It’s that time of year again (I can’t believe it!) and we are kicking it off with Thanksgiving this week, which is my personal favorite. It’s about spending time with the people we love and reflecting on what we are thankful for. In this crazy busy world, we often forget all the things and amazing people we have in our lives so this week let’s be thankful for what we have. If you haven’t already, get a notebook and write down 10 things you are grateful for. I did this at the beginning of the month in my planner so I can look at it often as a reminder. 

Thanksgiving also brings A LOT of food and drink temptations which can be hard for those of us who are health conscious and working towards fitness goals. BUT you can enjoy it without completely derailing your progress. I’m here to help with some tips and of course a workout to help burn off all those goodies!

Thanksgiving Workout & Tips

1. Limit Appetizers & Drinks. If you go into Thanksgiving super hungry, those appetizers are VERY appealing but keep in mind you have a BIG dinner ahead so pick one appetizer (go for one with veggies!) to nibble on and save up for the good stuff. As far as drinks, I’m all about enjoying a nice glass of wine but I usually limit it to 1-2 glasses because I know I need to leave room for dessert! I’m all about balance.
2. Go for the Greens. Fill your plate with mostly veggies and turkey and leave some room for those extra side dishes we all love.
3. Pick 2 of your favorite side dishes (other than veggies). Usually, there are a lot of options to choose from but we don’t need to eat them ALL at once. Pick your favorites and enjoy every bite!
4. Eat Slowly. It’s not a race to see who can finish the turkey first. Sit, relax, and enjoy the people you are with…that’s what it’s all about!
5. Before you go back for seconds or thirds, think leftovers. You don’t need to overeat the foods you love or feel you need to have everything because let’s be honest, there are ALWAYS leftovers!
6. Keep it moving! There are a ton of 5K Thanksgiving races you can sign up for and most gyms are usually open in the morning and offer classes. If those don’t appeal to you, I have you covered with my Thanksgiving workout you can do anywhere and get your whole family to join you! Check it out below.

Before you begin the workout, warm up with about 2 minutes of jumping jacks to get your heart pumping and your body ready for all the fun exercises you will do to celebrate this holiday! As always, modify anything that you need to by….

• Stepping out instead of jumping out into plank position for the burpees & pop jacks (which are like a burpee except you stay low in a squat position instead of standing up and jumping after jumping in from your plank)
• Holding a plank on your knees instead of toes (keep your back flat)
• Pushups on your knees
• Taking out the Plie jump and just doing full Plie squats
• Stepping instead of jumping for high knees

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family and friends! As always, if you need help in your fitness journey, please reach out to me anytime. I’m happy to spread my love of fitness!