The amount of food people typically consume during Thanksgiving or Christmas can often cause remorse or regret when we step onto the scale afterwards. However, there are many exercises that can be done to burn off those calories without having to go to a gym. Eric Turner of JET Physical Therapy says the first step to getting your body back to ideal shape is to dial back your calorie intake after the holiday meals. He says after a big feast, it’s a good idea to spend a few days eating fewer calories to help your body adjust to a normal diet.

As far as exercise is concerned, he recommends endurance activities such as walking, jogging, or riding a bike. If people are unable to get outside to do those exercises due to physical limitations or inclement weather, there are exercises that can be done inside. Turner recommends body weight exercises, where people move their whole body weight around. Examples include squats, lunges, or climbing up and down stairs. These exercises get a person’s heart rate up, which helps burn calories at a higher rate. Turner adds, if people are concerned with balance or stress on their knees, something as simple as doing a sit-to-stand exercise can still be effective. For more information about holiday exercising, listen to the In Touch with Southeast Iowa interview with Turner at KCIIRadio.com starting Monday.