The Holidays...For most people, it’s a fun day to spend time with the family, catch up with friends, watch some football. The holidays are also days where we EAT and EAT and EAT and EAT and EAT.  Thanksgiving is a great holiday to enjoy food, family and friends, but Turkey Day can be tough for those trying to diet and lose weight, or those in training for athletic competition. Do you know how much Thanksgiving impacts your body?

If you eat the typical 3,000 calorie Thanksgiving meal, a person who weighs 160 pounds would have to run at a decent clip for about FOUR hours. You could also swim for FIVE hours to burn off that amount, or you could walk 30 miles.  I don't know about you but "Ain't nobody got time for that!".

Most people don't even limit their intake to 3000 calories.  We snack during the day.  A little spoonful here, a pinch of turkey there and one more desert won't hurt.  By the end of the day we have taken in more calories in one day than we do in several days of a normal week. Below are some great tips for eating this holiday season.

Working out on a regular basis helps your metabolism and lets you burn those calories you collected during holiday eating.

Eat a salad, soup or fruits and vegetables before you leave home or before your Thanksgiving meal. This should help fill you up – and make it less likely that you will overeat.

·        Control your portions: Smaller servings of Thanksgiving favorites still taste good and offer fewer calories.