Gobble Without the Wobble

On Thanksgiving the average American consumes 4,500 calories (more than two entire days’ worth!) and gains an average of 1-2 pounds. This might not seem like a ton of weight, but including the holiday’s through-out the year your weight gain can add up. There are many easy fixes that can be done to enjoy Thanksgiving meals without all the calories included. A balanced plate contains the right portion sizes for a healthy meal.  

Healthy Eating Tips

Get Active

Eat less and exercise more is a healthy mindset going into the Thanksgiving holiday.  

Slowly Savor

Eating slowly allows you to enjoy the meal and only being satisfied with one plate instead of two. 

Lighten Up

Make dishes that contain less fat, sugar and calories.

Eat Breakfast 

Instead of saving the calories for the big meal, experts say that you can control your appetite better by eating a small meal in the morning.  

Police Your Portions

Don’t waste your calories on foods that you can have all year long. Fill your plate with small portions of holiday favorites that only come around once a year.  

Compare your meal to commonly used items for accurate consumption of portion sizes.

Vegetables = Size of a rounded handful 

Turkey = Size of a deck of cards

Gravy = Size of golf ball

Potatoes = Size of half of tennis ball

Stuffing = Size of standard ice cream scoop

Cornbread = Size of a personal bar of soap

Butter = Size of 1 dice

Cranberry sauce = Size of a golf ball

Pie = Size of light bulb

Thanks to Texas Tech Dietetic Intern, Holli McNeill, for today's blog post.