'Watch that portion size:' Finding the line between stuffed and satisfied on Thanksgiving
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - You can almost taste the stuffing and smell the pies already.
It's the one day of the year when we know long before we lift a fork that overeating is likely.
There's a way to go about this where you lose the agony but keep the enjoyment.
The cardinal sin of Thanksgiving eating is this: "I'm not going to eat anything until the meal, and then I'm just going to really enjoy it."
That's from dietitian Kristen Kirkpatrick of the Cleveland Clinic and she said that is a surefire recipe for overeating.
"So, really, starting the day off right is going to be tip number one and that is to have a good, balanced breakfast," she explained.
Nutritionist Laura Zervos said the balance is simple.
"Try to watch our carbs for breakfast and lunch," she said. "Turkey certainly is a good food for us. We just have to watch that portion size on everything. It's better probably to take a little taste of everything so we don't feel deprived."
Now, what if the host expects your plate to be covered?
"Try to fill up that plate with a lot of vegetables, you know, small, nice servings of protein, and watch the carbohydrates," Zervos said.
Hold on a second...what about the pie?
"Have a small slice and enjoy it," she said.
In fact, Zervos said that Thanksgiving should be guilt-free.
"If you do overeat, let's recognize that you're human," she said. "This is the one day a year that people overeat."
Plus, there's Friday to get things back under control.
So, to conclude, don't starve yourself and eat your veggies. Also, Kirkpatrick added to slow your eating down. Put the fork down occasionally and give your body the chance to tell you when you are full.