Dear Dr. Garner,
I am feeling frustrated, I really enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner, but think I overdid it. I have gained four pounds since Thanksgiving, and every time I start to exercise, I do a little bit and then become frustrated as I start feeling pain the next day. Do you have any suggestions or magic solutions?

Exercise Phobia in Flatbush

Dear Exercise Phobic,

I was just talking about this issue with my good friend of “Ask the Doctor” on The Prayer Channel, Jon Kelley.

Your experience is similar to millions of Americans. The average person eats a meal containing 4,000 calories and 250 grams of fat on Thanksgiving. To immediately remove the calories newly acquired, one would have to run four hours, swim five miles or walk 30 miles. I am sure that very few will opt for these solutions. The good news is that, with a little planning, these extreme options are not necessary. As Christmas is fast approaching and the same gastronomic events will occur, now is a good time to set a plan in motion.

The first thing is to accept that it is OK to indulge on special days, as long as it does not become a habit. While it is good to eat more veggies, and low fat foods, the truth is that most people will not do this on special days like Christmas, so we have to accept reality.

The main ally that we have is exercise. The good news is that the saying “No pain, no gain” is not always true.

Studies show, that with moderate exercise, the same health benefits one receives from vigorous exercise can be obtained. The key is to do it on a regular basis. Vigorous exercise is the kind that makes you short of breath and sweat a lot.

Moderate exercise refers to things such as brisk walking, house cleaning, gardening, and walking up the stairs. These are things we do every day. The magic number seems to be 30 minutes a day, five-to-seven days a week.

People need to exercise (including daily activities) for about 125 minutes a week. For most people, vigorous exercise is daunting. Moderate exercise is much more appealing and accessible. With regular exercise, improvement in risk factors, such as high cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar can be attained.

While not discouraging anyone from doing vigorous exercise, as it definitely does have proven benefits, the ideas in this column are for those who have tried and tried but cannot do this vigorous exercise on a regular basis.

For the 4,000 calories added on at Thanksgiving, one has to do about 15 extra minutes a day of moderate exercise for a week to remove the effects of the meal. This sounds much better than running four hours.

A study released last week, showed that people who use a simple $10 device known as a pedometer, tend to walk about an extra mile a day, and reduce their blood pressure and stroke risk by as much as 50%. The pedometer measures the number of steps one takes in a day. Keeping a log of the steps motivates people to walk more.

Another study released last week shows that Americans are exercising more than ever. Almost 50% of Americans are doing regular moderate exercise. The group doing the best is college graduates. Those without a high school diploma exercised the least. I believe the increase in exercising is related to the fact that people realize that exercise does not have to be the traditional type of running around a track or weight lifting. Everyday activities count.

What I suggest to you is to eat very slowly, chew the food well, and cut down on the size of the portions you eat on Christmas. Eat everything, but just in smaller amounts. This way you will not feel deprived and will intake fewer calories. I also suggest that the week before the big meal, you do an extra 15 minutes of exercise a day (on top of the 30 minutes you should be doing each day). This will lessen the effect of the food. Continue this pattern for another week after the meal.

The bottom line is — it is not necessary to go to extreme lengths to exercise to obtain physical benefits. Moderate exercise, including everyday activities, can achieve the same results, in a much more palatable way.

Enjoy yourself on the holidays and with a little bit of planning you can truly have your cake and eat it.

Next week we will hear from a reader who wants to know about ways to lower her cholesterol. Until then have a great week and be well.

Dr. Steven Garner, MD, is a Fidelis Care provider who is affiliated with New York Methodist Hospital, Park Slope. He also hosts “Ask the Doctor,” the popular call-in cable TV show seen on The Prayer Channel.