Although easier on the waistline than ham or prime rib, six ounces of this bird still packs 340 calories. Photo: Nate Kelly, NewsNetNebraska
Thanksgiving is about food - and family - but mostly food. And while students are gorging on the holiday's best, they also can be taking in enough calories to quickly throw on a few pounds.
The average American will wolf down about 4,500 calories - and a mouth-watering 229 grams of fat - during Thanksgiving, according to the Calorie Control Council's Web site. That's more than twice the average daily caloric intake and about three sticks of butter worth of fat. And when the average person gains a pound with every 3,500 calories, it starts to add up.
Along with other fat-fighting measures, the council offers low-fat, low-sodium and, unfortunately, low-taste substitutes to some of Thanksgiving's staple dishes.
Other nutrition experts, however, suggest a more practical approach to eating during the holidays.
"Thanksgiving is a day to not really worry about calories," said Linda Young, an assistant professor and director of the didactic program in dietetics at the Nutrition and Health Sciences Department of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Thanksgiving is about the tradition and being with family, she said. And, if you enjoy that extra slice of pumpkin pie, then go ahead, she said, as long as you don't let the gorging build up during the holidays. One day of overeating, she explained, is OK in the grand scheme of a person's health.
"When we step back and look at the total diet we eat that's what really matters," she said. "It's a total diet, and it's not about every specific food that we eat."
She said people should be worried less about indulging in one big meal when it's the incremental eating during the entire holiday season that results in weight gain. When students add an additional 500 calories a day for the entire season, then that's roughly an additional pound per week, and it starts to become troublesome.
Adding a family walk or playing some football (weather permitting) instead of watching it are good ways to cope with the added food, said Shinya Takahashi, coordinator for strength and conditioning at UNL Campus Recreation. And, he suggested that students should think carefully about their eating decisions.
"What you carry in, you carry out," he said.
Holiday treats need not be threats for devoted gym junkies like these who burn calories regularly at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Rec Center. Photo: Nate Kelly,NewsNetNebraska
Nonetheless, he admitted that he, too, overeats on the holidays, but promised that it's only a few times a year.
When it comes to healthy alternatives, Young discouraged a drastic meddling with the classics. Serving low-sodium gravy and sugar-free treats just "don't bring as much joy or satisfaction," she said.
Many of the changes don't necessarily result in a big difference health-wise, she explained, especially when it comes at the cost of the taste.
"I'd rather of had the extra 50 calories and enjoyed it more."
She suggested keeping the meals the same, but if a student was watching his or her health, she suggested simply eating smaller portions, a tip that Takahashi also suggested.
"I would rather have the pecan pie made the regular pecan pie way and just have a smaller piece," she said. "Thanksgiving comes once a year."
If you're interested in figuring out how many steps it will take to burn off those calories, check out this calculator.
For eating healthy the rest of the year check out mypyramid.gov
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