The holiday weekend is coming where we eat a Thanksgiving meal with loved ones, family, and friends and also gain as much as six pounds until the year is over. However, simple replacements in your holiday feasts can help you avoid gaining any unwanted pounds by eating healthy, beginning with Thanksgiving dinner.

An average American can consume more than 4,500 calories during a traditional Thanksgiving meal from appetizers to dessert, according to the Calorie Control Council.

Here are some helpful eating tips that will not compromise your delicious Thanksgiving meal:

Choose white meat over dark meat at not more than six ounces for a single serving. White meat can set you back 100 to 230 calories especially without skin. A three ounce serving of turkey breast without skin is just 160 calories, which can allow you to enjoy more stuffing.

Opt for homemade cranberry sauce, since those that come in canned form can add 120 calories more from a 1/4 cup serving. Mix cranberries, blueberries, and swap sugar with a sweetener like Stevia, as this cuts calories by over 50 percent, otherwise, use less sauce.

 

Mashed potatoes are usually made with loads of milk and butter. However, this can also load up on your calorie intake. Try a cauliflower mash by blending cooked cauliflower with nonfat Greek yogurt, chicken stock, Parmesan, and garlic, and sprinkle with lots of pepper and rosemary. A cup of cauliflower mash is equal to only 60 calories a cup.

For dessert, the healthiest pie to serve is pumpkin pie which is also just as delicious. A slice of pecan pie can include more than 500 calories including apple pie ala mode. A slice of pumpkin pie contains around 300 calories, and you can cut even more calories by skipping the ice cream on top.

Cocktails after a turkey dinner are filled with lots of sugar. Holiday drinks like eggnog can contain as much as 58 grams of sugar and 430 calories per cup. Mulled wine may be the best alternative for the holidays, by cooking red wine on low heat with orange and lemon zest, with spices like cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon, for 30 minutes.