4500 calories on Thanksgiving? Really? I disagree.

emAZn

I didn't eat 4,500 but I did eat 3,500 and I'm still 1,350 under my weekly net. Bring on the weekend of pizza and beer

MyChocolateDiet

i was under cals for the day. i ate freely. got everything that is thanksgiving to me. that's all i care about.

greenhudler

I'm sure it wouldn't be too tough to eat 4500 calories at Thanksgiving. I was actually surprised at myself, I ate enough to fill me up including dessert and didn't even come close to breaking 1000 for dinner . And it's not like I was unsatisfied, I was perfectly fine

janessafantasma

I'm from the Midwest and we love us some casseroles and hot-dishes. There is about 275 calories in a serving of green been casserole and that is one of the main dishes we have because everyone loves it. Side dishes are usually soaked in butter and cream and the desserts are intense too. No one in my family is overweight (except for me, sadly) and with the food and beer and desserts, I would say in years past, everyone eats around 4500 calories. We snack before hand on my grandma's homemade chip dip with a main ingredient of cream cheese, buttered rolls, lefse, and cheese plates, then have dinner and dessert....which is usually followed up by everyone agreeing they ate too much and then snacking on the remaining food and drinking until we finally all depart.

janessafantasma

I disagree as well!
4,500 calories? Absurd.
I totally ate more than that.
Okay, 210 more, to be exact, but still >.>
It's totally possible (and probably normal) to eat an excess of only 1,000 calories or so on Thanksgiving, I could have done it no problem.
But what fun is that?
Go hard or go home, man. Thanksgiving is once a year, that number is probably calculated for those who decide (like myself) that one day of binging on homemade food with your family won't make you fat overnight.
Although I certainly do feel that way, I must admit. But a lot of it is sodium too, darn my lazy family and their obsession with canned and convenience foods x.x

I agree wholeheartedly. One day of eating food guilt free isn't going to make you fat overnight and if people want to indulge on the holidays with their family then so be it!

westendcurls

I just did a rough estimate on mine, it was about 3000.

aubyshortcake

I Had Around 4,000. My Maintenance Is Closer To 1500..Lol

Sorry MY Phone Wants To Capitalize Everything >.<

JourneyingJessica

Consuming 4500 calories on Thanksgiving does not sound like a difficult task. At all.

I agree! Especially if you eat early & go back for left overs later. The most amazing cheesecake ever (junior's in NYC) is 560 calories for a normal piece (1/6 of medium cake). I totally could eat 2 or 3 of them no prob. Bam! 1500 cals right there lol. Stuffing & potatoes made with massive butter ooh and pie .... Yup i am soooooo up to the challene!!!

*looks for my fork ~ is there fudge??*

ki4yxo

I didn't eat 4,500 but I did eat 3,500 and I'm still 1,350 under my weekly net. Bring on the weekend of pizza and beer

:flowerforyou:

I didn't keep track...... It's a holiday to spend with friends and family!
I don't care what I ate, just don't want to know how much sodium was
consumed!

SheridanLT

I could do it with my eyes closed ... no problem!

Blamber21

IDK? I had two thanksgiving meals. I kinda just ate a normal portion meal? Twice? and didnt really eat breakfast.. I dont think I hit 4000 for the day. I'm not big on sweets and casseroles though. I had a couple of glasses of wine. I really cant see how I would have fit 4500 cals into one sitting. Not without feeling very sick.

GBrady43068

I wish this article http://www.caloriecontrol.org/articles-and-video/feature-articles/stuff-the-bird-not-yourself had some food examples to back up their estimate. I found another that posts foods and their calories and came up with 2486, http://projects.nytimes.com/qa/events/thanksgiving-help-line/question/8134 which is still an insane amount for a meal and the original claim of 4500 includes snacks and alcohol, but for me personally even before calorie counting I couldn't eat everything the article lists and have room for snacks. Also as the second article points out many people don't eat the types of foods listed. I won't eat turkey if it's dark meat and hate the skin (always have ever since I was little), have no use for green bean casserole, and will pass on pie unless it's pumkpin or apple (which are both have much lower calories than pecan, buttermilk, and other "holiday" pies).

While I agree with you that many people are bypassing some of the things you mention, many probably aren't. I know that last year (when I wasn't being mindful of what I ate) I probably didn't eat that much at "the meal" but when you figured out that there was a big bowl of greasy Chex mix that I munched out of all day long...plus two carb-heavy/fat-heavy meals (gravy on the mashed taters, turkey and stuffing) along with cheesy hash brown casserole and a slice of pie or pumpkin crunch each time that was a 2 or 2.5 serving size...it's not so hard for me to believe that people are eating that much. Good for you if you're not...this year I didn't...but easily could have if I didn't watch it a bit. Some of us LOOOOOOOOOVE pecan pie and find it hard ot resist if it's right there...

airdiva1

I can see having that amount of calories depending on the food. My mother and cousin cooked alot of fatten foods.
I did the following and while I did go over around 1,900 calories, I also walked 4 miles before dining

nytrifisoul

I fill up on turkey breast. No way I eat even 2500 without being so full the food wants to come up when i burp. If you want to eat a small plate of healthy fix'ns and indulge on those high calorie desserts, then yeah you can go way over 4500, and you deserve it for not being smart about it.

nytrifisoul

Good thread. I often hear 3500 calories bandied about for the average thanksgiving turkey meal- about the energy in a pound of fat.

Who determined it?

A *kitten* apparently. Turkey is the most lean protein you can eat.

Hornsby

I have no idea how much I ate but I am guessing I don't want to know. 2 plates of turkey, dressing, casseroles, deviled eggs, ham....and yes....4 pieces of pie! (Pecan, Pumpkin, Coconut Cream, and Chocolate Silk).

TheSwollMinister

Consuming 4500 calories on Thanksgiving does not sound like a difficult task. At all.

This right here.

Not everyone can eat that much, but I sure as heII can!!

Suzmp85

I think it varies with people. I feel I actually did pretty good. I had at least 4-5oz of lean white turkey, 1 cup of stuffing, 1/2-3/4 cups of mashed potatoes, and 1/2 cup of green bean cassarole and 2 slices of coconut cream pie..which is at least 2,000 calories if that and well worth those calorie to add.

BrunetteRunner87

I only ate three things plus dessert on thanksgiving (Turkey and gravy, stuffing, and the sweet potatoes with the sweet topping), but I still feel like 4500 calories is doable on that. I ate really HUGE portions. Plus I drank three glasses of sweet tea, which adds up. I had pie after the meal and pie later after I came home. I also had whipped cream with the pie. Sure, if you're only going to eat a regular portion of everything, 4500 would be hard. Plus a lot of people eat breakfast that morning or supper at night depending on when in the day the meal is. And some people have multiple thanksgiving dinners.