Taylor Bembery and Mattie Rush
Blue & White Flash / Staff Writers
Most college and university students will head home in a few days for winter break and Thanksgiving.
Like Krysten Shumaker, a sophomore mathematic major from Arlington, Texas, many look forward to the traditional Thanksgiving dinner favorites like ham, stuffing, cranberry sauce, green beans and sweet potato pie.
For Jackson State University students and others, Thanksgiving dinner is a great time to get a good home-cooked meal and reunite with family and friends. However, a closer look at that dinner plate full of delicious meat, casserole and dessert may shock you into the gym if you count up all the calories and fat.
Research shows that the average weight gained during Thanksgiving is one pound, but this accumulated weight through the years can contribute to obesity later in life.
Kevondria Cager’s favorites include ham, dressing, macaroni and cheese, collard greens and cranberry sauce. She is a junior therapeutic recreation major from Atlanta, Ga.
Here’s a look inside some Thanksgiving favorites with a warning not to pile up your plate with these savory choices. The traditional slice of turkey has 35 calories compared to 108 calories for a slice of ham. For the cornbread dressing, add on 358 calories, 17.6 grams of fat and 43.8 grams of carbohydrates per serving. Surprisingly, roasted turkey gravy is filled with 100 calories, 12 grams of carbohydrates and a shocking 1,160 mg of sodium per cup.
That famous homemade baked macaroni and cheese has 401.6 calories, 15.5 g of fat, 46.9g of total carbohydrates and 551.2 mg sodium. For the veggie, green beans casseroles are popular, so add 275 calories. Don’t forget the cranberry sauce with 86 calories, a yeast roll with 110 calories and the beverage of choice, sweet tea, which has more than 200 calories.
This holiday don’t get too comfortable with the pie cutter. A holiday favorite is the sweet potato pie, which includes 330 calories, 20g of sugar per serving. Another favorite dessert is the pecan pie, which has 500 calories, 25g of fat, and 60g of total carbohydrates per slice.
Do the math, and that heart-warming Thanksgiving dinner adds up to approximately 2,400 calories, depending on your dessert, meat and beverage choices; this does not include seconds.
Even though these might be your guilty pleasures, practicing eating moderation during the holidays can be effective. Moderation is the process of eliminating or lessening extremes. So instead of having your normal three pieces of pie, you should reduce it to one proper portion of a slice to satisfy your taste buds.
It will be hard to resist that rich holiday food but to lessen the weight gain that is sure to come, remember to be smart when it comes to food choices, beware of portion control, eat in moderation, and exercise. Burn extra calories — clean up the house, go ice-skating, shopping, and dance or enter a holiday themed walk/run race.
To prevent packing on pounds this holiday, Hargo said: “Do an hour of exercise, at least 3 days out of the week. Make sure you incorporate 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise, and 30 minutes of strength training.”
