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Best ways to carve out Thanksgiving calories

Posted at 4:28 PM, Nov 20, 2014
and last updated 2014-11-20 17:23:59-05

Gobbling up turkey and goodies does not have to mean ruined diets or fitness routines.

At least that’s what CoachUp CEO Jordan Fliegel says.

Fliegel founded the private coaching company that focuses on training athletes. He said there are ways people may avoid the food hangover often caused by too much pumpkin pie and stuffing without sacrificing taste.

“There’s a way to eat what you want to eat, be with your family, have a great time, but also make it kind of productive from a health standpoint,” Fliegel said.

To overcome Thanksgiving belly aches, people need to start preparing before the meal even begins, Fliegel said. 

“I think it’s definitely important to work out before because you may not be feeling up to it afterwards,” he said.

Fliegel recommends people do some sort of cardio work either the night before or the morning of Thanksgiving to help make the body need some of the additional calories they might eat on Thanksgiving.

Lifting weights is a great way to prepare the body for a bigger meal, Fliegel said.

Thanksgiving meals also don’t have to involve overindulging. Patience is a virtue when it comes to eating, Fliegel said.

“The best thing from a food standpoint is to eat a modest meal at Thanksgiving itself because there are certainly going to be leftovers, and you can have them later that evening or the following morning for breakfast,” he said.

Those steps can help keep prevent people from a bloated feeling after a huge meal, Fliegel said.

“If you’re going to do this by the book, get a real lift in with weights before the meal, eat a modest meal and then have lots of leftovers in subsequent meals.”