The needle on my scale is already getting jumpy ... Must mean it's just about Thanksgiving time.

If you ask me, it's a day to splurge on foods you only get once a year. (Of course, I'm no certified dietitian; I just play one on this blog.)

But there's a fine line between splurging and stuffed. And if you don't want to spend the rest of Thanksgiving day in mashed-potato stupor (hey, that may be my new band name: Mashed-Potato Stupor and the Super Tubers), here's some advice from Weight Watchers:

-- Don't starve yourself before the big meal. Have a light snack with a little protein (some yogurt or a small bagel with hummus) so you're not ready to eat everything in sight.

-- Try to fill half your plate with vegetables (veggies drowned in butter and cream do NOT count). Save the other half for meat and starches.

-- Get off the couch and go for a walk, either before or after dinner.

-- Remember Thanksgiving dinner is just that: Dinner. One meal. It doesn't give you an excuse to eat yourself silly all weekend long.

-- Send leftovers home with your guests to cut down on temptation.

Great tips! It certainly is important to control yourself on Thanksgiving, as for many people that meal / day can lead into the entire next month. The average American gains 10 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Years. It doesn't have to be that way.

Eating "infrequent" large meals can actually be beneficial for your weight control efforts, keeping Leptin and other important hormone levels at bay.