Don't let Thanksgiving stuff you all season!

Thanksgiving is a fantastic American holiday to stop and appreciate what we have, and to spend time with friends and loved ones. What’s not so fantastic, however, is that it seems to kick off a holiday season of rich, high calorie meals that last until New Year’s Day. Here’s why it’s even more important to push away from the table and not let that second helping become a regular event.

According to a 2010 study out of Linkoping University in Sweden, short term overeating can lead to long term weight gain. Researcher and PhD student, Asa Emersson, tracked 12 men and 6 women with an average age of 26, and a BMI (Body Mass Index) considered healthy, or less than 25. Study participants increased their caloric intake by a whopping 70% for four weeks -- mostly from fast food, or foods high in protein and saturated animal fat.  Participants did not increase their daily activity.

As you might imagine, the participants gained weight -- an average of 14 pounds -- during their four week binge. But what you might not guess is that 6 months after the group went back to a typical diet, the group had only lost about 50% of what they gained. Even a year later, the group still weighed more than where they began. What’s more, two and a half years after than 4 week binge, the body weight average of the group increased by 11 pounds. The control group, who did not binge, did not see an increase in body weight after two and a half years.

If you find yourself stuffed like your turkey this Thanksgiving, make the conscious decision not to overindulge for the rest of the weekend. The pounds you gain may remain long after it’s time to remove that holiday themed sweater!