If you knew you’d have to run for more than 7 hours or swim more than 10 hours to burn off your Thanksgiving dinner calories, you probably wouldn’t have any seconds of stuffing or nibble on the desserts, right?
As the biggest food day of the year, Americans are expected to gobble up more than 46 million turkeys, 80 million pounds of cranberries and 50 million pumpkin pies. And those are just a few Thanksgiving staples.
As you begin to think about all of your family favorites you’re going to enjoy tomorrow, consider that the Calorie Control Council estimated that the average American could consume as many as 4,500 calories on Thanksgiving. That’s more than two days’ worth of calories for most adults and several days’ worth of unhealthy saturated fat and added sugar.
To stay on track this holiday, use the guide below to calculate the calories in your Thanksgiving dinner.
Turkey (4oz)- White meat 150calories/Dark meat 180 calories
Mashed Potatoes (1/2 cup)- 110 calories
Green Bean Casserole (1/2 cup)- 300 calories
Sweet Potato Casserole (1/2 cup)- 150 calories
Stuffing/Dressing (1/2 cup)- 300 calories
Collard Greens (1/2 cup)- 6 calories
Cranberry Sauce (1 slice)- 86 calories
Pumpkin Pie (1 slice)- 323 calories
Pecan Pie (1 slice)- 503 calories
The drinks aren’t calorie free either according to the USDA a can of beer is around 150 calories, a glass of wine is 125 calories and a cup of eggnog comes in around 225 calories.
A smart strategy to minimize holiday calories is to fill your plate up first with the veggie-based dishes so that you curb your appetite well before your first bite of your higher-calories favorites like mashed potatoes, gravy and desserts.
Also, don’t linger at the table. When you’re satisfied, remove your plate from the table so that you don’t continue nibbling while you’re engaged in conversation.
Limit alcohol. Since alcohol increases appetite and while reducing your inhibitions to overeating while lighting up areas of the brain that make you crave calorific foods, stick to 1-2 drinks during the holiday and you’ll be surprised how much easier it is to avoid overeating.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!
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