If Thanksgiving usually has you secretly loosening your belt before the pumpkin pie is served, you’re in good company -- the average American consumes a whopping 3,500 calories on this dinner alone. While we’re not remotely suggesting that you diet on turkey day, wouldn’t it be nice if, just once, this tradition-blessed binge didn’t send your resolve spiraling down -- and your weight soaring up -- for the rest of the holidays? We know. We’ve been there. That’s why we figured out a way to indulge in every course without breaking the 1,000-calorie barrier. Prevents the food coma at the end of the day, too.

Go for light, white meat
This part is easy. Turkey breast is already super lean: just 44 calories, 1g fat, and no saturated fat  per skinless ounce, plus the big bird is a great source of iron, zinc, potassium, and B vitamins. Eliminate drumstick temptation by serving a breast ready for slicing. Or if you do cook a whole turkey, roast or bake it -- don’t even go near a deep fryer.
 
Add gravy that has more flavor than fat
Three choices: 1) Make yours using low-fat, low-sodium broth rather than drippings from the roasting pan. 2) If drippings are a family requirement, stick them in the freezer for about 15 minutes. Chilling makes it easier to skim off fat before using the juices to make gravy. 3) For an even healthier twist, try this apple cider turkey gravy, which contains zero fat.
 
Stuff your bird with whole grains
Bake the stuffing separately so it doesn’t soak up grease from the bird (safer too, say the bacteria police -- ensures that the stuff gets cooked all the way through). Instead of boring white bread crumbs, wow your guests with a whole-grain mixture. Try the slightly nutty flavor of quinoa, rice pilaf, or this bulgur stuffing with dried cranberries and hazelnuts. You won’t save calories but you’ll gain oodles of antioxidants plus fiber, iron, magnesium, selenium, B vitamins, and compliments. 

Add a touch of green
Okay, green bean casserole may be retro-hip but you can cut calories in half by boiling fresh beans until just tender and then seasoning them with a just a touch of olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper. Sounds simple but the flavor’s amazing. So is the fiber, protein, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, and vitamins A, C, K, and B6.

Don’t forget the super-berries
Cranberries contain a powerful group of free-radical demolishers. But skip the canned sauces, which are jammed with added sugar (about 44g and 170 calories per inch-thick slice). Try this fresh pear cranberry sauce instead for only 80 calories per 1/3 cup.

Potayto, Potahto
Family and friends may disagree on the pronunciation but they’ll agree on the virtues of these delicious spuds. These Buttermilk-Herb Mashed Potatoes are savory, speedy, and have half the fat and two-thirds the calories of traditional mashed potatoes.

Every calorie counts
Even tiny trimmings add up. For instance, stretch one glass of white wine (about 120 calories) to two by mixing it half ‘n half with bubbly water for a white wine spritzer.

Oh my, don’t skip the pie
You can trim more than 100 calories and 7 grams of fat from a slice of pie just by foregoing the crust. Looking for something traditional but a little different? Try this frozen pumpkin mousse pie with gingersnap crust. It’s 85 calories lighter than pumpkin pie!

No regrets
Turning a 3,500-calorie gorge into a 981-calorie feast that still spells Thanksgiving with a capital T? Priceless. So is avoiding that horrible post-holiday encounter with the bathroom scales. And there’s a long-term pay-off as well: Maintaining a constant desirable weight, rather than rollercoasting through the holidays, can make your RealAge 6 years younger.