An average person will eat a whopping 4,500 calories on Thanksgiving day, so spending just a half hour of brisk walking can burn up to 260 calories. You can do this by taking a walk with your relatives between courses (all the ladies in my family do this while the men grab plates for seconds), or get the whole group together for a game of flag football or backyard baseball. If you want to spend some time alone during your workout, try the following workout anytime, anywhere:
Turkey Burn
Warm up:
50 jumping jacks
30 seconds high knees
30 seconds butt kicks
Workout: go through the following set 3 times
10 push-ups
20 crunches
10 burpees
15 body weight squats
15 forward lunges
15 side lunges
20 Russian twists
1-minute plank hold
In preparation for Thanksgiving, if you know you’ll be indulging in all the tasty foods, you can eat lighter a day or two leading up or afterwards. In addition to eating light, staying active throughout the holiday break by going on a hike or nature walk, bowling with high school friends, or taking your little siblings roller-skating, can help counter those calories.
It’s a great idea to get moving during the rest of the seasonal break. If you’re more inclined to participate in Black Friday, head to your favorite store and shop ‘til you drop! Shopping can actually burn anywhere around 160 calories per hour, so a day at the mall can also stand as a great workout. (Tip: window-shopping actually burns more calories since it involves more walking and going into stores you know you won’t buy from; plus, it’ll save you money!)
All of these activities can help you stay healthy and prevent feeling sluggish and sleepy after consuming so many calories on this guilt-free holiday. Another bonus is that they bring the family together. So dive into that stuffing and motivate your family to join you on a post-appetizer stroll!