To help Americans kick off a healthy holiday season, Gold's Gym, located at 650 S. Bay Rd  Dover, De 19901, is turning Black Friday into “Trim the Fat Friday.” On Nov. 28 and continuing throughout Thanksgiving day weekend, the nation’s leading fitness authority is opening its doors to the public, free-of-charge, in an effort to help Dover residents burn off calories from their Thanksgiving feasts. Gold's Gym trainers and nutrition experts will be on-hand to offer guests and media, tips and advice. Studies have shown that the average Thanksgiving feast contains 3,000 calories and 229 grams of fat – the meal’s fat content alone is equivalent to eating 3 sticks of butter! (Source: The American Council of Exercise).

Thanksgiving dinner marks the beginning of the notorious “holiday weight gain” season. According to Gold's Gym nutritionists, Americans will need to do more than just shop on Black Friday to burn off all their holiday feasting (the average 150 pound person burns approximately 325 calories in 90 minutes of shopping). In order to help Americans get "un-stuffed" after Thanksgiving and keep off the holiday pounds, Gold's is offering this free weekend of fitness - encouraging Americans to make exercise a priority so they can stay fit and healthy during this busy time of year.

All adults, age 18 and older, are welcome to visit the Dover,De Gold's Gym club for a free weekend of fitness.

For those who can’t make it into the gym in person, the Gold’s Gym Fitness Institute is offering these free fitness tips to help keep consumers stay trim this holiday season:

Go Ahead and Snack! Eat a low-fat snack before you load your plate for dinner or head out to a holiday party.  If you are extremely hungry right before your meal, you’ll tend to overeat and indulge in high-fat foods you may otherwise not.

Get Moving - It's Not Too Late. Even if you haven’t been on a consistent fitness regimen, it’s not too late to start small.  Start by adding 20 minutes of cardiovascular activity to your normal weekly routine about 3 times a week.  A brisk walk, a 20 minute trek on a stationary bike…anything that will get your heart rate up and burn calories will work.  This will increase your energy level and resting metabolic rate, which will burn off more calories while you’re resting and make you less likely to binge on those tempting holiday cakes and cookies.

Step It Up! If you’re already in a consistent fitness routine, step your normal routine up a notch and you’ll be able to indulge without the guilt! Try adding an additional 20-minute strength training routine to your normal workout or an extra 15 minutes to your typical cardio regime.  You may also want to try adding an additional day to your routine with a group exercise class like group cycling or yoga.

Do Your Chores. Shoveling snow, working in the garden, raking leaves, sweeping the floor...these kinds of activities may not be 'vigorous' exercise, but they can keep you moving while getting your house in order before your guests arrive.

Choose Your Turkey Wisely. The next time somebody asks you if you would like white meat or dark meat, know how to make the wise calorie saving choice.  White meat has 24 grams of protein per 3-ounce serving and half as much fat as dark meat.  And a simple tip for reducing your calorie intake even more is to leave the skin behind. 

Keep Your Eye On The Pie. You don't have to pass on your slice of pie, but be wise about your choice.  Go for the pumpkin pie, which has less calories than pecan pie