea." Family walks in the mall or outside on a cold day, playing Twister or dancing indoors with family and friends shave off calories, are fun and stimulate conversation.
Remember, Thanksgiving dinner doesn't have to be stale or boring to keep with tradition. There is no need to kick off the holiday season with a sense of resignation and entitlement to splurge. The nutrition experts remind people that besides the added padding, six weeks of overdosing on fats and cholesterol can really wreck havoc on people's hearts, brains and every other body part.
"The holidays should be about friends and family. Food is a side note," Mack says.
Adds Geiser, "What it comes down to is that people have to decide how important it is to them to maintain their current weight and continue a weight-loss program."
Marion Webb is the managing editor for the American Council on Exercise. For specific fitness-related story ideas or comments, please e-mail her directly at
marion.webb@acefitness.org.
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