The holidays are a time to get together with family and friends. However, the focus of our holidays usually revolves mainly around the food we are serving. And, with the average Thanksgiving meal (turkey, stuffing, candied yams, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie) totaling more than 2,500 calories, it is no wonder why the average American will gain between 9-11 pounds from Thanksgiving to New Years. This year, I have some easy Thanksgiving swaps that will save you hundreds of calories.

1. Easy Pan Gravy:

This pan gravy removes the fat from the pan juices, saving you over 100 calories per 1/4 cup traditional gravy. Combine in a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat, 1 Tablespoon olive oil and 2 Tablespoons flour. Whisk constantly until the flour mixture turns golden brown, about two minutes. Next, add 1 cup of fat-free chicken stock and 1 cup pan juices (that have been skimmed of the fat). Continue stirring until gravy comes to a full boil and thickens.

2. Sweet Potato Souffle:

I save calories from the traditional sweet potato souffle by using egg beaters and a small tin of crushed pineapple for sweetness instead of sugar. I also top it with a high fiber cereal, such as Kellogg's All-Bran Buds mixed with 1 teaspoon cinnamon and a packet of Splenda for a crunchy topping.

3. Spruced Up Stuffing:

I give your regular stuffing recipe a boost by using Thomas' English Muffins Light Multigrain instead of bread. Each muffin has only 100 calories and provides you with 8g of fiber. I add egg beaters, low calorie butter spread and lots of vegetables for a crunch factor (water chestnuts, mushrooms, celery, shredded carrot).

4. Cranberry Sauce:

You are going to love this cranberry sauce, it is easy to prepare and so delicious! You save nearly 300 calories by using whole cranberries, Splenda and frozen berries. Once you try this recipe, you will never go back to canned cranberry sauce!

Ever wonder what super-healthy people have in common? Turns out, many of them share the same habits.

Sure, some of them are obvious, like getting plenty of vitamin C and regularly exercising. We all know we should be doing that. But what about gargling? Or getting a massage? Did you have any idea these actions could help ward off sickness?

It turns out they can, and there's more surprising information where that came from. To learn how to incorporate new ways into your life, and to find out about more healthy habits, head on over to FitSugar for the full scoop! And don't forget to come back and let us know which of these healthy habits surprised you most.

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Samantha Clowe never wanted to be a 'fat bride,' and now, sadly, she won't be one at all. The obese 34-year-old, who was looking forward to her upcoming nuptials, died after an intense crash diet. Described as "fit and healthy" by her family, Clowe lost 42 pounds in 11 weeks on the controversial Lighter Life Diet, which restricts dieters to just 500 calories a day.

We're all aware that crash diets aren't great for you, but you can die from them? You bet -- and this isn't even the first time this diet has killed someone. Just last December, a mother of five died after drinking 4 liters of water, as was recommended by the program. Amazingly, you need your doctor's consent to sign up for the program. Is anyone else having a hard time believing that a trained medical professional would give the OK for this kind of extreme diet?

Cooking at home gives you complete control over what goes into your meals. But, let's face it, it's just plain nice to go out to eat once in a while. You can try new tastes and -- bonus -- there are no dishes to wash. When you know what to look for, eating out can be healthful, too.

If you're heading out to eat, try these tips that will help you enjoy Mexican food without the guilt:

• Skip the chips. If you can stop at three or four chips dipped in salsa, then go ahead and enjoy. (And please send me some of your willpower.) But when that big basket of chips is dropped off at your table, most people keep reaching for more without realizing how many they're eating.
• Just say no to the margaritas. I know, I know ... they're ridiculously yummy. But margaritas can be up to 45 calories per ounce. Considering the margaritas most restaurants serve are roughly the size of a swimming pool and made with sour mix, that can really add up. Heck, margaritas even made Forbes' list of the most fattening drinks.
  
• Soup it up. Want an appetizer? Try a gazpacho or a black bean soup. Not only are these options significantly lighter than nachos or other appetizers, they're tasty and provide some decent nutrition.
• Go lean with protein. Opt for grilled chicken or shrimp instead of beef.
  
• Don't get fried. Chimichangas, chile rellanos, flautas and other fried entrees really bump up the calorie count. Avoid the fried foods altogether.
• Switch up your sides. Many dishes will come with refried beans, guacamole or other sides. Ask for other options such as seasoned rice or rice and beans (neither of which is low-cal, but it's a slightly better option).
• Know the language. The menu descriptions should let you know what you're ordering, but you can still keep your eye out for a few key words: asada (grilled), pollo (chicken) and arroz (rice).
• Go veg. More and more restaurants are offering vegetarian options. Even if it's not on the menu, you can request something like vegetarian fajitas.

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If you're a label reader, you already know that lots of supermarket foods aren't nearly as good for you as advertised. Every other box on the shelf brags about how it's all natural or organic, fat-free or made with 70 types of grains. How's a savvy shopper to pick the truly healthy choices out of all the junk food with healthy-looking packaging?

Never fear -- the video above will help you navigate the grocery store like a nutrition pro. No more candy bars masquerading as health food for you, my friend! At least, not unless that's what you want.

Tomorrow is Earth Day -- how will you celebrate? Taking care of the Earth and taking care of your body often go hand in hand, and I have a few suggestions for observing this special holiday while also celebrating your healthy lifestyle.

• Bike to work. Or the market, or school -- wherever you need to go. Not only will it show that you care about the environment, but you'll burn off your breakfast, too. Walking, of course, is just as good.
• Skip the gym (but not your workout). Take the opportunity to get in touch with Mother Nature. If you have a park nearby, run a few sprints, then use the jungle gym to do pull-ups (just be sure to bring along your own reusable water bottle!). Or, just take a long walk around your neighborhood or through the woods. By skipping the gym, you'll avoid using the power you would have consumed on the treadmill or in the sauna, plus, it'll feel great to be outside.
• Eat vegetarian. I'm not saying you should become a full-fledged veg (although, I'm not saying you shouldn't, either), but research has shown that a vegetarian diet is beneficial for the planet, and a plant-based diet is good for your body, too. And don't freak out -- vegetarian dining isn't hard, and it's not scary. You don't have to come up with anything exotic (unless you want to). Whole wheat pasta with sauce and some sauteed veggies will work, and steamed vegetables with couscous is one of my favorite quick and easy meals. Get inspired here -- you might even start making it a weekly thing! (Bonus points if your vegetarian meal is comprised of local foods!)
  
• Get involved. Forget sitting on the couch and watching all of the cool Earth Day events on the news -- find events near you! A quick search of my town and "earth day" revealed lots of things to do, including planting trees and cleaning up. And have you ever planted trees? You're in for a workout!
• Plant your own garden. Hey, if you're going to get your hands dirty and your brow sweaty, maybe you want to get something tangible out of it -- I don't blame you. Work with your roommates or family to create a vegetable garden. You'll burn calories getting it started, and you'll reap the benefits of homegrown, fresh, delicious vegetables in no time! Find out everything you need by entering your zip code on the National Gardening Association website.

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That's Fit Club is our feature devoted to you, the reader. We have all learned so much on our paths to becoming more fit, and now it's time to learn from and inspire each other. That's Fit Club members are constantly working to better themselves. Some are perfect; some are not. But all have health on the mind.

Besides showing you off, we want to reward you for all of your hard work! Adidas is giving gorgeous gym bags to each featured member. To join, please send Fitz your answers to these questions, with a photo of yourself. Time for you to be the motivator!

Name: Emily Wisely

Age: 20

Occupation: Student

How often do you exercise? Not often enough, but I'm determined to improve.

What type of exercise do you do? I lift weights a couple times a week. I ran throughout high school on my cross country team, but I've slacked since I've been in college. Determined to change that, though!

What gets you to work out, even when you're feeling lazy? I go online and look at health websites! The articles and tips charge me up with energy!

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Welcome to Walking the Walk, a feature that takes a deeper look at commonly shared diet and fitness advice. Every other week, I'll choose one piece of advice and practice it for seven days. Then I'll report back on what I discovered about making it work in real life and how it affected my own personal fitness -- and how it ultimately can affect your own efforts.

In the war on obesity, fast food is usually our biggest target. Cheap and convenient, it's a popular choice. But it's fatty, salty menu choices don't make it a healthy choice.

Some people work hard to never step foot in a fast food restaurant, but I don't think that's a realistic goal for the general population; statistics show that half of Americans' meals aren't cooked at home. Though I think we would all be better off reducing our takeout meals, I think it's also important that we educate ourselves on how to eat fast food without downing 1,000 calories in a sitting.

To their credit, fast food restaurants have started offering healthier options to their customers. Long John Silver's is the latest with their Freshside Grille menu. My goal this week is to eat one healthy meal at a fast food restaurant each day this week, to find out exactly how realistic healthy fast food really is.

Day 1: We've been meaning to try Qdoba for a while now, on the recommendation from a friend. Since it's in a neighboring city, we haven't had a chance. Tonight, though, we happened to be over that way, and this week's "Walking the Walk" challenge was the perfect excuse to stop in.

Qdoba, for those who haven't been, is kind of like a Mexican food Subway. Selections are made-to-order on the spot with fresh (and tasty!) ingredients. In this particular restaurant, I couldn't find any nutritional information. Since I hadn't had a chance to look online, I was kind of ordering on the fly.

The Naked Burrito looked good -- essentially a burrito without the tortilla. But watching my husband's Pablan Pesto Burrito as it was made, I realized it probably would be way too high in calories. Those things are gigantic. The Naked versions aren't terrible though, roughly 500-600 calories depending on your selection. I was looking for something lighter, though. The Naked Taco Salad (no crunchy shell), which I ended up choosing, weighed in at 340 calories. Good choice.

Though Qdoba doesn't have the nutritional information for all of their products online (boo!), they do highlight their decent selection of healthier choices.

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Day 5: Burger King is home of the Triple Whopper, have it with cheese and mayo and you'll be swallowing 1,230 calories and 82 grams of fat. And that's before you order that large fry and soda. Yikes. Is it really possible to find something healthy to eat here?

BK's Tendergrill Salad is probably the best choice, at 240 calories and nine grams of fat (before dressing). But I'm tired of salad. That's probably my biggest complaint this week -- if I want to avoid fried and fatty, then salads are my only choice. I'm bored with grilled chicken salads, so I'm going to try and piece together something a little more interesting.

A Whopper Jr. with no mayo is 290 calories and a respectable 12 grams of fat, and likewise, the Tendergrill chicken sandwich is 400 calories and nine grams of fat (again, no mayo). Either choice works for me, but when I start looking at sides, the pickings are slim: Order a side salad, or dive into the kids' menu and get an applesauce or apple fries.

I go for the Whopper Jr. and salad. I'm full, but it was definitely an uninspired meal.

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It's time to decide -- is this a healthy habit that can be realistically worked into day-to-day life?

• Piece of cake! I can definitely work this into my daily routine.
• Not my cup of tea. This is harder than I imagined. Still, I plan to stick with it and do my best.
• Nuts! This seems nearly impossible to keep up. But I'll definitely do it whenever possible.

Healthy fast food isn't my cup of tea, and I'll tell you why. But first let me share what I liked about this week.

I was in seven fast foot restaurants in all -- Qdoba, Burger King, McDonald's, Wendy's, Arby's, Subway and Long John Silver's. At every single location, there were choices that filled me up without landing me over my calorie budget. Many of the restaurants made their nutritional information available in-house, and nearly all of them shared nutritional information online. If I wanted to live entirely on healthy fast food, I wouldn't starve. And occasionally, I might even enjoy my meal.

That said -- and this is just my personal opinion -- I'd rather avoid fast food altogether than have to eat their healthy menu items. There are two reasons for this. The first is that it's really, really hard to go into a restaurant that's known for it's salty fries and order a salad. It feels like denial, and I don't want dieting to constantly feel like punishment.

And second, the food just wasn't that good. It was fine, sure. But I can make my own pretty kick-a** salad ... those fast food versions are uninspired at best. Which brings me to my final criticism: Most fast food restaurants rely on salad as their go-to healthy choices. Salad is good, but I'd love to see the big three -- McDonald's, Burger King and Wendy's -- expand their options.

I'm writing to you from Jamaica, where I've been enjoying a week at several beautiful Sandals resorts. The sun is bright, the waves are warm, the healthy food is plentiful and the endless amount of free athletic activities mean I'm sure to leave this place at least a pound or more lighter than when I arrived. Am I trying to lose weight? No! Is it likely to happen, though? Probably!

Sandals is a chain of "couples only" resorts located in posh spots around the Caribbean. They're all inclusive too, which basically means you get to eat, drink and play as much as you want without shelling out extra dough. This all-inclusive thing removes lots of vacation-related stress, I assure you.

Most folks believe gaining at least five to 10 pounds per week of vacation is a rule, and my job is to convince you that it's not. Not if you come to a place like Sandals, anyway. As readers of this site, I know you're health conscious and eager to pursue and maintain your fitness levels wherever you go. Sandals allows you to do that.

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Sweet potatoes are a nutritional gold mine. High in vitamin A, vitamin C, fiber, iron and other powerful nutrients, choosing sweet potatoes over other varieties is a no-brainer. This Sweet Stuffed Sweet Potato recipe is very easy to make, and the sweet flavor makes it taste a little more like dessert than a vegetable.

The recipe can be found on page 8 of my online recipe book at Fitzness.com. I make it often at family meals, but sometimes I just cut the ingredients down and whip some up for myself. Give it a try! I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I do.

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We know gyms help us in the health department, provided we actually use the exercise equipment and sweat our tails off in the various classes most fitness centers offer. But can gyms make us sick too? Perhaps, says Woman's Day magazine.

MRSA, a bacteria that causes staph infection and is resistant to many antibiotics, can be transmitted if you wipe off your machine and then later wipe the sweat off your face with the same towel. Think I'm crazy? Hans Schlecht, MD and assistant professor of medicine at Drexel University College of Medicine, says it's true. I'm inclined to believe him. And you?

Scared or not by this possibility, you'd be wise to play it safe. Use a paper towel to wipe your machines and your own cloth towel reserved for your face. And if you have any cuts on your skin, cover them with bandages before heading for your workout. And don't even think about using this as a reason to excuse yourself from the gym. Going far outweighs not going in terms of your health.

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That's Fit Club is our feature devoted to you, the reader! We have all learned so much on our paths to becoming more fit, and now it's time to learn from and inspire each other! That's Fit Club members are constantly working to better themselves. Some are perfect; some are not. But all have health on the mind.

Besides showing you off, we want to reward you for all of your hard work! Everlast and Everlast Woman are giving gorgeous workout T-shirts to each featured member! To join, please send Fitz your answers to these questions with a photo of yourself. Time for you to be the motivator!

Name: Courtney Clasen

Age: 32

Occupation: Homemaker, Domestic Engineer, In-House Chef, Maid, Taxi, Motivator, Sheriff, Dog Walker, Cat Feeder, Snake Tamer, Playmate and Diva

How often do you exercise? About six days a week.

What type of exercise do you do? I am proud to say that for the first time in my life I can call myself a runner. I also do resistance exercises.

What gets you to work out, even when you're feeling lazy? My bad mood! I know exercise will snap me out of it and give me that hyper "I love everyone" feeling.

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