Thanksgiving diet tips and calorie shockers

November 24, 12:16 PMBoston Fitness ExaminerSarah Dussault

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Your typical portion of this meal is 4500 calories
(source)

Did you know that this Thanksgiving, you're likely to consume over 4500 calories?!  Here are some Thanksgiving diet tips to help you stay slim this holiday season and a reality check on how many calories are on that single plate!

Calorie Shocker:  A 6 oz. serving of Roasted Turkey (Dark and White Meat, Untrimmed) has as much as 450 calories.  A 1/2 cup of gravy will also add flavor, but almost 178 calories. 

• TIP #1:  Don't eat the Turkey skin, and stick to white meat.  
• TIP #2: Use jarred gravy instead of the homemade kind.

Calorie Shocker: A half cup of cranberry sauce has 209 calories.  Mashed potatoes made with whole milk and butter will add 238 calories per cup and homemade stuffing can total as many as 355 calories per cup.

• TIP #3:  Moderation, ladies and gents.  Use a smaller dinner plate and refuse to go up for seconds. 
• TIP #4: Instead of heaping on piles of mashed and stuffing, put a single spoon full of each and keep moving.  For cranberry jelly, limit to about a 1-1.5 inch thick slice.

Calorie Shocker: Now add the candied sweet potatoes for an extra 355 calories for 3/4 of a cup.  Green Bean Casserole for 3/4 cup contains 165 calories, 3/4 cup of glazed carrots for 217 calories, one dinner roll with 1/2 pat of butter scores an additional 125 calories.

Calorie Shocker: Now add 2 glasses of wine, 240 calories.  A slice of Pecan Pie sadly has 456 calories.  Lastly if you like eggnog, you'll have to add 400 calories to cap it all off. Your grand total is 3401 Calories!   

• TIP #5: Stick to wine if you must have alcohol.  Have it with dinner, not before while you are snacking on appetizers.  It will make impair your judgment for the main meal, and cause you to eat more than you would've liked.