Fort Washington, U.S.A. — There are a wide range of estimates pinpointing the amount of weight Americans gain over the holidays, but one thing is for sure – you know it when you feel it. On the heels of the average American consuming more than 4,500 calories on Thanksgiving Day, it’s no wonder that for many “Black Friday” can feel like “Fat Friday.” Whether it’s .2 pounds or two full pounds, gaining weight at the start of the holiday season can set the stage for a fattening few weeks and ultimately lead to permanent weight gain, but the good news is “Black Friday” doesn’t have to be “Fat Friday.”

Nutrisystem, the nation’s leading provider of home delivery weight loss programs, explained why this is a key dieting juncture and issued a series of related tips to help people get back on track. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) also has advice.

According to the Calorie Control Council, the average person will consume more than 2 ¼ times the amount of calories they normally would during Thanksgiving Day’s national food fest. It is not unusual for a holiday dinner alone to tally up to 3,000 calories with the fat equivalent of three sticks of butter.

Registered Dietitian and one of the research heads at Nutrisystem, Meghan Nichols, describes the day after Thanksgiving as a “critical turning point for dieters.” Nichols oversees some of the company’s counseling support available online and by phone. “This is the time a lot of people either ‘go off the wagon’ or make a quick correction and get back on track. It’s a really challenging time for anyone trying to lose weight.”

Nichols offers the following tips for achieving dieting success even if you’ve already stuffed the turkey and yourself.

Tips for Making Sure “Black Friday” Isn’t “Fat Friday”

Own Up to the Number: It can be a rough day to get on the scale, but it’s one of the most objective ways to keep yourself accountable. While a weight gain of a pound or two may seem unimportant, studies have shown that each year, people gain the most weight within the 6-week winter holiday period, and tend to hold on to that weight through the remainder of the year, with the average American adding on an extra 2 pounds every year of their adult life.

Keep Your Eye on the Prize: Just because you may have thrown caution to the wind for a day or two, doesn’t mean you should throw in the towel on your weight loss goals. Visualize success, stick to your game-plan and forge ahead. Remembering that this is a journey, not a race, is key.

Shop Till You Drop: Even if you’re not buying anything, it can be a good day to hit the mall or an outdoor outlet center and window shop while you walk. Increasing physical activity is a great way to prevent weight gain during this high-risk time. Wear comfortable shoes and throw on a pedometer if you’ve got one. Web MD’s Fit-o-Meter can help you calculate how many calories you’ll burn.

Go Low GI: From the office, to the family holiday party, tempting food may be lurking around every corner during this time. Be sure to plan ahead by preparing foods that feature ingredients that are low on the glycemic index (GI), like whole grains, fruits and nuts. Low-glycemic index eating is a proven approach to managing hunger which can help you resist overindulging. The Nutrisystem community is chock full of tips and recipes that can help you say no to that snickerdoodle.

Dont Blame it on the Cost: Needless to say, it can be a costly time of year with out-of-pocket expenses going toward holiday gifts. But Nichols cautions about using “I can’t afford it right now” as an excuse not to sign up for a proven successful weight loss program. Nutrisystem has plans starting as low as $8 a day and most Nutrisystem customers report spending the same or less on food than they did before using Nutrisystem. Plus, starting the New Year with a new wardrobe after weight loss is often a larger (and welcomed) expense.

You Can do it: The Monday after Thanksgiving, which is also known as “Cyber Monday,” is widely recognized as one of the most popular days to start a diet, only second to January 2. A 2011 study conducted by Nutrisystem determined that Nutrisystem customers lose about one pound a week on average during the “holiday season” (defined as Thanksgiving to New Year’s). “These findings suggest that meaningful weight loss is not only possible, but also common, among persons attempting to lose weight during the holiday season,” said Anthony Fabricatore, co-researcher of the study and Senior Director of Research and Development at Nutrisystem.

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To the typical NFL fan, Thanksgiving traditions, such as eating turkey and rejoicing in familial love, will always fall short of watching the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys host back-to-back games at their respective stadiums.

This year’s match-ups managed not to disappoint as the Lions and their undefeated division Packers rival remained scoreless throughout most of the first half before the Packers began to break the game open shortly after halftime Aaron Rodgers had no problem picking apart a depleted Lions secondary, which was missing one of its starting cornerbacks, as well as a very underrated safety in Louis Delmas.

Due to the relatively one-sided nature of this game, the main story line that came along with it mostly pertains to Ndamukong Suh’s ejection. As most people know by now, Suh’s ejection came after aggressively stomping Packers linemen Evan Dietrich-Smith shortly after the play had ended.

The first thing most people would think upon seeing this is that it certainly is not the first time that Suh has been involved in an incident with an opposing player, leading one to question if he can ever learn from his mistakes.

However, what makes the incident even more absurd is that it happened just days after Sports Center ran a segment reporting that he and Lions running back, Jahvid Best, donated equipment to a high school football team that had all of their equipment stolen.

This was certain to come off as an attempt to clean up Suh’s image after he had previously established himself as one of the NFL’s dirtiest players. However, after his ejection on Thanksgiving, he has clearly cemented himself into the the dreaded thug stereotype.

The odd thing about this is, disregarding Suh’s on-the-field shenanigans, he actually appears to be a well-spoken person in interviews and press conferences.  Yet, for whatever reason, the intensity that goes along with being a defensive tackle in the NFL seems to overcome him whenever he is on the field.

With this in mind, it now remains to be seen whether or not Ndamukong Suh can truly clean up his image or if his reputation is a product of some sort of compulsive behavior that he is incapable of controlling.

Moving on to the Cowboys-Dolphins game afterwards, the excitement came down to the last second of the game. Both offenses struggled early on with two early interceptions from Tony Romo, who was able to rebound significantly throughout the rest of the game, in addition to DeMarco Murray having yet another solid performance despite the poor run blocking from the offensive line.

Despite this rebound, the Cowboys secondary had a difficult time keeping Matt Moore in check throughout the second half of the game after holding them to just 6 points at halftime. The Dolphins’ first touchdown drive came after Terence Newman committed a pass interference penalty, which involved Newman practically strangling Brandon Marshall on a pass which placed the ball on the 1 yard line.

While Terence Newman certainly showed that his speed is not what it used to be on that particular play, he should take no blame for the decision to commit what appeared to be a deliberate penalty. Brandon Marshall clearly had Newman beat on the play with Abram Elam being fairly slow to provide help over the top.

This eventually proved to be a microcosm for the Cowboys’ second half struggles on the back end. Even after the Cowboys answered back with a touchdown of their own to take a 17-16 lead, Abram Elam managed to commit a penalty of his own to keep the Dolphins’ ensuing drive alive.

It obviously did not help that Orlando Scandrick and Alan Ball were both having some difficulty covering the Dolphins’ receivers, which led to a field goal that gave the Dolphins a late 4th quarter lead. After this happened, the outcome of the game became dependent on which Tony Romo would decide to show up, the mentally tough-clutch version or the reputed choker.

Luckily, for the Cowboys, Romo made some key throws in the face of pressure to put the Cowboys in field goal range before Dan Bailey made a last second field goal to give the Cowboys a relieving one point win over the Dolphins.

Although the win puts the Cowboys in first place of the NFC East, there is obviously some area of concern such as the aforementioned secondary woes. Terence Newman has not aged quite as well as anyone would have liked, while Scandrick and Ball are both average cornerbacks at best.

A game in which a quarterback such as Matt Moore was able to have a great statistical performance is, without question, something that should only highlight these issues, even in spite of the victory.

Image Courtesy of  https://www.facebook.com/DallasCowboys

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To get shoppers ready for the Holiday season, Beezid has just announced the Ultimate Shopping Weekend. Beezid kicks off three days of monumental savings on Black Friday, November 25th, with risk-free bidding and a 10% price freeze on all items. Sunday, November 27th will feature a 1% price freeze, and on Cyber Monday, November 28th, Beezid will place an unprecedented 500 items up for bid, all of which will feature free shipping.

Beezid is looking to redefine the overly stressful shopping weekend known as Black Friday/Cyber Monday by eliminating some of the less appealing aspects associated to the holiday weekend such as long lineups and hectic shopping schedules due to restrictive store hours.

Where most stores advertise several deals to get shoppers into the store and provide little else in savings, Beezid’s Ultimate Shopping Weekend offers incredibly low prices on every item, along with the convenience of being able to enjoy guaranteed savings from the comfort of their own home.

“This is going to be a monumental weekend with extraordinary savings on fantastic products,” said Max Bohbot, CEO of Beezid. “This is an important shopping weekend, and our members will experience savings far beyond anything that anyone could find anywhere else. This really is the Ultimate Shopping Weekend, and we are looking forward to holding a series of events that will give everyone the opportunity to walk away with excellent products at astounding prices.”

On Friday, November 25th, beginning at 12AM EST, Beezid will offer guaranteed savings of 90-99%. In addition, every bid placed on every auction will be returned to bidders at the end of each auction. The price freeze and risk-free bidding will run until 11:59PM EST of the same day.

After a one-day break, the excitement begins again at 12AM EST on Sunday, November 27th when Beezid’s Zuper Zunday kicks off 24 hours of 1% price freezes on all items. Savings of 99% are guaranteed on every single auction until 11:59PM EST on that same day.

On Cyber Monday, November 28th, Beezid will offer 500 items up for bid to run throughout the day. Free shipping will be included with each auction win. Throughout the weekend, Beezid will be featuring special locks, ensuring that all who participate will be able to enjoy the event, despite their previous lock limits.

BEEZID.com is a top rated penny auction website which offers a thrilling spin on online auction shopping and one of the most frequently visited and most-trusted sites of its kind world-wide. Since its launch in 2009, Beezid.com has become the leading online auction site for consumers to get top products for up to 99% off the retail price daily in a fun, safe and secure online environment.

Users take advantage of huge discounts on brand new, brand name products by forming bidding strategies and by using bonuses and incentives offered by Beezid.

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Shoppers can once again add destinations to the list of goodies, gadgets and other handsomely priced items offered during the Black Friday/Cyber Monday shopping season.  The Omni Hotels & Resorts “Holiday Treat” limited time offer is back for a second year, offering travelers exceptional values on wonderful winter destinations.

From Black Friday through Cyber Monday, rooms across the brand will range from $79 to $119 in favorite Omni destinations such as Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Fort Worth, New York, San Francisco and more. Plus, in honor of the official kick-off to the holiday shopping season, Omni will give away 100 room nights to 100 lucky followers at Facebook.com/OmniHotels.

“It’s no secret that Black Friday through Cyber Monday is the biggest holiday shopping period of the year. We wanted to give savvy travelers and loyal guests an opportunity to get a holiday treat from Omni too,” said Caryn Kboudi, vice president, corporate communications for Omni Hotels & Resorts.

Omni’s “Holiday Treat” package is subject to availability, cannot be combined with other special offers and applies only to packages booked between November 25 and November 28, 2011 for stays through January 31, 2012. Sweepstakes winners will be announced December 9, 2011.

About Omni Hotels & Resorts

Omni Hotels & Resorts creates genuine, authentic guest experiences that take guests on “A Total Departure” to 50 distinct luxury hotels and resorts in leading business gateways and leisure destinations across North America. From exceptional golf and spa retreats to dynamic business settings, each Omni showcases the local flavor of the destination while featuring four-diamond services, signature restaurants, Wi-Fi connectivity and unique wellness options.

Known for its award-winning, personalized service, Omni leaves a lasting impression with every customer interaction, with a heightened level of recognition and rewards delivered through its Select Guest loyalty program and the company’s “Power of One” associate empowerment program. Earlier this year, Omni’s loyalty program was further expanded with the launch of the GHA Discovery loyalty program expanding numerous benefits on a worldwide basis as a member of the Global Hotel Alliance.

The brand is frequently recognized by top consumer research organizations such as Harris Interactive’s most recent EquiTrends report which ranked Omni as the Top Luxury Hotel Brand in 2011.

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Each family has its own Thanksgiving traditions, but one tradition that appears to be universal in many households is the enjoyment of leftovers. Every year, consumers find themselves with extra Thanksgiving food, and it’s no surprise because 50 percent of people prepare too much food with the expectations of having leftovers. For 65 percent of people, those Thanksgiving leftovers last for three or more days.

With that many days eating the same food, consumers are bound to quickly tire their palates. For those looking for something creative yet quick and easy to prepare, Chef George Duran has partnered with ReadySetEat to create five new recipes that turn those Turkey Day leftovers, into left-uppers.

This Thanksgiving, families can enjoy Leftover Turkey and Stuffing Enchiladas, Leftover Turkey Taco Soup, Leftover Turkey Sloppy Joes, Leftover Turkey Frittata and Leftover Turkey Lettuce Wraps. Created for ReadySetEat by George Duran, ConAgra Foods spokesperson, celebrity chef and author of Take This Dish and Twist It, the recipes ensure people don’t get bored with the same turkey sandwich for days on-end after Thanksgiving. Available at ReadySetEat.com, these quick and easy recipes and leftover tips will make a holiday bird taste even better the second time around.

“Getting creative with your Thanksgiving leftovers does not have to be difficult. These new recipes are quick and easy to prepare and will be enjoyed by the whole family,” says Duran. “ReadySetEat.com helps solve the ‘what’s for dinner’ question, and these new ‘left-upper’ recipes offer creative and delicious solutions for using Thanksgiving leftovers.”

Recipes found on ReadySetEat.com offer simple meal ideas made in 30 minutes or less using a maximum of seven ingredients. All recipes use a few common ingredients that most people are likely to have in their kitchen, including many of the ConAgra Food brands that people know and trust. ReadySetEat.com doesn’t just help consumers save time, it also helps save money.

Consumers simply enter their zip code and select their local grocery, and the site shares what products are on sale at their preferred retailer. ConAgra Foods purchases can also help those who will go hungry this holiday season. Every UPC code from a ConAgra Foods product, including Hunt’s Tomatoes, Manwich Original Sloppy Joe Sauce and Peter Pan Peanut Butter used to make some of George Duran’s “left-upper” recipes, can help feed a child in need through ConAgra Foods “Child Hunger Ends Here” campaign.

Throughout the fall, thousands of participating schools are collecting ConAgra Foods UPC codes, and every code collected will enable one meal to be donated to those in need through Feeding America’s network of food banks. Visit www.ChildHungerEndsHere.com to find out if a school near you is participating or to register your school.

Since 1993, ConAgra Foods and the ConAgra Foods Foundation have donated more than $35 million and 260 million pounds of food to fight child hunger.

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During the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday weekend state, county and local police agencies from throughout the Midwest will be stepping up enforcement of seat belt and other traffic safety laws. The Click It or Ticket mobilization will run from November 24th through November 27th.

“Police agencies throughout the Midwest are joining together this Thanksgiving holiday with one simple goal – to get motorists to buckle up, which will save lives on our roadways,” said Michael Witter, Regional Administrator for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. ”We want all motorists to arrive at their destinations safely.

While law enforcement officials will tell you that issuing tickets is never a pleasant experience, having to notify next of kin following a fatal crash is by far a worse scenario,” stated Witter.

In 2009 alone, seat belts saved an estimated 12,713 lives. An additional 3,688 lives could have been saved if seat belts had been worn at the time of the crashes. NHTSA statistics also show that those least likely to buckle up are teens, young adults, males, nighttime riders, motorists traveling on rural roads, and individuals traveling in pickup trucks.

During the 2009 Thanksgiving holiday, 303 passenger vehicle occupants were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes, including 187 during nighttime hours. According to Witter, nighttime is one of the more dangerous times on the road because seat belt use is traditionally lower. ”Wearing a seat belt costs you nothing and may save your life or protect you from a serious, possibly life-altering injury.

Not wearing a seat belt, especially during this Thanksgiving period, will definitely cost you a ticket at the very least, and maybe even your life,” Witter continued. ”In addition to stepped-up seat belt enforcement, police will also be cracking down on impaired drivers and those driving at excessive speeds,” added Witter.

“Anyone caught speeding will be ticketed, and anyone caught driving impaired will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Witter concluded. State Police from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, and Ohio are participating in the holiday mobilization.

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At Thanksgiving Day feasts across the country, families pause to reflect on the many things they are thankful for, and for millions of people that includes their pets. This year, Nestle Purina PetCare is looking at this holiday tradition in a different way — from the pet’s point of view.

Beginning on Thanksgiving Day, pet lovers are invited to visit the Petcentric by Purina Facebook page and share what their pet is thankful for. Stories of gratitude will be accepted until Nov. 27, and for each “like” of the Petcentric Facebook page Purina will give thanks to pet rescue shelters by donating $1, up to $50,000, to Adopt-a-Pet.com. Adopt-a-Pet.com is the largest non-profit homeless pet adoption website in North America.

“Pet lovers show their appreciation for their pets every day, and on this special day of thanks we’d like to know what they think their pets are thankful for,” said Danielle Behan, senior brand manager, Purina brand. ”This is a fun way to engage pet lovers and to support a great organization, Adopt-a-Pet.com, in its mission of finding forever homes for pets.”

The program will be highlighted during the National Dog Show Presented by Purina, which is scheduled to air at noon (local time in all time zones) on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 24, on NBC, following the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Actor and National Dog Show co-host John O’Hurley will appear in a video during the telecast that features his four-legged friend Tater Tot and explores what the pup is thankful for at Thanksgiving.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the National Dog Show Presented by Purina. NBC launched the two-hour special in 2002 and it became an immediate hit with viewers, more than quadrupling TV ratings for that time slot from previous years. Nearly 20 million people tune into the show each year, making it a genuine family holiday tradition and America’s most widely viewed dog show. Some 2,000 of the nation’s top dogs encompassing more than 160 breeds will compete for “Best in Show” this year.

The Petcentric Facebook page is an online community where pet lovers get together every day to share their love for their dogs and cats.

Adopt-a-Pet.com has more than 1.7 million unique site visitors each month and assists more than 11,000 animal shelters and humane societies find homes for their pets.

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Family Dollar, one of the fastest-growing discount retail chains in the country, has customers covered with their one-stop shop for all gifting and holiday entertaining must-haves. Family Dollar captures the 2011 holiday season with fun, yet functional gifts, entertaining solutions and hot deals for any family.

With Thanksgiving days away, Family Dollar has advertised great discounts and savings to make this year’s celebration as plentiful as possible. Stores across the country will be offering great values on home decor, holiday meal solutions, and party supplies that will help everyone, no matter what the budget, enjoy a festive and affordable holiday. Starting Thanksgiving Day, shoppers can buy one, get one sixty percent off on all holiday decor and toys. These sizzling discounts will continue Friday and Saturday, November 25th-26th on all family sleepwear and winter apparel including an assortment of gloves, hats, and scarf sets to keep the family warm this winter. Extended store hours during the holiday will give customers more time to shop, with Family Dollar opening its doors from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Wednesday, November 23 and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.

Family Dollar also offers a variety of popular toys and value-priced gifts to make the holidays special, yet affordable for every family. In addition to the retailer’s huge annual $5 toys and gifts promotion, this year Family Dollar is offering a ten percent discount off every $100 spent on toys. For more great savings, their websites www.familydollar.com is featuring a variety of easy meal solutions and coupons for over $15 in savings on kitchen appliances and baking supplies.

“With our focus on value and a full assortment of name brands and quality private brands, customers should kickoff their holiday shopping at Family Dollar,” said Howard Levine, Chairman and CEO of Family Dollar. “Being a compelling place to shop means that our customers will find what they need at great prices before having to brave the crowds at other retailers this holiday season.”

Family Dollar’s $5 Toys and Gifts will be available in all 7,000 stores in 45 states across the country, and featured in the retailer’s Christmas Toy Book to be distributed nationally starting this November.

For more than 50 years, Family Dollar has been providing value and convenience to customers in easy-to-shop neighborhood locations. Family Dollar’s mix of name brands, and quality, private brand merchandise, appeals to shoppers in more than 7,000 stores in rural and urban settings across 45 states.  Helping families save on the items they need with everyday low prices creates a strong bond with customers who refer to their neighborhood store as “my Family Dollar.”

For more information on Family Dollar’s Holiday offerings please visit www.familydollar.com or check us out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/familydollar or Twitter at @myfamilydollar.

Kenishirotie / Shutterstock

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While celebrating the end of harvest season is a tradition that can be traced back for centuries, modern-day twists on the custom have evolved since the 1621 Plymouth Colony fall feast. Just as pilgrims rejoiced in their first good harvest, Americans today have found meaningful ways to honor the bounty, and express gratitude:

• Give #foodthanks. Farmers long ago traded in their oxen for tractors and other technologies to raise nutritious, great-tasting food. This year, a group of farmers and ranchers is cultivating a social media campaign to initiate meaningful conversations about food with Americans on Twitter, Facebook, blogs and beyond, says Kansas farmer Darin Grimm of the AgChat Foundation.”For farmers on the go, social media is a great way to connect with consumers,” he says. “We’re hoping to see everyone from chefs to foodies to farmers using the #foodthanks hashtag.” Check out www.foodthanks.com, then tweet what you eat, using the #foodthanks hashtag, now throughThanksgiving.

• Plan your meal with an app. New recipe and meal-planning applications are a bounty in their own right. Try the Thanksgiving Menu Maker from Fine Cooking, which allows you to “tap your way to a customized holiday menu,” offering more than 75 of the magazine’s all-time favorite Thanksgiving recipes, along with a shopping list and schedule.

• Preserve the flavors of fall. Early American settlers would salivate over modern-day canning equipment. Once dismissed as a bygone art, canning has attracted a growing number of enthusiasts in recent years, according to the National Center for Home Food Preservation, which provides tips on canning, pickling, freezing and more. To really make a food statement, create your own labels at www.myownlabels.com.

• Host your own tasting party. The holiday table inspires us to create treasured traditions at home, including exploring new foods in the company of friends and family. Home entertaining expert Domenica Marchetti suggests a trend-worthy twist on the wine and cheese tasting party. The author of Big Night In (Chronicle Books, 2008) says, “Embrace the season’s bounty and host an apple tasting party!”

• Share in the bounty. Thanksgiving is a great time to talk with your family about helping others in need, whether it’s a family down the street or a hungry child on the other side of the world. Charitable organizations like Farmers Feeding the World and Heifer International believe that giving families a source of food, rather than short-term relief, is a more sustainable way to lift them out of poverty and hunger.

A group of farmers created the AgChat Foundation after connecting through the now highly visible “#AgChat” community on Twitter, a weekly moderated chat where agriculturists discuss various issues, tell their farm stories and identify ways to connect with people outside of agriculture.

The Foundation strives to educate and equip “agvocates” with the skill set needed to engage on Twitter, Facebook, blogs, YouTube, LinkedIn and other social media services, giving them the knowledge to unlock new tools to effectively tell their story.

For more information, visit www.agchat.org.

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