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How to Work Out the Morning After Thanksgiving Dinner

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November 28th has come and gone, and it's the 29th. You wake up from your turkey and mashed potato-induced coma, and the only thing you want to do is curl up and go back to sleep. Unfortunately for you, it's the time of day when you need to get up and do your workout--the very last thing you want to do after stuffing yourself silly the previous night. That pumpkin pie was just too good to pass up on, and who can say no to fourths on turkey? Don't even think about how much you drank...

So, it's time to drag yourself out of bed, put on your gym clothes (which may be feeling suspiciously tight at the moment), and get yourself ready for your workout.

Step 1: Start Slow

No matter who you are, your body is going to feel it after a night of heavy eating and drinking. You're not going to be overflowing with energy, as your body will have spent most of the night digesting all of the food and drink you consumed.

Get into your workout slowly, starting out with a walk around the block a few times. Don't zip out to the gym for a "quick" workout, and certainly don't jog your normal route. It's a day to take it slow--you can get back into the hectic pace of full-intensity workouts tomorrow!

Step 2: Get in Your LISS

Low-impact steady state (LISS) aerobics will help to get your body working, your blood pumping and your digestive system rolling. Start out with a bit of cycling--stationary bike or regular bike both work--as jogging or running will probably set your stomach bouncing--definitely not what you want the morning after a heavy meal.

Start your LISS slowly, at a leisurely pace. You're probably going to be pretty low on energy, so let your body catch up with the workout you're doing. After about five minutes, you'll start to feel better, and it's time to up the speed and difficulty on the bike. Within 10 minutes, you can probably be cycling at full speed--which you should then sustain for the next 15 to 20 minutes for the proper aerobic workout.

Step 3: Time to Train

Once you've gotten in your aerobics, it's time to hit the weights for your muscle-building routine. You aren't going to have enough energy for a HIIT workout, or for a full-on bodybuilding workout that leaves your muscles shaking and drained. It's time to go for a circuit training routine that will hit all of the muscles in your body and burn away all those food calories.

Your circuit workout should include (in the following order):

Bench presses
Standing rows
Lunges

Military presses
Barbell curls
Squats

Tricep extensions
Cable pull-downs
Leg presses

Do this circuit routine twice, and your body will feel so much better!

Step 4: Digest Well

Your digestion is going to be a bit iffy the morning after a heavy Thanksgiving meal, so it's important that you drink a lot of water, use the bathroom as your body directs, and find a way to detox all that alcohol, turkey and pumpkin pie.

The best post-Thanksgiving breakfast: oatmeal. The soluble fiber in the oats will help to absorb a lot of the toxins, and the insoluble fiber will scrub out your intestines. By the time workout rolls around, you'll feel much better

Don't forget to drink a lot of water the morning after! Both heavy eating and heavy drinking can leave your body dehydrated, so tank up on water to avoid problems when it's time to work out.

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Some people get lucky and are born with fit, toned bodies. Andy Peloquin is not one of those people... Fitness has come hard for him, and he's had to work for it. His trials have led him to becoming a martial artist, an NFPT-certified fitness trainer, and a man passionate about exercise, diet and healthy living. He loves to exercise--he does so six days a week--and loves to share his passion for fitness and health with others.



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