2010 Thanksgiving

Check out this recipe for stuffed acorn squash with turkey and wild rice that FitSugar reader eatspinrunrepeat shared in the Healthy Recipe community group.

See the recipe when you read more

Easy does it! Thanksgiving is almost here, and the menus are being set. This year, instead of whipping up a large Pyrex full of stuffing, I encourage you to get creative with your muffin tins and dole out stuffin' muffins instead. Aesthetically pleasing, you'll score points in the creative department while doing your physique a favor.

The muffin sized serving will keep the stuffing portions smaller and keep guests aware of their intake. If you need a recipe, check out Rachael Ray's apple and onion stuffin' muffins. Otherwise, I've tried my own family recipe piled up in the foil cups and heated them until the tips are toasty.

Source

I'm spending Thanksgiving with my folks this year, and while my mom's spread is always amazing, I started having a few reservations about the turkey. After going vegetarian for almost a month, I've been extremely picky about the meat I eat. I've given myself a meat budget, and I'm only eating free-range, organic meat that is raised without antibiotics and hormones.

This is all good for me, but I don't want to take the fun out of Thanksgiving by preaching my ethics to my family or insisting that they spend more on a bird because of me. Instead, I'm having a heritage turkey delivered to my mom's house. My mom is excited that she's getting a "special bird" this year, and I get to eat the kind of meat I prefer without making a big fuss about it.

I've been to plenty of dinner parties where this isn't the case. Guests will insist that the host work around their dietary restrictions, which can often end up being costly and stressful for the people throwing the dinner. If you have a special diet, think about bringing a few dishes with you or ordering a food gift to the house as I did. And because many supermarkets sell organic turkeys, you won't get stuck with the large delivery fee that my boyfriend and I had to pay. Note: it's a good thing to check with your hosts first, but chances are that they'll be excited to try out some new foods.

There are few people that seem to limit themselves to one helping of a Thanksgiving Day feast. There's usually a second dip into the sweet potatoes or another scoop of stuffing before the last pigskin is retired for the night. Whether it's a second slice of pumpkin pie or a loaded up turkey sandwich, we've got a few pointers that can help you keep your calorie intake down for the big turkey day. Now that's something you can be thankful for!

• Go on a run or do some exercise before sitting down for the feast. You may be less likely to load up when you've already proved you're working against it.
• Make sure you eat a healthy breakfast to get your day off on the right foot.
• Drink water before the meal so your stomach isn't completely empty.
• Place the food around the plate instead of piling it up. There will be less room for large servings if the meal is spread out.

Ready for the rest of the pointers?

The following post was written by New York-based trainer David Kirsch.

Earlier this week, I shared with you my fat-saving tips in David Kirsch’s Thanksgiving Makeover. And while you are putting the touches onto your turkey day menu, I’ve got a two side dishes for you to try.

To check out DK's sweet potato chips and his green bean recipe keep on reading!