If you woke up today feeling like it’s you, and not the turkey, that’s filled with stuffing, we’ve got you covered. Here are 10 tips for how to use the remainder of the long weekend to recoup some of the pride you had before hitting the fridge at 11 last night for another helping of sweet-potato casserole. These tips come from several of Golf Digest’s Certified Fitness Trainers.1) Drink water all weekend long. Not just liquid, actual H20. Not only does water help many important body functions, it also satiates your appetite, so you’ll resist the urge to continue the assault on leftovers. How much water? Consider at least six glasses a day, but even more if you’re on the go all weekend.
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2) Eat high-fiber foods. Not only will items such as leafy vegetables, beans, nuts, and fruit help improve the digestion process (and believe us, you’re going to need help with that), they also help you feel full for longer periods so that bag of chips stays in the pantry.
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3) Get out and jog/walk. If weather permits, go outside and alternate between jogging for short distances and then walking until you catch your breath. This type of exercise, known as interval training, is great for calorie burning and also prepares you for the type of “burst” action required in a four-hour round of golf.
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4) Strength train. Exercises that increase muscle mass also burn calories effectively, even long after you’ve stopped exercising. You’ll certainly be glued to the TV for longer durations than normal this weekend, so drop down to the carpet for a solid 15 to 30 minutes and alternate between sets of push-ups, planks and glute bridges while flipping through channels.
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5) If you can play golf, take a pass on the golf cart. You can drop up to 1,500 calories in a four-hour round, and you don’t have to carry your clubs. Using a pushcart has been proven to be just as effective in calorie burning. Plus, if you’re on the course, you’re probably not snacking the way you would if you were on the couch.
MORE: Our insider’s guide to the proper Thanksgiving golf outing
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6) Use the stairs everywhere you can. Not only for the extra calorie-burn, but also because it helps improve hip, glute and lower-body strength and mobility. Going down stairs also is beneficial as a deceleration exercise for golfers as it helps improve stability when you swing a club at full speed, in a bunker or out of deep rough.
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7) You’re not working, so catch up on sleep. At least seven to nine hours of sack time is crucial to good health and it doesn’t have to be all in one stretch. Naps help the body recover, too. In the deepest stages of sleep, calories are burned, cells grow and muscle tissue is repaired.
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8) Sip it. Drinking alcohol in moderation is fine, and is almost expected during holiday weekends. That said, you’ll be better off with drinks you sip versus ones you chug. Try to make one drink last for well over an hour. If you prefer spirits over wine and beer, be sure to include ice or some water to dilute the alcohol and reduce caloric intake.
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9) Clean something. Rake leaves, vacuum, scrub the tub (that roasting pan isn’t going to clean itself). All of this type of stuff adds up. Two hours of solid cleaning translates into about 500 to 800 calories burned and is considered a moderate physical activity by the American College of Sports Medicine.
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10) Practice putting. You can do this inside or out. It’s not a big calorie-burning endeavor, but it does get you off your feet and doing something other than eating more. And you get to improve your short game as an added bonus!
Keith Brofsky
This article was originally published on golfdigest.com
