For Americans, it's nearly Thanksgiving [We Canadians, celebrate our Thanksgiving in October] and people throughout America are digging out their fat pants. After all, when you're presented with turkey, bread, potatoes, butter-drenched veggies and two or three pies, you don't have much choice but to eat until you're stuffed.

Or do you.

Studies have shown that when presented with a wide variety of foods, your brain has trouble determining satiety -- telling your body to stop eating, you've had enough. In fact, your novelty-seeking cerebellum is eager to sample all that sensory input. This is how the average American consumes 4,500 calories in one Thanksgiving Smorgasbord.

This year, prepare for the "should I or shouldn't I moment" (for me, it's pie #3) by having some fresh green tea on hand. Brew up a cup, or a pot if you have to, and take a break to sip. A study published in Nutrition Journal found that people who drank ten ounces of green tea after a meal felt significantly more satisfied and full, and were more likely to say they'd had enough, than those who drank water. Compare that to diet soda, which will only make you fatter.

You'll need:

--A teapot and cups

--Fresh, loose leaf green tea - a large pinch for each person, or one tablespoon per 16 ounces of water

-- A strainer (optional)

Bring water to a boil and pour it into your teapot. Let it sit briefly, then fill each of the cups with water. Empty the pot. This process warms the pot and the cups, and precisely measures the amount of water needed.

Let the water cool, checking the temperature if you have a thermometer. It should be between 180 and 190 degrees F. Meanwhile, add the tea to the empty pot.

When the water is cool, pour it back into the pot. Let it brew for at least two minutes, not more than three. Pour the tea back into the cups, using a strainer if you prefer not to have leaves in your cup.

Internet site rerference: http://www.organicauthority.com/health/green-tea-stops-over-eating.html