Turkey Day is in two days. I’ve got my sweat pants on, but not for feast, for fitness! Don’t get me wrong, I’m going to enjoy all of my holiday favorites piled on one plate; however, after years of being incapacitated from stuffing our faces, my family and I decided to make something else a Thanksgiving tradition. Exercise! So now, after eating our big meal, we all bundle up and take a group walk around the neighborhood. Not only do our tummies feel better, but we get some extra quality time together. And it’s nice to have a sense of community helping you reach for the same goal: to be healthy and happy.
But baby, it’s too cold outside. If you don’t want to bundle up and get your cardio in through your usual walk, run, or bike laps outdoors, there are plenty of other options to get that much needed holiday exercise.
- Go back to school.
Think gym class. Body weight movements are a classic for a reason. They create lean muscle mass by combining strength training and cardio. Pushups, jumping jacks, mountain climbers, squats, lunges, burpees, crunches and wall sits are all good go-to bodyweight exercises. The best part? You can literally do them anywhere.
- Make a home gym.
If you are looking to invest just a little bit, you can easily expand your workouts by purchasing some light home gym equipment. Dumbbells can be relatively inexpensive, or you can amp up your training with kettlebells or a TRX system (suspension training). These are for strength training you say? Not exclusively! By doing high rep, low weight, and short rests, you will feel that cardio burn in no time.
- Get creative.
You can be as inventive as your surroundings allow. I have stairs in my home, which has led to many a sweat-induced session. I have friends that do baby-friendly workouts from the comfort of their living room. I’ve even stacked some heavy books in my lap while doing wall sits. The benefit of this is that the creativity allows for versatility and originality. If you are like me and get bored with doing the same workout day after day, the winter months are a good chance to add some spice into your bland workout routines.
- The ol’ standby.
A gym is a gym for a reason. It’s got treadmills, bikes, ellipticals, and all the weight equipment you need. More importantly, it’s heated! But if you find yourself unmotivated to trod the treadmill, don’t be afraid to mix it up. Join a class, try kickboxing, or a gym with a heated pool. I recently discovered a new favorite cardio machine called Jacob’s Ladder. It seems so simple, yet three minutes on that thing and I was sweat city.
Winter months can wreak havoc on our motivation. Though hibernation is a tempting proposition, let’s show Jack Frost that this turkey can trot. So warm those bones with some cold weather cardio!
By: Libby Young