Tip No. 6 to Trim Turkey Day Weight Gain

Tip No. 6: Cut Out the Loafing

Instead of watching football on the couch all afternoon -- eating the leftovers during the time-outs -- why don't you gather up the crew for a family scrimmage or take a long walk?


Taking a 45-minute walk could use up almost 250 calories, a moderate chunk of the day's eating.

This is probably the best holiday tradition you could start.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Tip No. 5 To Trim Turkey Day Weight Gain

Tip No. 5: Trim the picking.

While your first plate of turkey is typically moderate and sensible, it's the third and fourth helpings that get ridiculous. That's because the food becomes the entertainment. Rather, take the turkey out of its spotlight in the middle of the dinner table.

Serve dinner buffet style and fill the table with more flowers than edibles. My favorite is to carve out a pumpkin and fill it with fresh flowers. Feast your eyes on those rather than the food.


Beware of cleanup....the time when mindless nibbling often occurs. To avoid this, serve the food in covered serving dishes, which will keep it warm and then allow you to put leftovers directly into the refrigerator without clean up and temptation.

Check back tomorrow for the last tip!

Tip No. 4 to Trim Turkey Day Weight Gain

Tip No. 4. Trim the alcohol.


A glass of wine can be enjoyable with dinner, but let's face it: Alcohol adds more calories to your Turkey Day feast. On top of that, spirits can weaken your willpower, especially when consumed on an empty stomach.

Save the first toast for when the turkey is served and sip four ounces instead of the usual five or six ounces. Use a smaller wine glass to help you stay on track.

Check back tomorrow for Tip No. 5.

Tip No 3. to Trim Turkey Day Weight Gain

Tip No. 3: Trim the amount of food you eat.

We stuff ourselves silly on Thanksgiving because we're afraid we'll have to wait another 12 months before we can indulge in the whole turkey thing again.

Try to remember that this is America. If you want a turkey with stuffing and apple pie a la mode in July, it's yours for the asking. In fact, if we all got in the habit of repeating this meal a few times throughout the year, it probably wouldn't have that "Last Supper" appeal to it.

Challenge yourself to eat at least 25 percent less this year, and the calories and fat won't be so astronomical. Consider serving your Turkey Day on smaller plates. This is the easiest way to consume 25 percent less without much of an effort.

Check back tomorrow for Tip No. 4.

Tip No. 2 to Trim Turkey Day Weight Gain

Tip No. 2: Trim the amount of food you serve on Thanksgiving.


Take a head count. How many pilgrims and Indians are you really feeding? I bet it's a lot less than the first Thanksgiving. I know you want leftovers because they're the best part of the whole holiday, but do you really need a 20-pound bird for a party of six?

Make an executive decision to serve fewer dishes. It isn't mandatory to have mashed and sweet potatoes, nor do you have to serve both whole cranberry sauce and the gelatinous kind that fans out like an ostrich's tail.

And what about those pies? How many varieties have to be served for it to be Thanksgiving? (Does anyone actually eat mincemeat pie?)

Better Bet: Serve only one dessert.

Look for Tip No. 3 over the weekend.

Six Tips To Trim Turkey Day Weight Gain

Starting today and up until Thanksgiving, I will be posting:

"Six Tips to Trim Turkey Day Weight Gain".





Tip No. 1: Carve out an earlier time to eat.

When Thanksgiving dinner is served at 2 or 3 p.m., we tend to skip lunch in an attempt to make room for a few extra dinner calories. Has this ever really worked? Not in my house. By the time dinner finally rolls around, the smell of roasting turkey has permeated every pore of my skin, and I am transformed into an uncontrollable eating machine.

To avoid this, have a light lunch to help you keep to more civilized portions. Or better yet, move up the start of dinner to high noon on the East Coast, that's immediately after Santa brings up the rear of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Check back tomorrow for Tip No. 2.

Breakfast Cereals That Make the Nutrition Grade

With little kitchen prep and clean up, cereals are an ideal fastfood in the morning. An USDA report shows that ready-to-eat cereals are a top breakfast choice and are more popular than breads, bagels, and other bakery items among Americans in the wee hours of the morning.

Beware: Not all cereals are create equal. Your cereal should contain:

• Whole Grains (contains "100% whole grains" or "whole grains" are the predominate source of grains listed in the ingredients).
• At least 2 grams of fiber per serving.
• No more than 2 teaspoons of added sugar (8 grams of sugar on the Nutrition Facts Panel) per serving.

These brands make the nutrition grade:

• Cheerios
• Mulitgrain Cheerios
• Wheat Chex
• Multi Brand Chex
• Grape Nuts
• Shredded Wheat
• Life
• Wheaties
• Kashi Go Lean
• Kashi 7 Whole Grain Puffs
• Kashi 7 Whole Grain Flakes