Thanksgiving Workout: 10 Ways to Burn Off Your Feast

Thanksgiving Workout: 10 Ways to Burn Off Your Feast

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year. If you’re like me, you sleep at your mom’s house the night before so you can begin the day with a generous slice of breakfast pumpkin pie. As for the feast, you give yourself a free pass to fill up your wine glass, load up your plate with all the butter and carbs, maybe even go in for a second helping, then find room in those stretchy pants for dessert. Roll yourself into a car and collapse on your bed, exhausted from the sheer amount of eating. Then the next morning, you’re left with a post food coma Thanksgiving hangover. I find the best way to combat this icky feeling is to drag myself into a workout class to wake up that metabolism.

Looking for some unique places to try a Thanksgiving workout around Jersey City? Look no further.

1. Jump Around at Jane DO

Since I’m frequently that awkward girl three steps behind the rest of the class in anything that requires dance moves or coordination, I didn’t have high hopes when my friend dragged me to the “Tramp Stamp” class. Coordination plus trampoline sounds like a surefire way to send me to the hospital. But I was surprised by how much fun the class was, how accessible and yet challenging the movements were. Between the high energy instructor, the loud thump of the music, and yes, coordinating arm and leg movements, the hour flew by.

2. Flow It Out at Powerflow Yoga

There are two yoga instructors who I feel give me an all-encompassing yoga experience that shakes up your body, your mind, and your outlook on life. One of them is Susan Tee who works at Powerflow Yoga. She will encourage you to push hard through the asana of yoga, try fun but scary things like inversions and arm balances and make you believe that you can do these things when you might not have thought so prior to the class. She also has a magical ability to say the words that you need to hear, to make you rethink and reevaluate whatever you’re working through in life. Go check her class out; you won’t regret it.

3. Play Outside at TimberForm Fitness 

If you’re broke and/or like Elsa (as in the cold never bothered you anyway), you might want to check out the TimberForm Fitness area in Lincoln Park on the West Side. The bright blue structures are an adult playground. There are signs with instructions on how to use the equipment, or let your inner child come out and invent your own workout.

4. Strut Your Stuff at Body Soul and Pole

I don’t know the last time you tried to climb up a pole and spin yourself around, but that sh*t ain’t easy. If there’s one thing guaranteed to work every muscle in your body, it’s a pole dancing class at Body Soul and Pole. You don’t need any prior experience; they have intro level classes. If the idea of a cold metal pole scares you, they also use silks. What better way to break a sweat and build some strength than by taking flight?

5. Punch Away Your Stress at CKO Kickboxing

As much as we love the holidays because of all the extra family time, we also hate the holidays because of all that extra family time, am I right? Take out all of that bottled up angst and frustration on a punching bag at CKO. The classes are part boot camp (think cardio, core, and yes, burpees) and part learning boxing and kicking combos.

6. Reconnect Body and Spirit at Beloved World Yoga 

Downtown Jersey City isn’t the only place where you can get your zen on. Beloved World Yoga in The Heights is an adorable studio that has something for everybody. If your primary goal is to break a sweat, there’s power or hot vinyasa classes. If you’re looking for more of a spiritual workout, try their chakra flow or candlelit flow. Also noteworthy is that they are prepared for the Thanksgiving “hangover” with their ‘Be Grateful’ all-levels class!

7. Work Your Whole Body at WeStrong Strength & Conditioning 

Down by the water in Paulus Hook, Coach Omar blasts hip hop music out of his small yet stacked gym. Each day he writes a different workout on the whiteboard, utilizing much of the equipment he has on hand: dumbbells, kettlebells, squat racks, rowing machines, giant tires even the hill outside of the building for sprints or pushing a sled. You’ll never get bored and the small community allows for a personal connection.

8. Get Wild at Wildly Fit 

If the idea of playing on a playground appeals to you but you’d like a little more instruction, check out Wildly Fit. Depending on what type of class you’re looking for, the location changes. They have a Mobility + Agility class that combines HIIT with animalistic movements or Parkour Fit at two different times and locations where you learn a parkour movement, work your entire body, and finish the class with a game.

9. Build Strength at Let Me Be Great Crossfit

Crossfit is a great place to find a community of people who encourage each other to give their all in their workout of the day. Instructors will help you properly learn each movement and skill if you are new to this type of fitness. There are lots of Crossfit gyms throughout Jersey City, such as 150 Bay Crossfit downtown or Let Me Be Great Crossfit over in Bergen Lafayette.

10. Learn a New Skill at Team Endurance MMA

Lots of kids go through a phase where they’re all about karate. You get to upgrade from yellow, orange, green, blue, brown, and finally to black belt, which appeals to kids like me who love to accessorize. But did you ever think about trying martial arts as an adult? Not only will you learn self-defense skills, but you’ll be building strength and coordination while doing it.  Team Endurance MMA right between West Side and Journal Square has a huge new space and classes for both kids and adults.

So there you have it: ten fabulous ways to kick that turkey hangover and jumpstart your way back into a healthier lifestyle, or at least to make a little room for Christmas cookies! Give one or all of these classes a try and comment with your favorite Thanksgiving workout!

Author: Ashley Brown