We all want to enjoy our holiday favorites without overeating to the point of feeling uncomfortable.

Here's advice from gastroenterologists Kenneth Schoenig and Stephen Matter and registered dietitian Kim McClintic:

Eat more, smaller meals

Eating three smaller meals and three snacks a day is better for you than eating one to three huge meals a day.

First, it satisfies your hunger and keeps your blood sugar regulated. You're not starving and craving food.

Second, it's easier on your stomach and digestive system to feed them several smaller portions rather than fewer but large amounts of food.

Third, smaller meals keep your energy up.

Every three to four hours, have a meal or a snack, McClintic advised. A meal may be the equivalent of two cups of food. A snack may be one cup of food.

If you want more, don't worry, she said. You'll be eating again in three to four hours.

This advice works for Thanksgiving and other holiday meal days as well as typical days. If we're not starving before the Thanksgiving feast and if we know that we'll be eating again three to four hours after the meal, we'll be less likely to overeat.

Watch the drinks and appetizers

Alcoholic drinks and appetizers can encourage overeating at the meal that follows. Limit yourself to a drink and limit the appetizers. Include the drink and appetizers as you consider how much you're eating during the meal.

Consider the stomach

Your stomach can hold about a liter or quart's worth of food before feeling full. That's about four cups. Don't put more than that on your plate.

Eat slowly

Once again, mom was right. Eat slowly. Enjoy your food.

Chewing your food well will make it easier for the stomach to digest it, McClintic said. Because it takes 20 minutes for the stomach to send the "I'm full" message to the brain, eating slowly will mean that you'll be more likely to get that message before overeating.

Go for a walk

After the meal is done and the dishes are cleared, go for a leisurely family walk. It will help you digest your food and will be a better opportunity to enjoy family conversation than falling asleep on the couch.