Do you love moving your body while feeling at ease? So, do I. I love a good Thanksgiving day workout without constant thoughts of calorie burn.
Don’t get me wrong, I love having a workout routine but if all I’m thinking about are the extra calories I need to burn in order to feel better about what I’m eating, then you can forget it.
I’m not perfect and I’ve definitely had my share of thinking I was going to gain a bunch of weight from enjoying my family’s Thanksgiving feast if I didn’t go a quick 30-minute high-intensity workout.
They are normal and we all do them. I want to prepare our minds a lot more this holiday-which is why I created a list of body positivity quotes right here on the blog.
Have you checked it out yet?
Should you exercise during Thanksgiving?
It’s really up to you. If you recall from my last post that it’s possible that one could work out too much. You don’t ever want to feel the effects like the ones I listed.
If you are going to feel negative about working out, then I would tread lightly and ask yourself who and what made you believe that choosing to exercise is the answer for combatting weight gain on Thanksgiving.
According to the writers over at Healthyish, no workout is going to undo your thanksgiving dinner so just enjoy the food.
Last year, I created a post on my IG that talked about how one should feel when eating foods that are culturally viewed as fattening or unhealthy.
I believe in mindful eating and not feeling bad about the foods you eat. All of the worrying so many women do over their food leads them to not enjoy the social and emotional aspects of mealtimes.
I don’t know about you but I don’t want to live my life on this emotional rollercoaster. I personally will be adding a mindful post-thanksgiving workout plan to ensure that my self-care practice is in place.
The plan is to enjoy every bit of food on my plate while also enjoying the movement that day, both of them can co-exist without resulting in tears.
*Some affiliate links are used, which means, if you purchased something, I may earn a commission.*
How Do You Exercise After Thanksgiving?
Easy. Eat food without guilt. I love wearing comfortable clothes all year but I especially recommend wearing yoga pants and shirts that don’t point out the “imperfections” you believe you have.
I say all of that to say that, wearing clothes you will feel good in after enjoying a delicious meal should be your biggest priority.
Go through your closet a day or two before and pick out 1-2 outfits you feel good in whether you’ve eaten a salad or 2 plates of food.
If you engage in a movement that leads your eyes to point out an area on your body that makes you look fuller, toss it to the side.
Your post-thanksgiving workout should feel easy on your body, not confined-leading you to have trouble bending your knees or doing jumping jacks.
Is It Okay Not To Exercise on Thanksgiving?
Absolutely, I’ve done this too in the past. I work out because it gives me energy not because I want to get rid of the food I just ate.
Your body needs that food so it’s okay to not work out if you don’t want to work out, it’s that simple bloomer.
If you want to take some workout classes a couple of days after your workout, do that.
If you want to squeeze in a workout in the morning while your sweet potato muffins are in the oven, celebrate having time to do something that you want to do that makes you feel good.
Exercise on any day, let alone Thanksgiving, shouldn’t set your mind to fear eating. Enjoy those mashed potatoes without guilt.
You probably can tell already that I’m pro food- my fall brown sugar maple cookies and sweet potato muffin recipe may or may not have given it away already.
Does Thanksgiving Ruin Your Diet?
An expert trainer interviewed on the Mic website Daniel Stransky says, ” you’ll need those extra calories on Thanksgiving and that it does not ruin your hard work or diet.
If you are someone that is weary of ruining your progress, implement a 30-minute high-intensity interval training session or a quick strength training workout on Thanksgiving.
Otherwise, enjoy the holidays because that’s what this holiday season is all about, right?
But Wait, Here Are Mindful Workouts That Will Make You Feel Good
Band Workout
I was first introduced to blogilates workouts through YouTube and what I love about Cassie is that she continues to upload content on YouTube despite her mass popularity and the business she’s built-in Target and on her site.
She is wildly energetic, and positive, and always has so much to talk about with her audience while breaking a sweat. She has video content for beginners, intermediate, and advanced. I definitely recommend that you give her videos a try.
It’s especially great for a post-thanksgiving workout (easy).
No surprise here that I’m sharing yet, another video of blogilates. Cassie has been doing this for well over 10 years so her library is pretty extensive.
I love the theme of this Pilates video as it really brings home positive body messaging. I don’t take for granted what this body can do so I’m not going to talk down at it while working out.
Barre3
Some of you, you may recognize the Portland-based mindful workout chain from the blog post I wrote when I first launched the blog.
Their workouts are phenomenal and I still use them nearly 10 years later. I won’t get too much into their workouts but if you want a good sizzle with a guarantee of mindful prompts, read all about my review on Barre3.
I also was fortunate enough to have spent a short span of time as B3’s brand ambassador this year, read my interview, and how much I attribute getting back to my body with their online workouts.
Post-Thanksgiving Workout Clothes and Accessories
Being that I’m a trained dancer, you know how much I love clothes that make my body feel good and beautiful.
I approach this with intention when it comes to workout clothes, especially if I’m spending my money on pants, sports bras, or tops.
It’s an investment and for every piece of workout clothing I own, I honestly feel great. If I don’t, I’ll donate it or give it to one of my sisters.
Here is a quick list of my favorite yoga pants that are stretchy, breathable, and roomy. The most important thing is that your body can move and feel strong in these pants.
On a side note, these are also great for strength training, a full-body workout, and even interval training.
Reebok Staying Active Gear
I believe many people sleep on Reebok when it comes to their selection of workout clothes.
In my opinion, they have some of the most well-made and long-lasting workout clothes around.
I still have many of their leggings and workout tank tops from college and 10 years later, they have held up well.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the exact leggings, sports bras, and tank tops I own but the ones listed below come pretty close.
And to top it off, I have a special code you can use starting now until November 16th, just use the code: MOM40 for 40% off of anything sitewide.
