Hi everyone, Monica Reinagle, the nutrition diva here with your quick and dirty tips

for eating well and feeling fabulous.

Thanksgiving is a time to gather with friends and family, to be grateful for all we have,

and to stuff ourselves silly.

Now, I'm not really that concerned about the long-term consequences, because as I've

said before, a single day of excess isn't going to make you gain weight any more than

a one-day juice cleanse is going to make you lose any significant amount of weight.

Nonetheless, it's just no fun to push yourself away from the table and realize too late

that you've eaten to the point of discomfort.

So here are five strategies that can help you enjoy this year's festivities without regrets.

And now here's Thanksgiving tip number one.

Keep the appetizers light.

The traditional Thanksgiving menu features a lot of heavy, rich dishes, lots of starches,

creamy castorals, and everything is just dripping with butter and gravy.

It's not a light meal.

Unfortunately, the pre-dinner snacks tend to be just as heavy and rich as the main event,

and all too often people sit down to dinner already half full from the snacks they've been

nibbling on all afternoon while dinner is prepared.

So rather than filling up on calorie-dense appetizers like cheese and crackers, clam

dip, nuts, and bacon-wrapped pineapple chunks, try keeping the pre-dinner snacks light.

Crisp radishes and snow peas with a yogurt-based dip or some kale chips or steamed edamame,

for example.

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