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Nutrition

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Don't Let Thanksgiving Leftovers Weigh You Down

Maintaining a healthy weight is all about portion sizes and planning ahead to balance your calories, says Framingham mom, registered dietitian and nutrition consultant Heidi McIndoo.

We all know the traditional Thanksgiving dinner is laden with calorie-dense foods. In fact, the average American packs in 3,000 calories at this one meal, far exceeding the recommended calorie intake for the entire day! According to the American Council on Exercise, a 160-pound person would have to run at a moderate pace for four hours, swim for five hours or walk 30 miles to burn off a 3,000-calorie Thanksgiving Day meal. And that’s just one meal! Holiday weight gain doesn’t result from overeating at one or two meals, but rather from feasting on leftovers for days or even weeks. I believe there is a way to continue to enjoy our festive favorites for days and weeks after the celebration. And we can do so while maintaining our healthy …

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