Happy Thanksgiving!

It’s turkey time! I love this time of year – the leaves are falling, friends and family gather together and there’s tons of food. My roommate and I will be cooking our first Thanksgiving dinner for about 15 friends and this promises to be an entertaining affair. Neither of us is what you would call a gourmet cook but we’ve vowed to try our best and if all is fails, McDonald’s is always open :)

For many people (including myself) the indulgences of Thanksgiving also bring anxiety about weight gain. Luckily, Sally Squires of the “Lean Plate Club” at the Washington Post has provided some helpful tips for the Thanksgiving meal:

Eat breakfast: Skipping the most important meal of the day to “save” calories will only make you hungrier later and likely to overindulge. Plus, hunger often leads to grouchiness and you can’t be grouchy on Thanksgiving!

Make time for an activity: After the plates have been cleared and the football games are over, my family always takes a walk around the neighborhood to burn off some of the Thanksgiving meal. Start a game of football or put on some music and dance. You’ll feel better about that extra slice of pie.

Save a little room for holiday treats: It’s Thanksgiving and you should indulge your sweet tooth if you choose to. Go for the pumpkin pie, which has fewer calories than pecan pie. Pick out one sweet treat that you would like to eat and skip the ones you can live without.