Stay on track with this pre-dinner Thanksgiving workout

Try this AMRAP workout for a solid sweat before dinner, plus learn expert tips to avoid overeating on Thanksgiving.

This article was originally published on AskMen. Check out askmen.com for more ways for men to improve their lives and advice on on dating, fitness, grooming​ and more.

As we head into the Thanksgiving holiday, we encourage you to celebrate. And by celebrate, I mean eat. Pass the turkey and gravy and chicken and greens and don’t feel guilty.

But before you pile on a plate full of mac ‘n cheese, let’s start by preparing your stomach and your body for the incoming avalanche of home-cooked calories. For the record, the average American reportedly consumes somewhere between 1,500 and 4,500 calories on Thanksgiving Day, or as much as about two full days worth your recommended daily calorie allotment.

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Experts recommend going for a run on Thanksgiving morning and going for a walk after you’ve stuffed your face. But we need it’s much easier to loosen your belt, grab a beer and settle into some football. So let’s start the calorie burn early.

Dennys Lozada, an instructor at New York’s The Fhitting Room, designed a routine structured as four, 5-minute AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) workouts.

“You should approach each of these workouts as an all-out sprint, knowing you will rest after each one,” he said. “AMRAPs work for any fitness level and encourage you to push yourself to complete as many rounds as possible in a given period of time as opposed to completing a set number of exercises without a time limit.”

But before we get into the exercises, for those of us that don't look at Thanksgiving as an justified road toward gluttony, there are strategies that can help you avoid overeating, which usually results in a wicked food coma that causes you to miss the best part of the Dallas Cowboys game. 

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1. Eat breakfast. 

Yes, this goes against all your best instincts—the ones that tell you to save all the room and calories you can for the big show. But eating before the main event is not only get your metabolism pumping in the morning—resulting in more calorie-burn—but you also won't hit the dinner table like a ravenous beast. 

2. Show some restraint. 

I mean, we are adults aren't we? There's nothing wrong with going into dinner with a plan. One plate. One serving of dessert. This is your chance to indulge, for sure. But if you're going to pile an apple pie, cheesecake and pumpkin pie on your plate after dinner, you might want to lower your calorie count elsewhere. I'm almost positive there will be vegetables at Thanksgiving dinner. Don't ignore them. 

3. Slow Down

Savoring your food is a great way to actually enjoy all the wonderful tastes swirling around on your plate but it's also a terrific strategy for weight loss. Not paying attention to what's on your fork can lead to overeating, shoveling food into your mouth almost reflect. You're almost more likely to appreciate your food more and feeling more satisfied. 

Thanksgiving Workout

How it works: Each AMRAP workout is five minutes. Complete as many rounds and reps possible. Rest two minutes after completing each workout.

Rep Scheme: 11-24-16

Recommended Kettlebell Weight: 16-24kg

Recommended Dumbbell Weight: 17.5-30lbs

Equipment needed: 1 kettlebell and a pair of dumbbells. 

Editors' Pick: If you feel like spicing these up, OnNit makes custom sculpted kettlebells of legendary creatures.

Workout 1

11 kettlebell goblet squats

24 kettlebell swings 

16 Tuck jumps

KettleBell Goblet Squats

Kettlebell Swings

Tuck Jumps

Rest 2 minutes

Workout 2

11 dumbbell hop overs with squat thrust (right side only)

24 alternating jumping lunges

16 dumbbell snatches 

Dumbbell Hop overs w/ Squat Thrust

Alternating Jumping Lunges

Dumbbell Snatches

Rest 2 minutes

Workout 3

11 hand release push-ups to frogger 

24 dumbbell alternating reverse lunges with curl 

16 renegade dumbbell rows 

Hand Release Push-ups to Frogger

Dumbbell Alternating Reverse Lunges With Curl

Renegade Rows

Rest 2 minutes

Workout 4 

11 burpees

24 sit-ups 

16 dumbbell thrusters

Burpees

Sit-ups

Dumbbell Thrusters