(WAND) – Health experts are sharing some tips for healthy Thanksgiving eating.
Shelli Reinhardt, who serves as fitness director of the Decatur Athletic Club, says a typical Thanksgiving dinner involves taking in as many as 4,500 calories. Spending one hour on an elliptical machine would only burn off 485 calories.
Reinhardt says a person would have to go through 10 hours of moderate exercise to burn off the entire meal, but that doesn’t mean people can’t trying different things to lower the calorie level they take in.
“(Try to) make sure you’re filling up half of your plate with those vegetables,” said Sadie Baird, Clinical Dietitian at St. Mary’s Hospital. “Maybe instead of green bean casserole, do more of regular green beans or roasted vegetables – something along those lines.”
Baird says white meat might be a healthier option than dark meat. She recommends cutting out starch from noodles or mashed potatoes.
Even with these tips, health experts say it’s a holiday and it can still be OK to splurge.
“The key going into Thanksgiving is just realizing it’s one day and just one meal,” Reinhardt said.
