Thanksgiving Workout Ideas: How To Workout While Eating & Traveling

By Nicole Glor 

You’ll be perched at the dinner table (and maybe slouching in a car, plane, train or bus too!). Your booty will need a break from all that sitting, but instead of packing weights or finding an open gym during the holidays, there is an easy way to pack some boot camp toning for the backside into your day, even while you’re on the road.

Workouts you can do in the car!

Glute Rainbows. On all fours, (hands under shoulders, knees under hips with feet resting on the floor behind you and your back parallel to the floor below,) straighten your right leg behind you and lift it in a half circle (or rainbow) motion, at hip level. So, lift straight up, lower right foot to left side so it arches over your left heel, tap the floor, lift back to hip level and tap toe back on the right side. Repeat the rainbow 15 times per leg before changing sides.

Floor Kicks. Remain in the same on-all-fours position and, with your weight distributed evenly between both hands and your left knee, bend your right knee in towards your belly and then straighten it back behind you, diagonally towards the ceiling/​wall behind you. Return your bent knee towards the floor and repeat 15 times on the right leg. Do another set of 15 on the left.

Near a park? Try this playground workout!

Front Thigh Lifts. Lay on your right side, supported on your right elbow and right hip. Bend your right knee to 90 degrees under you so your thigh is in the line with your torse and your right foot is behind you. Bend your left leg at a 90 degree angel at both your hip and your knee so that your flexed foot drops in front of your right knee. (If you do this in front of a mirror, you should see the reflection of your right thigh but not your foot and the sole of your left sneaker, not your shoelaces.) Lift your left leg so that your knee is close to your chest and left shoulder, and lower the bent left leg 15 times.

Side Lunge & Twist. Start in a standing position and lunge to the right side, facing forward. Your right knee should bend at 90 degrees, while your hands support you on your right quad (above the knee) and your toe points diagonally to the right. Your left leg is straight, with the foot on the floor, toe pointing diagonally left. From here, push off the right leg to transfer to a standing position with your weight now on the straight left leg. Lift your hands diagonally up and to the left, creating a twist for the abs as you lift your right straight leg up behind you for a glute raise off the floor. Transfer the weight back on the right and into another side lunge. Repeat 15 times on the right and then switch legs.

Do two-​​minute cardio intervals between the moves to complete your 30 minute routine. Good cardio moves for travel include jumping-jacks, mountain climbers, simulated jump rope, squats, or running up the stairs – or workout along with this Fit Travel DVD.

The workout you can do with your kids!