Enjoy spending time with your family this Thanksgiving weekend and make it an active one.
Go for a long hike. Get some fresh air while you can. If the weather is not cooperating, play Nintendo Wii together. The bowling game is fun and active across all generations. Or break out some of the exercise videos you have and have fun together exercising. Have a contest amongst the young ones who can do the most push ups, who can hold the plank the longest and who can stay in a wall sit the longest. Not to mention the crunches contest. How many ab crunches can you do? If you have a prize you’ll have better participation with the kids.
When the weather is good go outside and play tag, hide and seek, or other active games with the kids. If there is already snow, then get the sleds out and go sledding or snow shoeing, even skiing. Just do activities together.
Okay, running around is not for you. Then when you are wrapping those presents you bought on “Black Friday” after every present you wrap, stop and do 5 lunges or squats.
If you’re writing holiday cards, after writing 5 cards, get up and do 10 bicep curls with a heavy can of soup. If you’re making the holiday cookies, when the cookies are in the oven do 10 push ups on the counter.
I know you’re going to eat the leftovers from yesterday’s turkey dinner. Practice portion control today, especially if you did not on Thanksgiving.
Holly Kouvo is a certified Personal Trainer, Nutrition Specialist, speaker and writer who specializes in helping people lose hundreds of pounds. Learn more at www.FittingFitnessIn.com.