A relaxed but aware attitude to holiday eating is the best way to enjoy Thanksgiving while maintaining one's weight, Penn State nutritionists say.

"Thanksgiving is not the time to be uptight," said Claudia Probart, associate professor of nutrition. "One meal isn't going to wreck anyone's pattern or health."

Clinical nutrition instructor Melissa Martilotta said research on holiday weight gain is inconclusive. Those with a consistent eating pattern during the year generally do not gain weight during the holidays, Martilotta said. She said those on restrictive diets, such as low calorie or high protein, are more likely to "pack on the pounds."

Awareness of portion sizes and recognition of high-calorie foods is important for controlling calorie intake, Probart said.

One should not ban any foods, Martilotta said, but enjoy a variety in moderation.

Martilotta mentioned unconscious eating as a typical cause of calorie overload. People often converse by the snack table and do not pay attention to how many hors d'oeuvres they consume.

To avoid gorging, Probart recommends eating prior to Thanksgiving dinner. "Don't go to the table starving," Probart said.

People often skip meals in anticipation of the holidays, believing the myth that they can save calories from one day for another, Martilotta said.

Martilotta recommends people ensure they are physically hungry before they eat. "Physical hunger is felt in the stomach, not the head," she said.

This strategy also can work to prevent reaching for seconds. "First ask yourself 'Do I physically want this?' " Martilotta said.

Martilotta suggests taking a break before diving in for dessert to allow satiety a chance to set in. "It takes a while for the brain and stomach to catch up," she said.

For those who are concerned with nutrition, there are healthier ways to prepare favorite Thanksgiving foods. Martilotta said less salt and sugar can be used in recipes to cut down on sodium and calories.

The white meat of turkey is low in fat if the skin is removed, Martilotta said.

Probart recommends cooking stuffing separate from the turkey because it will absorb fat inside the bird and can also carry bacteria. Rather than butter, canned low-fat chicken broth is a healthy way to moisten the stuffing and also can be used to prepare mashed potatoes, Probart said.

Eating more vegetables is a healthy way to fill up without adding calories. Probart suggests carrot and celery sticks for appetizers, a salad and few different sides of vegetables with dinner.

For dessert, the nutritionists suggest fruit cups with low-fat whipped topping and baked apples topped with cinnamon and sugar.

Skim milk and eggbeaters can be substituted in a pumpkin pie recipe to cut down on fat and cholesterol, Martilotta said.

She said while healthy eating is important, a little dessert is okay. "One piece of pie with whipped cream is not going to set you over the deep end," Martilotta said.

She emphasized that the true meaning of the holidays is not food and the more people deprive themselves, the more stressed they become about eating.