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Thanksgiving is on the rise. With the Fall season in full swing, and my favorite holiday out of the way, it’s time to make room for the second day out of the entire year that I look to the most simply because of the food. That’s right folks, it’s time to make room for Thanksgiving!
Man, oh man I love me some Thanksgiving dinner! The mashed potatoes, cornbread (my favorite!), green beans, greens made with jalapeno peppers, mac and cheese, and of course the Turkey (Cajun flavor). My mouth is watering already.
Thanksgiving is usually the holiday where we all give ourselves a pass on eating healthy or at least being health conscious about what we are putting into our bodies. I don’t know about you, but it most certainly is the one holiday where I allow myself to slack off on working out! It’s not because I get lazy or anything like that, but mainly because I want to enjoy the holiday. Which means I want to enjoy the delicious food.
If this sounds anything like you then don’t worry. I’ve got you covered. You don’t have to let this Thanksgiving be the year that you repeat the cycle, or start to create the cycle of pressing pause on all your health and wellness goals for the rest of the year. Yes, we all want to enjoy the holiday without the stress or pressure of putting our health and wellness goals first, and the amazing thing about this process is that we can! We can still enjoy everything Thanksgiving has to offer and so much more, while staying on top of our health and wellness.
Curious how? Well, I’ve got 5 ways you can get the most out of all that delicious Thanksgiving food, while also remaining consistent with your health and wellness routine.
5 Health & Wellness Tips for Thanksgiving Dinner!
- Pace your workouts
Don’t feel pressured to have to work out every single day! I’ve been there, done that and it’s not fun at all. When this becomes the main thing that you intend to set out to do every single day it has a tendency to make you lose focus of other things happening in the day. During Thanksgiving this can mean losing focus of having fun and enjoying the holiday with your friends and family.
In fact, the most effective way to workout is to workout 3-4 times a week. If your workouts are high in intensity, effective in execution with your moves, and last anywhere from 15-30 minutes, then trust me you are going to want to give yourself a day or two of resting. This is where those extra 3-2 days comes in hand. Depending on how intense your workouts are will determine how many days of rests you will need. Even if your workouts aren’t that high in intensity, it’s still important to give yourself a day or two to rest. This will allow for your body to have time to recover and get ready to do it all over again for the next week.
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Now if you’re anything like me and giving yourself more than one day back to back to rest and recover will throw you off your game completely, no worries. I have a solution for you. If you like to work out every day one thing you can do is switch up the type of workouts you engage in. For example, maybe on Monday you do an hour of yoga, specifically focusing on stretching your limbs. Then on Tuesday you do a PIIT28 workout. PIIIT28 is a Pilates Intense Interval Training workout completed in the course of 28 minutes. These workouts are killer! So, you are most certainly going to want to incorporate a rest day sometime soon after doing this workout. This gives you the variety of the types of workouts you are engaging in throughout the week, while also leaving an open door to either take a rest day, or not overexert yourself each and every day.
Whatever you choose to do avoid pressuring yourself into having to go hard every single day of the week. Especially without any rest days. You will exhaust yourself very quickly! Instead, focus each day of your workout on a different practice with a different level of intensity. This will help you stay active, while working on your health, and most certainly help you avoid overexerting yourself.
- Don’t overdo it
Most workouts usually last anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. I just want to give a round of applause for anyone who is able to work out for an hour straight! It’s a struggle for me to be able to last 30 minutes into a workout, and when I hit that 30-minute mark I have to tap out. An hour workout session just isn’t for me, and if it isn’t for you either don’t sweat it.
Instead of trying to extend your workouts in time just focus on getting the most out of your workouts in as little time as possible. Avoid over doing it this Thanksgiving by setting a specific time limit that you are able to get the most out of your workouts without over doing it. Instead of trying to hit that 30 minutes to an hour mark, limit your workouts to 15 minutes a day. Believe it or not there are plenty of high intensity workouts that you can do in roughly 15 minutes, and yes, they will give you the benefits you are seeking in a consistent workout routine.
Don’t believe me? Try this workout routine by Blogilates. This workout is part of a Body Toning Bootcamp series and just so happens to be one of my favorite workouts. It’s a PIIT style workout which means there are 7 moves. You have 45 seconds on (45 seconds you are doing each move), and 15 seconds off (15 seconds between each move to catch your breath and get into position for the next move). This workout will give you the intensity that you need in the amount of time that is realistic for your day to day schedule.
Booty Focus 6-Week Body Toning Bootcamp #1
- Choose specific areas to focus on
Hey, the way I see it a workout is a workout! It doesn’t matter if you’re doing a total body workout, an ab workout, or a butt workout. So long as you’re putting in the effort to tone and shape your body to your liking, you’re doing what needs to be done. So, there’s no need in going above and beyond with every single workout! Try breaking up your workouts to focus on specific areas of your body throughout the week.
For example, maybe o Monday you focus on your core and on Tuesday you focus on your arms. While total body workouts are totally fine, they can take a lot out of you. Especially if you live and swear by the motto go hard or go home, so all your total body workouts are high in intensity. What I like to do is schedule specific days, sometimes weeks (depends on how I feel), focusing on working out a specific area of my body. This not only saves me time, but ensures that I am tackling my problem areas now rather than later.
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- Drink plenty of water
The biggest tip I can give anybody in regards to bettering their health and wellness is to drink plenty of water. Water has so many health benefits, one of them being weight loss. Drinking water contributes to:
- Weight management and weight loss
- Provides energy
- Boosts your immune system
- Helps with digestion
- And helps keep your skin hydrated
Need I say more? If you’re looking to stay on top of your health and wellness goals this Thanksgiving then you are going to want to be sure to drink as much water as possible. To ensure you are getting enough water consumption a day follow the 8×8 rule.
8×8 Rule
This rule is very simple and easy to remember. Basically, you are going to want to make sure you are drinking 8 glasses of 8-ounce cups of water in a day. This equals out to 2 liters of water, or a half a gallon of water. What I like to do is invest in a new water bottle every season and take it with me everywhere I go. This is mainly because I spend a lot of time out of the house either driving people places or running errands, so it can be hard for me to get my daily water intake. However, I have found that with carrying a water bottle with me everywhere I go, I am more aware of how much water I am putting into my body.
If you’re looking for a cost-friendly water bottle to help you begin your water intake journey, the 24oz Jackson water bottle is the perfect place to start. With this water bottle you can reach your 8 glasses of water with just 3 full bottles, and still have plenty room for more!
Interested in learning more about wellness and how it can have a positive impact on your life? If so, sign up today for the free Live Well Health and Wellness Email Course where I’ll teach you how to create a personal and effective wellness routine for your everyday living.
- Engage in mindful eating
Finally, no matter how delicious the food at Thanksgiving may be, do your best to engage in mindful eating. This is the practice of taking in your food when it is placed in front of you on your plate, and while consuming it, in a very mindful way. To put it in simple terms don’t just unconsciously stuff your face with all the delicious goodness that is food! Instead be mindful of how you’re fueling your body and with what.
Notice the taste, the smell, and even the presentation of your food. Think about how it makes you feel before, during, and after eating it. Most importantly pay attention to how your body feels while eating and after finishing a plate. If you feel full or close to it, don’t go for that second plate. Instead save that second or third plate for leftovers, and leave whatever little room you have in your belly for dessert.
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To help you keep track of your health and wellness goals this Thanksgiving you can download the free Thanksgiving Health & Wellness Tracker here. This tracker consists of 7 pages to help keep track of your health and wellness during this holiday season.
All you have to do is write in your workout type and session for the correct day of the week. For example, if on Monday you did a 28-minute PIIT28 workout, you would fill that in, in the correct spot. Be sure to include whatever food you have taken in throughout the day. This includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and any snacks. Don’t forget to track your water consumption as well. There’s even a small little section for you to keep track of how you feel at the end of the day.
Just click the link above, download and print it to begin tracking your Thanksgiving goals today!
Follow these 5 tips while using the Thanksgiving Health & Wellness Tracker and you will be good to go for the holiday season!
Do you have any health and wellness tips for the holiday season?
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-Xo
Kimora