Yah, I heard something on news that w/the "typical American traditions"  - alcohol, all day grazing, etc. the average T-Day caloric input would be around

7,000!!!

 

I got this from my Team in Training coach. Not sure of the source, but the info looks sound.

. PS, shamless promotion forTeam in Training here: Visit www.teamintraining.org[/URL" target="_blank">

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Take advantage of "nutritionally dense" holiday foods

Perhaps you've never thought of traditional holiday foods as a nutritional
gift. You may have considered those 10 pounds you gained from holiday eating
more of a nutritional wake-up call than a gift. Fortunately, many holiday
food staples can supply our bodies with a multitude of health-enhancing
nutrients and when consumed in moderation, can actually become year-round
nutritional staples. So during this holiday season, be sure to include these
health enhancing foods:

Pumpkin: You can eat that scrumptious pumpkin pie without all the guilt!
Pumpkin is an excellent source of beta-carotene (269 percent RDA per
half-cup serving), which is converted to resistance-building vitamin A.
Pumpkin is also a wonderful source of iron (17 percent RDA per half-cup
serving), a mineral essential for transporting oxygen to our working cells.
And surprisingly, canned pumpkin contains 15 times more beta-carotene than
fresh pumpkin. Reduce the fat content of pumpkin pie by using egg substitute
and evaporated skim milk instead of whole eggs and cream, and replace the
traditional pastry crust with crushed ginger snap cookies or graham crackers
instead.

Cranberries: Cranberries are a fruit for all seasons, although they're more
apparent during the holidays. The cranberry's plant pigment that provides
color to our holiday plate also provides a number of compounds that have
shown early promise against cancer and heart disease. The ellagic acid in
cranberries has been shown to help prevent tumor growth by disarming
cancer-causing agents. In addition, cranberries contain two powerful
flavonoidsquercetin and myricetinthat have been shown to prevent damage
to blood vessel linings, thereby playing a role in the prevention of artery
disease. Because cranberries are tart when eaten alone, many cranberry sauce
recipes call for a lot of sugar. Generally, reducing the sugar content by 25
percent still yields a tasty product. Many diabetics have used the sweetener
Splenda (sucrolose) instead of sugar with great success. Splenda is stable
for cooking and baking and measures just like sugar, without the added
calories.

Turkey: Since the pilgrims' first Thanksgiving feast, turkey has been a
staple protein source. Turkey also provides significant sources of
B-vitamins, selenium and zinc, nutrients essential for optimal nerve and
immune function. Skip the outer skin and you'll avoid most of the fat. While
white meat (turkey breast) is generally considered the most nutritious part
of the bird with its low fat content, darker meat contains 10 percent more
iron per three-ounce serving. When selecting a turkey, choose fresh, unbaked
rather than pre-bastedthese are injected with an oil and salty broth<br />mixture. You can baste the turkey with broth, sherry or white wine rather<br />than butter to further reduce the fat content.<br /><br />Sweet Potatoes: Despite an impressive nutritional profile and sweet flavor,<br />sweet potato consumption has gone down instead of up. A four-ounce sweet<br />potato contains a mere 143 calories and provides over 100 percent of our<br />daily needs for beta-carotene. It also provides more than a quarter of our<br />daily needs for vitamins C and Enutrients that have been shown to help
protect cell damage in athletes competing in extreme environments (e.g.,
altitude, heat, cold, pollution), as well as enhance muscle recovery after
intense running efforts. In addition, sweet potatoes are an excellent source
of iron, a nutrient commonly lacking in vegetarian athletes. So expand your
intake of sweet potatoes beyond the traditional Thanksgiving casserole: Add
sweet potatoes to chili or your favorite potato salad recipe; shred it raw
into hamburger, meatloaf and meatball mixtures; toss chunks of it into
salads; or use mashed sweet potato as ravioli stuffing.

Chestnuts - "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire" provide quite the
nutritional punch. In contrast to other calorie- and fat-laden nuts,
chestnuts contain less than one gram of fat per ounce, while providing a
hefty dose of fiber (3.7 grams), vitamin C (12 percent RDA), and folic acid
(10 percent RDA)nutrients important for immune function, formation of<br />collagen and reduced risk for cardiovascular disease. Chestnuts are good in<br />stuffing, pilaf, vegetable side dishes and soups. They're also excellent<br />snacks by themselves.<br /><br /><br />--

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Pain is temporary. Pride is forever.

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