If an all-you-can-eat pancake dinner is on your menu for Fat Tuesday, you may already have decided to put your diet on hold for the day. But if you're willing to make a few concessions, you can have your pancake and eat it too.

An average four-inch pancake is about 80 calories, so a typical stack of flapjacks would be about 320 calories. Not bad... until you add butter and syrup. According to Julie Paul, registered dietitian with WakeMed's Children's Diabetes program, cutting back on the high fat, high sugar toppings can lessen the calorie load.

When making pancakes at home, Paul suggests upping the fiber content of your pancakes by using whole wheat flour. And topping the pancakes with fresh berries, yogurt or reduced fat cream cheese may offer a satisfying alternative to traditional, but sugar-laden extras.