Hailey Friedman
Hailey Friedman is a San Francisco resident passionate about sharing tips and advice on health, wellness, and the best fitness services in San Francisco.
Thanksgiving marks the start of the holiday season, arguably the busiest time of year. With the influx of gatherings, family dinners, and travel, it’s no surprise that fitness routines often fall by the wayside. However, prioritizing a Thanksgiving workout can keep you on track and alleviate holiday stress. The mix of relaxing and stress-inducing events during this time of year can make it easy to lose focus on your health.
Starting a fitness routine before Thanksgiving arrives can ensure you’re prepared for the busy season and can help you stay balanced when holiday meals and gatherings get in the way. Whether you’re aiming to maintain your fitness, weight loss, or simply stay active, incorporating a Thanksgiving workout plan can support your physical and mental wellbeing through the holidays.
Regular exercise boosts energy, reduces stress, and can even improve digestion, all valuable benefits when indulging in Thanksgiving feasts and sweets. If you’re in the San Francisco area, Live Fit Gym provides the perfect environment to stay consistent with your workouts, offering a range of services that go well beyond fitness. Their facilities include top-tier workout equipment, massage therapy, chiropractic care, yoga, and small-group personal training classes to give you a well-rounded approach to health that extends beyond the gym floor.
Should You Workout on Thanksgiving?
Thanksgiving is traditionally meant for spending quality time with family, enjoying a hearty meal, and reflecting on everything you’re thankful for. But your fitness routine doesn’t have to stop just because the holidays have begun. Incorporating a workout on Thanksgiving can help you relieve stress, manage the inevitable indulgence, and feel more energized.
Whether or not you decide to exercise on Thanksgiving is entirely up to you. However, maintaining a regular workout routine in the lead-up to Thanksgiving, and throughout the year, offers countless benefits. And for those in the San Francisco area, finding a great gym makes it easy to stay consistent!
For those of you in San Francisco, Live Fit Gym offers a holistic approach to wellness that goes beyond just fitness. Their locations provide not only the best workout facilities but also a wide range of services like massage therapy, personal training, chiropractic services, yoga classes, and strength conditioning. Not to mention, they offer a comprehensive spa that offers facials, a eucalyptus steam room, a cedar sauna, and waxing. This well-rounded approach ensures you’re not just exercising, but improving your overall wellbeing throughout the year.
Thanksgiving Workout Routine
Getting in a workout around Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be complicated. A balanced routine will ensure you stay active during this holiday, boosting your mood and energy. Here’s a look at how you can plan your workouts before, during, and after Thanksgiving Day.
Before Thanksgiving
Getting ahead of the holiday rush is key. Before Thanksgiving arrives, you can commit to a gym membership or try different workout classes like boxing, cycling, Pilates, or High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). For those of you in the Bay Area, gyms like Live Fit Gym offer various options, including some of the best bootcamp classes in San Francisco and small group personal training to fit your schedule. Consider joining now to form healthy habits that will carry you through the holidays and beyond.
If the stress of holiday preparations has left your muscles feeling tight, consider a sports massage in San Francisco from one of our expert massage therapists to ease tension before Thanksgiving Day.
During Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day offers many ways to stay active. Starting the day with an outdoor activity like a local Turkey Trot, a morning walk, or a bike ride can help kickstart your metabolism. For those in San Francisco, cycling the city’s scenic routes is a great way to stay fit. Additionally, incorporating bodyweight exercises or a quick 30-minute strength training session can keep you energized and activate your body’s fat-burning mechanisms for the day ahead.
After Thanksgiving
Once the holiday celebrations have wrapped up, it’s the perfect time to take a breath and regroup. For those in the San Francisco area, booking the best massage at one of Live Fit Gym’s locations can be a great way to unwind. Live Fit Gym is home to some of San Francisco’s top masseuses. They specialize in techniques that are ideal for reducing post-holiday tension, helping you recover and relax after the hustle and bustle of Thanksgiving.
If you’re looking for something more active, why not schedule a session with a personal trainer to help you get back into a routine? Live Fit Gym trainers specialize in a wide range of disciplines. Now’s the time to challenge yourself and try something new, like boxing or kickboxing, which Live Fit Gym offers three times a week.
And don’t forget, they also offer pilates classes to aid recovery and keep you moving smoothly into the holiday season.
Benefits of a Thanksgiving Workout Routine
Exercising around Thanksgiving offers more than just a way to balance the indulgence. Here are some key benefits:
Stress Relief
The holiday season can be stressful, whether you’re preparing meals, traveling, or spending time with family. A Thanksgiving workout can provide a much-needed outlet for that stress. Physical activity releases endorphins, boosting your mood and helping you manage tension. Consider the best yoga classes in San Francisco at Live Fit Gym to relax and restore balance during the holidays. You can also turn up the intensity and blow off steam with HIIT training or boxing classes.
Improved Sleep
The staples that make a Thanksgiving meal special, like mashed potatoes, stuffing, turkey, and pie, can make you feel sluggish. And while tryptophan is known as a sleep aid, you don’t want to get in the habit of eating a large meal to put yourself to sleep.
Instead, try regular exercise. It promotes better sleep by reducing stress and balancing your energy levels. A quick HIIT class or cycling session can prepare your body for a deeper, more restful sleep after a long day of celebrating.
Better Mental Health
Exercise is a powerful tool for mental wellbeing, especially during the holidays. Staying active reduces stress, improves your mood, reduces feelings of anxiety, and creates a sense of accomplishment. Joining yoga or other workout classes helps you stay on top of your mental health this holiday season.
Healthy Blood Sugar Levels
Holiday meals can spike your blood sugar levels, but regular workouts help regulate them. In fact, the tougher your workout, the longer it affects blood sugar levels. Engaging in a Thanksgiving workout before or after your meal can improve your body’s ability to manage sugar, keeping you healthier during the season of indulgence.
Metabolism Boost
Carb-heavy holiday treats and hearty meals can slow your metabolism, but a quick workout can help offset this. Controlling your metabolic rate directly can be tricky, so focus on increasing your physical activity level to increase calorie burn. Activities like pilates, strength training, or a turkey trot can give your metabolism the boost it needs to handle holiday feasting.
Learn More About Thanksgiving Workouts
There are many ways to make the most of a Thanksgiving workout. Here are answers to some FAQs that can help guide your holiday fitness journey.
How do I get back in shape after Thanksgiving?
Start with simple, effective workouts like yoga, walking, or light strength training. Focus on low-impact exercises that gradually rebuild your stamina and endurance. Establishing a regular routine after the holidays will help you regain momentum and restore your fitness. One way to do this is through personal training, which can assist with both weight loss and weight gain and building strength for winter sports.
How do you burn calories after Thanksgiving?
To burn calories after Thanksgiving, engage in activities that get your heart rate up, such as cycling, boxing, running, or HIIT. Outdoor activities like hiking or a brisk walk can also help counteract the effects of holiday indulgence while keeping your metabolism active. Incorporating strength training exercises will also boost your calorie burn by building lean muscle, which increases your resting metabolic rate.
What is the armistice day workout?
Armistice Day, more commonly known as Veteran’s Day, is a day to honor and remember military veterans. The Armistice Day Workout refers to a tradition started by CrossFit enthusiasts, where a special Workout of the Day (WOD) was designed to honor veterans. The routines were called Hero Workouts, and included reps of 11, a nod to Armistice Day’s date, 11/11.
The routines often involve cardio, bodyweight exercises, and strength training. Many people use this as a way to stay active during the holidays.
Get in Holiday Shape With a Thanksgiving Workout Routine
Thanksgiving is just the beginning of the holiday season, and staying active now will help you maintain your fitness throughout the rest of the year. Live Fit Gym’s holistic approach to health and wellness supports not only your fitness but overall wellbeing, offering a blend of services to cover every aspect of your wellness journey. In addition to one-on-one training with the best personal trainers in San Francisco and small group personal training, Live Fit Gym provides restorative options like massage therapy, acupuncture, chiropractic services, and yoga classes. This well-rounded approach ensures you can incorporate flexibility, stress relief, and active recovery into your routine—the essentials for a busy holiday season.
For those looking to commit to a well-rounded wellness experience, Live Fit Gym has multiple locations around San Francisco, so you’re never far from expert guidance and a supportive community. Visit a Live Fit Gym location and experience the benefits of a consistent, balanced routine that fits seamlessly into your life. Get a head start on holiday health and set yourself up for success—whether it’s through strength training, HIIT classes, or holistic therapies designed to improve recovery and relaxation. Take the first step with a free gym trial and experience the difference a holistic fitness approach can make this season.
