Here's the fun of Thanksgiving without the fear of weight gain

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, there is no need to run in fear of the feast. In fact, there are many holiday foods that actually add to your health. If you select your foods carefully, you can still reap the benefits without the bloat.

Here are some tips to help avoid the guilt of Thanksgiving Day's fun:

1 Cut back on sugary sodas and juices that just contain empty calories. This way you can save room for more "seasonal" foods.

2 Choose brightly colored vegetables like candied yams and green beans. They are loaded with vitamins. If you typically don't like veggies, this may be the time to sneak them in. You may not notice their flavor if they are masquerading their identify in a casserole.

3 Take smaller portions at first. Rememeber that you can always go back for seconds if you are still hungry after the first slice of pie.

4 More pie please. Pumpkin pie is loaded with beta-carotene, a powerful anti-oxidant that may help to reduce your risk of cancer. And don't worry about the fat in the crust because fat is needed to absorb vitamin A. Just don't eat the whole pie.

5 Don't forget a scoop of cranberry sauce. Cranberries are high in phenols, which help protect against cancer and heart disease.

6 Realize that now is not the time to start a new diet. The holiday season provides so many opportunities for temptation -- just don't go overboard.

7 After dinner, don't head straight for the couch. Keep your body moving. This will help you to continue to burn calories throughout the day.

8 Instead of having mundane mashed potatoes, add some zest. By substituting some of the butter for a sprinkle of cheese you can increase the calcium content. Then, add herbs like chives or parsley to increase their cancer-fighting ability.

9 If you are completely stuffed, tell grandma you've had enough. She'd probably rather want you to be comfortable then see you eat a fifth serving of sweet potato pie.Enjoy your dinner and remember that it's only one day.It takes about 3,500 calories to gain one full pound of body fat -- so it's unlikely that one Thanksgiving meal will really cause you to gain a significant amount of weight.Just try not to stuff yourself with all the leftovers.