Healthy eating this holiday season can eliminate calorie overload
Chelsea Miller SPORTS REPORTER
Issue date: 11/24/09 Section: Features
According to the American Council of Exercise, a Thanksgiving dinner contains around 3,000 calories and 229 calories from fat, all in only one meal. For those who eat at more than one Thanksgiving meal, or eat leftovers, the results can be even more staggering.
One the ACE's website, Dr. Cedric Bryant, ACE chief exercise physiologist, stated that burning off the calories consumed in such a meal would be a difficult task.
"To burn off a 3,000 calorie Thanksgiving Day meal, a 160lb. person would have to run at a moderate pace for four hours, swim for five hours, or walk for 30 miles. Many people don't just stop at the meal, snacking throughout the day can lead up to a total caloric intake of 4,500," he said on the Website.
Youngstown State University's nutritionist Chyrstyna Zellers outlined a few steps for fight the holiday's calories:
Eat breakfast
Zellers said folding off tor the big meal is not a good idea, and eating smaller portions will lower one's caloric intake. Eating a healthy breakfast and drinking plenty of water throughout that day lowers the risk of overeating later.
Exercise
"Exercising that day gives you an edge later," Zellers said, adding that one can eat more that way.
Lower-fat cooking methods
Zellers said cooking foods with ingredients lower in fat can make a big difference. She gave such examples as cooking backed sweet potatoes versus a sweet potato casserole, which is high in sugar. Also, eating skinless turkey is healthier. She said there are many recipes online for lighter versions of mashed potatoes and stuffing as well.
Eat smaller portions
Picking three favorites and not eating all the side dishes, Zellers said, can help lower calories consumed. "Make sure vegetables are a part of the meal to fill you up," she added.
"They have lower calories if there's not a lot of butter cooked with them."
Skip dessert
Or save for the next day
Zellers summarized that looking up the calorie counts ahead of time can help one plan what he or she will ea. The food by itself is healthy, she said, but combining so many different side dishes in unhealthy, especially with all the butter and dressings.
"The problem is in hidden calories in a lot of casseroles. You don't know what's in them unless you make them yourself," she said.
Zellers said that another problem with the holiday is extending thanksgiving with a whole weekend of overeating.
"Try to confine it to one meal and get back on track the rest of the weekend," Zellers said.
One the ACE's website, Dr. Cedric Bryant, ACE chief exercise physiologist, stated that burning off the calories consumed in such a meal would be a difficult task.
"To burn off a 3,000 calorie Thanksgiving Day meal, a 160lb. person would have to run at a moderate pace for four hours, swim for five hours, or walk for 30 miles. Many people don't just stop at the meal, snacking throughout the day can lead up to a total caloric intake of 4,500," he said on the Website.
Youngstown State University's nutritionist Chyrstyna Zellers outlined a few steps for fight the holiday's calories:
Eat breakfast
Zellers said folding off tor the big meal is not a good idea, and eating smaller portions will lower one's caloric intake. Eating a healthy breakfast and drinking plenty of water throughout that day lowers the risk of overeating later.
Exercise
"Exercising that day gives you an edge later," Zellers said, adding that one can eat more that way.
Lower-fat cooking methods
Zellers said cooking foods with ingredients lower in fat can make a big difference. She gave such examples as cooking backed sweet potatoes versus a sweet potato casserole, which is high in sugar. Also, eating skinless turkey is healthier. She said there are many recipes online for lighter versions of mashed potatoes and stuffing as well.
Eat smaller portions
Picking three favorites and not eating all the side dishes, Zellers said, can help lower calories consumed. "Make sure vegetables are a part of the meal to fill you up," she added.
"They have lower calories if there's not a lot of butter cooked with them."
Skip dessert
Or save for the next day
Zellers summarized that looking up the calorie counts ahead of time can help one plan what he or she will ea. The food by itself is healthy, she said, but combining so many different side dishes in unhealthy, especially with all the butter and dressings.
"The problem is in hidden calories in a lot of casseroles. You don't know what's in them unless you make them yourself," she said.
Zellers said that another problem with the holiday is extending thanksgiving with a whole weekend of overeating.
"Try to confine it to one meal and get back on track the rest of the weekend," Zellers said.
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