The pumpkin pie, the gravy, mashed potatoes, the turkey---they all scream Thanksgiving. No matter where anyone is, this time of year brings feelings of goodness and togetherness. However, the day after often times leaves folks feeling upset about the overeating they had done the previous night. In order to prevent food-guilt, take a look at a few simple and subtle tips to make your Thanksgiving more enjoyable.

1. Use The Hunger Scale:

Meaning, before you pile your plate up with heaps of mashed potatoes and corn bread assess how hungry you actually are. If your stomach is burning and you feel like you’re about to pass out, chances are your blood sugar is low and you’re actually hungry. Don’t wait to eat until dinner time, make sure you snack during the day so you don’t binge on all of the Thanksgiving goodies.

2. Chew More:

It might sound odd, but by chewing your foods more it might not only help you to overeat, but can also help with weight loss. This theory was actually quantified in a 2011 study by Chinese researchers. Reported by NBC in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, if a person chewed their food 40 times per bite, they had lower levels of ghrelin, the hunger hormone produced in the stomach.

3. Choose Your Battles:

If your Aunt Mary is going to be upset because you didn’t want to eat her famous homemade apple pie, go ahead and eat it. But portion control is key, and this way you’ll be able to enjoy a little bit of everything on the table without regretting it the next day. It sounds obvious, but many people aren’t even aware of how much they are eating or how big one portion is supposed to be. "When it comes to portion control, you can count on your brain not being very interested and your body not being very well calibrated," said Cornell University food psychologist Brian Wansink, Ph.D. to CNN, “We often overeat in 100-or 200-calorie increments, which over time adds up to a weight gain that seems like a mystery to the eater.”

4. Cook Your Own Dish:

If you’re attending someone else’s Thanksgiving dinner, ask the host if you can bring something. This way you can control the ingredients and prepare something healthy and tasty that everyone can enjoy—and you’ll look like a gracious guest by bringing something to share with everyone else.

5. Drink Up:

We’re not talking about wine, beer or throwing back a few martinis, but water. People tend to overeat when they’re thirsty, not hungry. Drinking a glass of water twenty minutes before you sit down to have a meal can reduce the amount of calories you consume during the meal.

6. Go For The Greens:

Choose more vegetable side dishes and try to stay away from the breads. By focusing your side dishes on the greener options, you’re more likely to fill up on them versus foods that might be high in calories or carbohydrates.

Besides following these tips, the most important thing you can do is enjoy this day with laughter, food and family. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!