The average American consumes 3,000 calories during Thanksgiving dinner, according to ACE Fitness. Add in the appetizers and other meals throughout the day and you’re looking at a caloric intake that’s about 4,500 to 5,000 calories. In one day you’ve gained 1 to 2 pounds—3,500 calories equals 1 pound of fat, according to the American Society for Nutrition. And don’t forget about all the left overs; that’s just screaming more calories.
Thanksgiving, and the holiday season, seems like a weight-gain trap. Instead of depriving yourself from the delicious meal, boost your metabolism to burn fat and calories.
This workout focuses on bodyweight exercises, so you can take this routine anywhere. You’ll move in all planes of motion. Plus, there are modifications for all fitness levels. You’ll target your endurance muscles, so avoid long breaks and keep the tempo up.
Have a question about any of the following moves? Contact Michael for more information. Photos by Rachel PogrowWarm-Up
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With any workout, make sure you always warm up. Your warm-up includes: - Walk-outs with a push (5 times) - Hip Flexor Stretches - Squats (20 times) - Side Lunges (8 times each side)
Walk-Outs With a Push-Up: 5 Times
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Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, reach for your toes with a flat back, touch your palms to the ground, and walk your hands out in front of you until you're in a plank position. Do a slow push-up, lowering your chest all the way to the ground, and raise yourself back to a plank position. From there, walk your hands back to your toes and raise yourself up to standing. Modification: Instead of a push-up, hold the plank for five seconds.
Hip-Flexor Stretch: 30 seconds each side
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Lower yourself to one knee. Maintaining a straight line from your shoulder, hip and knee, lean back. Don't force this stretch; the hip flexors are usually very tight and can actually be overstretched if not careful.
Squats: 20 times
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One of the most basic, yet incredibly important exercises, the squat is the root of many other more complex movements. The best way to perform this move is to act like you're sitting in a chair. The minimum range of motion is 90 degrees; but if you can safely go lower than that, go for it. Make sure feet are hip-width apart and your knees don't go over your ankles. Do 20 reps.
Side Lunges: 8 times each side
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Start with your feet hip-width apart and step your right leg out directly to the side as far as you can. Keeping your trail leg straight, bend and lean over your right leg, with your chest up and your hands outstretched for balance. Bring your right foot back to under your hips and repeat the movement on the other leg. Do 10 on each side.
Super Sets
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Your workout routine: - T-Push-ups (3 times each side) - Reaching Sit-ups (20 times) - Squat Jumps (12 times) Do three rounds and then rest for one minute. - Plank-ups (12 times) - Leg Lifts (12 times) - Shuffles (10 times each side) Do three rounds and then rest for one minute. - Mountain Climbers (16 times) - Bicycle Crunches (20 times) - Shoulder Taps (20 times) Do three rounds and rest for one minute. - Burpee, Shoulder Tap, T-Pushup (both sides), Tuck Jump (10 times)
T-Push-Ups: 3 times each side
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Start in a high-plank position, on your hands, which are directly under your shoulders. Begin to lower yourself down until your chest touches the floor. Then push yourself up. At the top of the push-up, lift one hand off the ground and reach for the ceiling while supporting your weight on the hand that's still on the floor. Then return to plank position and lower yourself down again. Once back in a push-up position, lift the other arm up to the ceiling. Modification: If you can't do a traditional push-up. Place your knees on the ground to lower and push up. Once up, stay on all fours and lift one arm toward the ceiling. Then repeat the move.
Reaching Sit-Ups: 12 times
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Lay down on your back with your legs flat, feet together and toes pointed towards the ceiling. Raise your hands up above your head. While you raise your upper body off the floor, keep your arms reaching for the ceiling and lead with your chest until your upper body is at a right angle with your legs.
Squat Jumps: 12 times
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Same as the squat, but right when you reach the lowest point, push yourself off the floor with your legs as fast as you can. While in the air, keep your legs shoulder-width apart and land as softly as possible. Once you land, go directly back into your squat and explode off the ground.
Plank-Ups: 12 times
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Start in high-plank position. Maintaining a neutral spine, don't arch your back or lower your head, slowly lower yourself onto your elbows one at a time. Try best to keep your hips squared to the ground and your elbows directly under your shoulders. To get back up, replace your elbows with your hands and return to the starting position. Advanced Move: If you're feeling up for it, instead of alternating one hand and then the other, explode off the ground from both elbows and land on both hands.
Leg Lifts: 12 times
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Lie flat on your back with your feet a few inches off the ground. Place your hands under your lower back, palms face down, for support. Keeping your legs straight, lift them up to a 90-degree angle. Then slowly lower down to the beginning position. Then repeat. Do not let your lower back arch off the floor. Keep it connected to the ground as much as possible. Think bellybutton to the floor, and this should help you maintain the proper curvature. Advanced Move: To make this exercise more difficult, take your hands out from under your back or place them behind your head. It's very important to keep your lower back pressed into the ground. If you start to feel discomfort or even pain, adjust your back so that it's touching the ground, or rethink your difficulty level. Take It Up a Notch: Add a little more to this move. When your feet reach the peak, bend your legs slightly and thrust your hips up off the ground. You can also focus on your obliques by corkscrewing your feet at the top of the thrust and twisting at the hips.
Shuffles: 10 times each side
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This is a good agility drill. Sit in a half squat, ready position, and quickly move two steps to the right. Touch the ground with your left hand while keeping your chest up. Shuffle two steps to the left and touch the ground with your right hand.
Mountain Climbers: 16 times
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Get into a push-up position. Once you're in a solid plank, lift one foot off the ground and bring that knee up to your chest. Return the foot to plank position and do the same thing on the other leg. Establish a comfortable rhythm, just like you're running. Each step is considered a rep.
Bicycle Crunches: 20 times
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Lay down flat on your back, with your hands behind your head. As you lift your chest off the ground, bring one knee up to touch the opposite elbow. Then alternate with the other knee and opposite elbow. Just like mountain climbers, get a rhythm going between each crunch. One elbow to knee is one rep.
Shoulder Taps: 20 times
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Begin in a high-plank position. Lift one hand off the ground to touch the opposite shoulder. Make sure your hips are squared and don't sway side to side as you perform this move. If you find your hips swaying, move your feet apart a little more. Use your core to stabilize movement. One tap is one rep.
Burpee, T-Push-Up, Shoulder Taps, Tuck Jump
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This move reinforces every exercise that you've done throughout the workout. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Squat down and reach your hands to the floor. Thrust your legs back, make sure your hands are under your shoulders, and land in a high-plank position. Do two T-Push-ups followed by your shoulder taps. Then, jump your feet forward so that you land outside of your hands with your heels hitting the ground first. It's OK to make some noise with this jump forward. Before standing up, look forward so that you're in a squat position and then, just like in a squat jump, explode off the ground and tuck your knees to your chest. Try and hug your knees with your hands while you're at the top of your jump. Land softly and repeat. Do 10 times. Modifications: Because this burpee version is pretty intense, modifications can help you complete all your reps. Leave out any part of it if you don't feel comfortable doing, and add it in when you're ready. Do a regular push-up instead of a "T". Or do a regular squat jump instead of a tuck.
Rest and Repeat
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Rest for three minutes and then repeat. Go for as many rounds as you can. Beginners: 1 Not Bad: 2 Rockstar: 3 Beast: 4 How many rounds can you do?
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