It's hard to believe, but Thanksgiving - along with the threat of holiday weight gain - is just around the corner. On average, people gain one to two pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. While this may seem minimal, studies show this weight gain stays put. After 10 years, this can add up to 10 to 20 extra pounds.

So how can you get ahead and keep those holiday pounds at bay? Start by educating yourself about foods and their calorie content. Most people underestimate their portions as well as their daily calorie intake. Here is the lowdown on some typical Thanksgiving fare, along with savvy strategies for reducing calories.

Holiday savvy for drinks:

• Stick to one drink if you must have alcohol.
• Try water with fresh squeezed lemon or lime, wine spritzers or seltzer mixed with a small amount of juice.
• Save calories on mixed drinks by combining the alcohol with seltzer and lemon or lime instead of juice or soda.

Holiday savvy for snacks:

• Serve colorful raw vegetables; offer to bring the crudites or a fruit platter if you are the guest.
• Make or bring a low-fat dip.
• Balance your day - skip the chips or nuts if you want to enjoy a small dessert.
• Have a reasonable breakfast and light lunch. Starving yourself beforehand will only make you ravenous when the appetizers arrive.

Holiday savvy for your main course:

• Fill up on fresh vegetables and juicy turkey. No skin!
• For higher-calorie foods, take only a small portion. Eat slowly and enjoy every bite.
• Choose a baked sweet potato. It has less than half the calories of candied sweets.
• Sample only what you absolutely love. Leave the rest.
• Skip the dinner roll. You can have bread anytime! This cuts out the temptation of butter, too.

Holiday savvy for dessert:

• Choose one or two of your favorites, and take small sample pieces.
• Leave behind most of the crust. This is where the bulk of the calories are found.
• Fill up on fruit.

Thanksgiving is a time to be grateful and count your blessings. To help take the focus off the food, concentrate on the meaning of the holiday, the atmosphere and your friends and family. Better to savor that than a big piece of pecan pie.

Related Articles Recipe: Gingered Sweet Potatoes Survivor's Guide to the 'Eating Season' Recipe: Honey-Glazed Carrots Recipe: Green Beans With Garlic How to Keep Your Heart Healthy (and Your Waistline Trim) at Holiday Meals

External Sources United States Department of Agriculture. Nutrient Data Laboratory. Accessed October 17, 2007. Yanovski J, Yanovski S, Sovik K, Nguyen T, O'Neil, P, Sebring N. A prospective study of holiday weight gain. New England Journal of Medicine. 2000;342:861-867.

This article was reviewed and updated 08-01-2009.