Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving! That being said, why can't a healthy thanksgiving coincide with that? According to Today.com, the average thanksgiving dinner contains over 4000 calories. A dinner should be about a tenth of that! But don't sweat it! I've compiled a list of ways to save calories on turkey day (without depriving yourself!) and its easy to follow!

Party Time!
1. Don't let your clothes save room for dessert. Choose an outfit that's rather tight-fitting, so when your stomach starts to feel stuffed in that body-con dress, you'll know you've got to stop.

2. Carry a clutch. If you have you're clutch in one hand, and a drink in the other, it won't be so easy to pig out on those appetizers.

3. Mingle. You can't catch up with your friends and family with a full mouth. If you leave your mouth to talking, it can't be full of food.

4. Stay out of the kitchen! Entertain yourself by watching the game, even if you're not a big football fan. You can always enjoy the halftime show, or just have fun watching your uncle and brother go head to head on who the MVP is. If you volunteer to clean up afterwards (good for you!), get the dishes in the sink before the leftovers end up in your mouth!

5. Watch the little ones. My little cousins always keep me occupied on Thanksgiving. I'm so busy making sure they eat, are entertained, and basically stay out of trouble, I hardly eat dinner myself.

6. Stay on your feet. It torches extra calories. Plus, when you're sitting down with little to do, those mini quiches will look extra appealling.

Drinks and Appetizers
7. Avoid soda or sugarfied drinks. They are empty calories and only increase your appetite. Stick to water for the most part.

8. Watch the alcohol. Other than the fact it clouds your judgement making you more likely to say "oh screw it!" and binge on thanksgiving, alcohol is mostly empty calories, like soda. Avoid anything with tonic especially. If your friends offer you a drink you've never heard of like a "Thanksgiving cocktail" make sure you ask what's in it and do the calculations for it before downing it.

9. Stick to a veggie based appetizer. Leave the meat for dinner. Try to eliminate dips as much as possible. Shrimp isn't a bad option either, but skimp on the cocktail sauce.

10. Only take one of each appetizer. Don't take a handful of jumbo shrimp and call it diet.

11. If something sounds good, eat it! Just eat one serving, and keep a track in the back of your mind.

Dinner and Dessert
12. Say it with me: white meat, no skin, light on the gravy. Fill up on the meat.

13. Opt for a veggie based side like carrots and green beans (green bean casserole doesn't count) and go easy on the stuffing and other carbs.

14. Drink water with dinner and drink at least one full glass before you sit down to dinner.

15. Go splitzies on a slice of cake or pie for dessert or a roll for dinner.

16. Start eating after everyone else, be the slowest eater at the table, and finish the second  you're full.

17. Eat at the kid's table! Well, maybe not. I mean, eat as much as they eat. While the adults binge, the kids eat around the size of a normal adult meal on thanksgiving.

18. Don't go back for seconds. Just because the mashed potatoes are there, doesn't mean you have to eat them.

19. Stick to one moderately large dessert, or a few small ones. Don't eat half the cake and go back for a plate of cookies.

20. Most of all, enjoy the day. Eat things that you might not usually get to have. For me, I have stuffing sometimes on an average weeknight so I won't eat that on thanksgiving. I'll eat the stuffed mushrooms that I only have once a year. Same goes for dessert. My cousin is a pastry chef so I'll eat the new and innovative dessert she brought for us, not the chocolate chip cookies.

I hope this guide helps you to a healthy, happy thanksgiving! I'm sure this will help you to a ho-ho-ho healthy Christmas (or whatever you celebrate. I don't judge!) Hope this helps you have a great winter!