How to Avoid Gaining Weight During Thanksgiving Holidays: Tips from Nutrionists

With Thanksgiving upon us this week, the Calorie Control Council is warning that the average American eats as much as 4,500 calories and 229 grams of fat on Thanksgiving day.

According to a report released by the organization, the turkey dinner alone can contain 3,000 calories, far exceeding the recommended daily allowance for both men and women. Where do the extra 1,500 calories come from? All those dips, chips, sodas, alcoholic beverages and sweet desserts are to blame. To put that into perspective,  the recommended calories for a woman is just 2000 calories a day if she is more than 25 years, and about 850 calories for women above 50 years of age.

To avoid feeling sluggish and eating too much, nutritionists recommend going for at least a 20-minute walk before and after you enjoy your Thanksgiving meal. Another great tip is to drink more water than usual, it will help you feel fuller and therefore, eat less food.  It is also important to chew your food slowly and savor your meal. Enjoy every bite instead of gobbling your food down. By slowing it down, you give your body enough time to send signals to your brain that you are full.

"Generally, we tend to eat more during this period because more food is available. It's not just that it's high-calorie food," says Marion Morrison, a registered dietitian at Eat to Live Well, a clinic in Colorado, according to the Denver Post.

"It's important to be conscious of how much we're eating," Morrison says. "You want reasonable portions. Eat what's appropriate. Maybe instead of a whole cup of stuffing you cut it to a half-cup."

Morrison isn't a huge fan of tinkering with traditional recipes to obtain lower-calorie results. "You lose flavor that way," she says.

"The number one way to cut calories is to reduce portion sizes," she says.