Turkey Day Advice

We're about to plunge into the best food fests of the year -- Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. As we do, N.C. health officials are offering a free resource to help keep weight gain at bay.

The six-week "Eat Smart, Move More…Maintain, don’t gain! Holiday Challenge" runs through Dec. 31. Participants will receive free weekly email newsletters with tips to manage holiday stress, ideas for fitting physical activity in during the busy season, and resources for cooking quick and easy meals when time is in short supply. You can also download a calorie counter, food log and activity log to help track your progress.

On-line sign-up is at www.MyEatSmartMoveMore.com. Only an email address is needed to join. All participant information is kept confidential.

While we're at it, Rick Petitt of Carolina CPR Professionals in Concord offers these tips to manage stress:

Slow down: Take one minute to breathe deeply, take five and call a friend, take 15 and walk around the block.

Be aware of your actions: Alternate alcoholic beverages with water, eat a vegetable serving for each dessert you plan to consume, go to bed early the night before a celebration.

Avoid your stressors: Let someone else drive, shop online to dodge crowds, make lists so you feel in control.

“During the holidays, people overeat, drink more alcohol, and exercise less,” Petitt says. “When you add in financial pressure, travel, sleep disruptions, and family expectations you end up with much higher stress levels than usual. Since you can’t stop the holidays you can fight the stress.”