Everyone looks forward to this holiday for the delicious food and drinks. However, you shouldn’t ditch your training routine. In fact, it should be an even bigger priority. Working out will help you burn any excess calories consumed at Thanksgiving dinner. The following exercises are perfect for beginners.
Start wogging. This popular walk-jog style reduces your injury risk while slowly helping your body adapt to running. Your cardiovascular and respiratory systems, muscles, joints, connective tissue, and diaphragm all need to adapt to the demands of running. A good starting place is to walk for 5-10 minutes and then alternate 30 seconds of running with 3-4 minutes of walking. As you get more comfortable, you can increase your running segments and decrease your walking segments.
Try a full-body circuit. This will energize your muscles and ramp up your calorie burn. During a circuit, you perform each designated exercise in order, with little to no rest between moves. If needed, rest 30 to 60 seconds between circuits. Focus on exercises that require compound movements that engage all muscle groups (lunges, squats, deadlifts, burpees, jumping jacks). Bonus: You can do all these exercises in the comfort of your home using our InterActive Exercise Activator.
Add more movement. Climb the stairs instead of taking the elevator. Walk instead of driving when possible. Stretch when you wake up each day. Or just play with your kids.
Do the right things. Some exercises are more effective for burning fat than others. If you're a newbie, try wall sits, triceps chair dips, hip flexor stretches, and side lunges. Do three exercises for your upper body and another three for your legs and glutes. Aim for three to four sets of 12 repetitions each. For a more challenging workout, do crunches and sit-ups between sets.
Need to improve your push-up technique or looking for more cardio exercises? Log on to the Signature Patient Website and check out hundreds of exercises, including pictures and videos. Not a Medi-Weightloss® patient? Click here to find a location near you.