Do you know that the average Thanksgiving dinner contains over 2000 calories? The holidays can be a real challenge if you are watching your waistline. The following are some eating tips so that you can still look good and be healthy after Thanksgiving without having to deprive yourself of the delicious holiday treats.

Don't go to Thanksgiving dinner hungry: We often eat faster and eat more when we are hungry, so eat a wholesome breakfast and lunch to avoid overeating at dinner time.

Side Dishes - watch your portion size: Go for smaller portions so you can sample all the different foods guilt-free. Moderation is the key.

Thanksgiving dinner is not an all-you-can-eat buffet: Fill half of your plate with vegetables, one quarter with a lean meat and the rest with a starch of your choice. Eat slowly and stop when you are full.

Turkey - go skinless: Choose your 4-oz turkey portion skinless to slash away some fat and cholesterol. Save your appetite for the side dishes and desserts.

Make a conscious choice to limit high fat items: High fat food items can be found in fried and creamy dishes as well as cheese-filled casseroles in a traditional Thanksgiving meal . For instance, mashed potatoes are usually made with butter and milk; green bean casseroles are often prepared with cream of mushroom soup, cheese and milk and topped with fried onions; candied yams are loaded with cream, sugar and marshmallows. If you cannot control the ingredients that go in to a dish, simply limit yourself to a smaller helping size. Again moderation is the key.

Drink plenty of water: Alcohol and coffee can dehydrate your body. Drink calorie-free water to help fill up your stomach and keep you hydrated.

During this fall season, many members have participated in the 10K-A-Day Day fitness incentive program, faithfully making an effort to be active each day.  They have participated in the program’s fun walks and activities and have tracked their progress along the way.  One aspect that makes the program special is the weekly themes.  Each week, a new theme serves as a backdrop for the walks, activities, and information distributed.  During the week of Thanksgiving at the end of this month, the theme is a no-brainer– Thanksgiving!  To help celebrate the holiday, our themed walk for that week will be a special delivery route taking us to a few local community service organizations.  During the walk we will drop-off the supplies donated by our members and guests to the Kissimmee Civic Center Thanksgiving Supply Drive.  From now until Thanksgiving week, the Kissimmee Civic Center will be collecting items to assist local groups in helping those in our community.  All clothing, food, and school supply donations will be accepted, but specifically we will be collecting clothing for those in need of something to wear for an interview or to keep warm in the winter, food used for daily meals and family grocery supplies, and books & school supplies for local teachers who volunteer their time to assist children after school.  Ask our friendly front-desk staff for a list of needed supplies and see what you can do to help.  Drop-off any donations in the collection carts sponsored by Albertson’s located in the front lobby of the Kissimmee Civic Center.  Thanks for helping!

Q: I started exercising at the Kissimmee Civic Center a few months ago and saw immediate results.  I could walk longer on the treadmill and lift heavier weights on the machines and I lost weight quickly.  As I have continued to exercise I am not improving as quickly as I was before.  I feel like I am stuck in a rut.  What am I doing wrong?                                                                                                        -T.D.                                                   

A: Do not fret! You’ve simply hit a training plateau.  Typically an individual will see results fairly quickly when first starting anexercise program.  Essentially, you have gone from no activity to a structured exercise program.  Positive changes are inevitable. However, the human body is a very intelligent machine.  It is able to adapt to stressors and improve itself.  As you have exercised, your body has become accustomed to your standard routine.  Like a seasoned Broadway performer rehearsing a dance, your body is simply going through the motions that have become a part of its muscle memory.  The key to overcoming this plateau and continuing to progress is to “shock” your body.  Take the “routine” out of your exercise routine.  There are many options for changing your exercise program that our Fitness Specialists can help you implement.  However, a few simple ways to spice-it-up are to substitute equipment (perform an exercise with dumbbells to replace one done on a machine), change your repetitions and sets (perform circuit sets rather than standard), and alter your schedule (perform split routines rather than a total body work-out).  Take advantage of the free appointments with our Fitness Specialists and see what positive changes you can make.