Physical Wellness

Five Tips on Preventing Weight Gain During Thanksgiving

By Cheri Cheng | Update Date: Nov 26, 2014 02:05 PM EST

Thanksgiving is a holiday surrounded by food. People spend days and hours prepping numerous courses. With so much food, it might be tempting to overeat during the holidays. However, doing so can really hurt your health. According to the Calorie Control Council, the average American will intake at least 4,500 calories and 229 grams of fat on Thanksgiving day alone. In order to prevent weight gain, here are a few tips.

1. Lighten up some dishes

Instead of making Thanksgiving dinner all about indulgences, try swapping certain ingredients in some of your dishes to make them healthier. For example, instead of making the traditional sweet potato casserole topped with marshmallows, try steaming individual sweet potatoes and sprinkle them with a little bit of brown sugar.

2. Exercise

Exercising is probably the last thing you want to do on a holiday. However, getting up early in the morning for a run can really help your body. People who exercise regularly are less likely to overeat.

3. Snack healthy

Snacking on healthy and filling foods, such as fruits and nuts, can prevent you from overeating as well. Before the big meal, reach for an apple o

4. Listen to your body

Before going for seconds or even thirds, always ask yourself if you feel hungry. If you are full but still want to eat, try picturing how bad you will feel afterwards.

5. Volunteer

If you are not in charge of the dinner, instead of sitting around sampling the dishes, go spend an hour or two volunteering at your local food shelter. Volunteering can reduce your stress levels, which can prevent you from stress eating.

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