Between the turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, dinner rolls and pumpkin pie, Thanksgiving is definitely the most indulgent meal of the year. While most of us spend the day in sweats, on the couch, watching football, this year, consider breaking a sweat during an actual workout. The former is definitely easier, but the latter will make you feel a lot better, and means no guilt when you gobble up seconds and thirds. Whether you like to run, stretch, cycle or dance, here are six different ways to workout this Thanksgiving.
Dress up like a turkey and run a 5K
What better way to earn your turkey than by running a Turkey Trot? Unfortunately, registration for the San Francisco race in Golden Gate Park has closed, but if you want to wobble before you gobble, there is still space in the Marin Turkey Trot (1 mile, 5K, and 10K), the Petaluma Turkey Trot (4 mile or 10K), the Silicon Valley Turkey Trot (5K or 10K), the Piedmont Turkey Trot (5K), the San Leandro Turkey Trot (5K), and the Point Pinole Turkey Trot (5K, 10K, and a 100 yard race for little turkeys). Thanksgiving-themed costumes are encouraged at all races, but this is the Bay Area, so you knew that.
Push through a 90-minute Turkey Burn
If you’re going to double down on the pie, then you need to double down on your Soul Cycle with a 90-minute Turkey Burn workout where you’re guaranteed to break a serious sweat while taking time to reflect about everything you’re thankful for (including the fact that a standard class is only 45 minutes long). The Union Street, Castro, and SoMa locations are all offering Turkey Burns at 8:30am and 10:15am on Thanksgiving Day, as well as a 9:30am Turkey Burn on Friday.
Do yoga for a good cause
Laughing Lotus Yoga Center is offering a Thanksgiving Benefit Class from 11am to 12:30pm on Thanksgiving Day. All of the proceeds from the $20 all-level class will be donated to Glide Memorial Church/Glide Foundation. It’s the perfect way to practice gratitude before doing so at the table with friends and family.
Carve your body, then the turkey
Get your workout over with fast so there’s more time for eating pie with a Basecamp Fitness interval training workout. Burn for 35 minutes, alternating strength and cardio one-minute intervals, and then finish with 10 minutes of stretching. This Thanksgiving Day Turkey Burn class is specifically designed to burn calories using dumbbells, kettlebells and TRX. There are four classes starting at 8am with the last class at 11am.
Burn up to 1,000 calories (so one plate)
One Barry’s Bootcamp class can burn anywhere from 700 to 1,300 calories, which is anywhere from two to four pieces of pumpkin pie. The Barry’s in the Marina is offering six Turkey Day 60 Minute Turkey Burn Workouts, which means you can’t even use your schedule as an excuse. Classes start at 7am and the last one is at 1:15pm. The SoMa and Financial District locations both have four Turkey Burn classes (starting at 7am and ending at 10:45am), which still leaves you plenty of time to head home and put the turkey in the oven.
Go wild (turkey) and dance the calories away
If working out isn’t your thing, don’t sweat it. Instead, head to The Empire Room on Thanksgiving Eve for a huge Night Before Thanksgiving party where you can dance to hip-hop and Top 40 and burn calories (upwards of 445 an hour) without even realizing you’re doing so. Entry is free if you get there before 11pm. Just one more thing to be thankful for.