November 25, 2009

One day and one huge temptation piled on top of another. It's hard to resist the Thanksgiving feast, even for the most conscious calorie-counter.

"The average American eats between 3,000 and 5,000 calories [on Thanksgiving], which of course is twice the amount you should eat in a normal day," said Food Services Manager, Catherine Boucher.

Boucher showed CBS19's Cheryn Stone how to make it through that Thanksgiving meal, and actually had some good news.

"I don't think you need to avoid any particular food completely," said Boucher.

Of course, there is more to it than that. Right?

"It's really focusing on smaller portions and being able to try everything and enjoy everything. You end up doing more harm by craving foods and then overeating in other areas," said Boucher.

Portion control, calorie content, and fat content are fairly obvious things to watch for, but Boucher says to keep you eyes open and shake your plate clean of sodium. She says many Thanksgiving spreads can be packed with salt.

"Sodium is really the sneaky food product that people don't think about as much. People don't really realize that level of sodium in one meal can cause your blood pressure to go up and cause some problems," said Boucher.

Boucher advises people to use fresh or frozen veggies instead of canned items. She also says if you are the one cooking, you can tailor the meal to more healthy eating.

"With the meat you want to focus on a four ounce portion, which is about the size of a deck of cards or the palm of your hands. With starches and sides, half-a-cup to a cup depending on how many things you're going to be eating. With pie, I try to avoid the pecan pie, and have smaller sizes," said Boucher.

Boucher also added some subtle ways to keep your portions under control. She says eating earlier in the day and going for a walk instead of sitting on the couch is a good idea. She also says drinking water before the meal helps you process the salt in the food.