Nutrition Frenzy

Just Have a Plan for Getting Your Diet Back on Track, Experts Say

No matter how earnestly you resolve not to overindulge this Thanksgiving, you will probably eat more than you should.

After all, a typical Thanksgiving meal can add up to 3,000 calories or more. And if you snack throughout the day or eat two big meals, you could easily double that for the day.

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One of the biggest culprits? Pecan pie. A single slice with whipped cream has about 800 calories — more than a meal’s worth of calories in a single dessert.

You won’t find much that’s low calorie elsewhere, either, unless your feast happens to have a raw veggie plate. Here’s how some other Thanksgiving favorites stack up:

Roasted dark and white meat turkey with skin — 450 calories
Homemade stuffing with gravy — 600 calories
Cranberry relish — 200 calories
Candied sweet potatoes — 400 calories
Green bean casserole — 190 calories
Pumpkin pie with whipped cream — 400 calories
Cup of eggnog — 400 calories
Who even wants to think about how long it would take to work all that off!

In November 2005, Thomas walked away from the finale of NBC’s Biggest Loser $100,000 richer after losing 185 pounds in nine months.

Now a motivational speaker, Thomas specializes in helping extremely obese people lose weight.

Thomas’ strategy for staying in control during the holidays involves planning.
“If you plan to get some exercise the morning of Thanksgiving and the morning after, that will go a long way to keeping you on track,” he says. “And develop a plan for holiday eating so you don’t eat everything in sight.”

Some of Thomas’ other tips include:

Enjoy the foods you really love in reasonable portions, but skip the foods you don’t.
Plan activities to compliment the day that everyone can do together. “Make it about more than just the food,” he says.
If you are the cook or are contributing to the holiday meal, make a dish that you like that meets your nutritional needs.
Clear the table and put the food away immediately after the big meal and send food home with guests.
Have reasonable expectations.
“You probably won’t lose weight during the holidays, but with careful planning you can avoid gaining weight,” he says.