WPH Press, 11/25/20
Each Wednesday the WPH features the WPH Wednesday Workout, designed to help you become a stronger, fitter, faster, and better handball player. From leg and shoulder strengthening exercises to HIT Training, biking, and rest, the WPH Wednesday Workouts focus on the areas that every handball player needs to reach their peak form.
On this WPH Wednesday Workout, we’ll discuss how to stay fit during Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving is one of the best days of the year, filled with incredible food that usually lasts for four days. Thanksgiving also challenges your daily fitness routines. Instead of making your Thursday and Saturday handball match or daily workouts, you may be tempted to take the week off. Piling on calories with little to no activity can erase all of the hard work you’ve done. Not only could you add weight, but your routine may become altered or come to an end – four-five days off a routine is enough to end a routine.
My House Fitness HERE cites the Calorie Control Council in estimating that the average American will consume 4,500 calories on Thanksgiving, with 229 grams of fat contained within those 4,500 calories.
My House Fitness recommends these six tips for staying fit during Thanksgiving:
- Prepare in the days leading up to Thanksgiving by sticking to your exercise routine as much as possible (possibly more intense in the days leading up to Thanksgiving) and eating a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables along with a lot of lean protein
- Stay active by exercising the day of Thanksgiving (and the day after)
- Know your limits and do not overindulge – consider not going for seconds
- Make lower fat choices – white turkey meat has less fat than dark meat, try to avoid making potatoes with marshmallows, and try to eat greens
- Eat slowly to help control calorie intake
- Limit alcohol consumption and drink water before and after the Thanksgiving meal
Pritikin HERE is also a firm believer in being active on the days before and the day of Thanksgiving and staying active throughout Thanksgiving weekend. Pritikin believes that dividing your Thanksgiving plate into halves, with half of the plate vegetables, one-quarter with white turkey meat, and the rest with healthy starches like corn on the cob and potatoes. Additionally, Pritikin believes that keeping your fitness and lifestyle goals in mind is critical to not overindulging during Thanksgiving.
Honest HERE adds to the My House Fitness and Pritikin’s Thanksgiving recommendations by suggesting that you do not come to the Thanksgiving table starving. You should eat a healthy breakfast and lunch before the Thanksgiving meal. According to Honest, if you are extremely hungry, the tendency is to eat fast and overeat. Honest also suggests that you position yourself as far as possible from the sweets, drink plenty of water throughout the day, and to go skinless, since most of the fat on the turkey is in the turkey skin.
Take these tips to the Thanksgiving table and the Thanksgiving weekend and you’ll be on track to stay on track with your handball, fitness, and lifestyle goals.
David Fink
WPH Fitness Director