The SCARY Truth! By: Amanda

Do you know what I find is the scariest thing of all on Halloween??? The WEIGHT GAIN! And Halloween is only the beginning...

Since our "Holiday Season" generally starts about the time Halloween begins, (I was in the car last night and heard Christmas music already....give me a break....) many of us find that our holiday weight gain begins here, too. Think of all the candy that's eaten on Halloween alone. It's so easy, when it's all sitting in front of us, to just keep grabbing out of the candy basket.

Did you know that the average person gains anywhere from 8-10 pounds over the holidays?? That would take me about 8-10 MONTHS to lose all that Crisco, butter, and chocolate from around my thighs! Anyway, the point that I'm getting at here is that, unless you're extremely lucky, the holidays can be a huge setback in any kind of weight management. So, since I've already caught the holiday spirit (yeah right ;) ),consider the following information my upcoming holiday gift to you:

Food for Thought:

A Typical Thanksgiving Dinner

Turkey (6 oz) = 350 calories
Stuffing (1 cup) = 340 calories
Gravy 3/4 cup) = 375 calories
Roll w/butter = 150 calories
Potatoes (1 cup) = 270 calories
Sweet Potatoes (3/4) = (are we sweating yet??) 370 calories
Pumpkin Pie (1 slice) = 400 calories
Beverage (wine, regular soda) = 250 calories

For a grand total of 2505 calories. This is just for one meal, assuming you don't have seconds!

So, the key is to concentrate on portion control, as well as using little "cheats" here and there. Here are some things I've found helpful!

-Use Parkay butter spray on your food. It's a 0 calorie alternative to butter that I've fallen in love with over the years

-Use little bits of gravy. Trust me...2 ladle fulls isn't necessary.

-Remember that Light whipped cream for pies and deserts is our friend!

-Light Pillsbury rolls are quite delicious, and I can't tell a difference between these and the regular ones.

-Try to stick to white meat. Dark meat contains about 50 more calories per serving.

-And finally...watch the alcohol consumption! You wouldn't believe it, but just a few glasses of wine can potentially add up to 400 calories, and beer can be even worse.

I'm sure by now these horrible facts have put you in such great holiday spirits that you can't wait for Thanksgiving to roll around! But it's not all that bad. See if you can get through the holidays by only gaining a pound or two, or defy the odds by not gaining any weight at all! And, if you can do this, reward yourself with a nice piece of fruitcake...only 300 calories per slice!

By: Amanda