Stuff the Bird, Not Yourself, This Thanksgiving

It’s possible that this Thanksgiving, the average American will gobble down more than 3,500 calories during a traditional turkey dinner.

• Handful of peanuts as appetizer 175 calories

• 10 potato chips with creamy dip 220 calories

• 6 ounces of white and dark turkey meat with skin 345 calories

• 1 cup of stuffing 600 calories

• 3 to 4 ladles of gravy 800 calories

• 2 candied sweet potatoes and 1 cup of green beans with butter 365 calories

• 1 cup cranberry sauce105 calories

• 2 rolls with butter 240 calories

• 1 piece of pecan pie with whipped cream 430 calories

• 1 glass of cider 150 calories

TOTAL 3,430 calories

Sound scary? It is possible to prepare a meal that is delicious yet light in calories. Lance Collins, founder of FUZE Beverage, offers these suggestions on how to “slenderize” your Thanksgiving feast:

Save 135 calories: Instead of a handful of peanuts (175 calories), substitute raw vegetables with salsa (40 calories).

Save 90 calories: Instead of 10 potato chips with creamy dip (220 calories), enjoy five pretzels with low-fat yogurt dip (130 calories).

Save 115 calories: Instead of white and dark turkey meat with skin (345 calories), choose 6 ounces of turkey white meat with no skin (230 calories).

Save 1235 calories: Instead of 3 to 4 ladles of gravy and 1 cup of stuffing (1400 calories), try 1 cup of low-fat gravy and 1 cup of low-fat stuffing (165 calories).

Save 212 calories: Instead of two candied sweet potatoes and 1 cup of green beans with butter (365 calories), substitute one baked sweet potato and 1 cup of steamed green beans (153 calories).

Save 180 calories: Instead of two buttered rolls and 1 cup of cranberry sauce (345 calories) substitute one roll, no butter and 1 cup of low-cal cranberry sauce (165 calories).

Save 189 calories: Instead of one slice of pecan pie with whipped cream (430 calories), substitute 1 slice of pumpkin pie (241 calories).

It is possible to fend off those holiday pounds. “With a little forethought on how to make a delicious yet reduced-calorie and low-fat Thanksgiving dinner, you can consume about 2,300 less calories and still feel satisfied,” says Collins. “And that’s nothing to shake a ‘drum’ stick at.” (MS)