The author of this article has clearly never had a drunk uncle or chain-smoking aunt.
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I question why anyone should be "roped in" to exercise. Better to set an example and let other people be couch potatoes if they want to.
@Marilyn Sue Michel Agreed! My gym is open tomorrow morning. Exercise is part of my daily routine. Why should I give it up?
Why? Why do I, the fit-one, have to care or include the couch surfers in my activities? I will not feel guilty, and if they try and ridicule me, well let them...and they'll see how I can fire back. Guaranteed some leaves the room crying.
What is this nonsense that at the holidays we have to tolerate the belligerent or rouse lazy? I don't visit to be anyone's counselor, or educator. I'm me 24/7/365. I stand up for reality, not coddling deplorables, racists or the unfit and slovenly.
you want to eat and lay around. fine. I'll be the guy looking down on you in that hospital bed when your apathy finally strikes.
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@Boregard
Happy holidays to you too.
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Please. Why is it my job to entice the couch surfers off their tookus's? If they cant do it for their own sake, the other days of the year, why on this particular day? For more family time?
Spare me the bother!
And why should I, because I wont, feel guilty that I go get my exercise-on if even for a short time...to clear my own cob-webs? Or prep for the dessert course...
Misdirection? Like putting the medicine in some apple sauce? I have to figure out how to disguise activity/exercise so to trick the sloths into moving more then to and fro the table, fridge, couch and bathroom?
Come on! Its one day!
Besides I'm way too busy figuring a scheme to knock the belligerently worn MAGA-hat off the head off my Trump-loving cousin and putting it someplace else....
I could care less who burns off a few extra calories.
Our Thanksgiving day table here in Boulder will be evenly divided between ultra marathoners and the committed sedentary. Curiously, the ultra marathoners are bringing a variety of vegan options while the sedentary participants are bringing pie and booze. All are equally passionate about how they celebrate Thanksgiving.
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@Legendary Economist
Vegan and sedentary here.
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@Kate I train nearly daily; I will have the dessert and booze and not feel guilty at all.
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Oh, please, spare me.
Can’t I have a few days off from my typical 60+ hour workweek in a very stressful job? Really, I deserve 2-3 days lying by the pool.
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@Kate I teach ESL in an urban district. My days off will still include lesson planning and grading classwork.
Yes, I deserve a few days lying by a pool. Christmas in Curacao....
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Satan himself could not devise a better scheme to sow discord and evil.
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I work for a large fitness chain, after spending 30 years lawyering. My husband now runs marathons and I'm a nationally-ranked fencer in my age group. I don't try to get my 20 and 16 year old daughters to exercise. They will come to it when they are ready. I will be opening club tomorrow morning. After I get home, I'll start turkey day prep - it won't be low cal, but we don't do it often. It will be followed by Cards Against Humanity and naps. Exercise is a way of life - not an organized family activity.
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I'd avoid letting any elders enter the snow shoveling contest since that is prime fodder for potential heart attacks as is evidenced every winter.
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Yes, it would definitely go over well to decide one is the fitness leader of the flabby lazy masses of extended family and tell Drunk Uncle to walk around the block when he starts defending the caging of small children.
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But isn’t Thanksgiving where we got the idea of caging small children? Or am I conflating that with Mitt Romney’s dog crating incident?
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I advise the get up and go early for a walk or whatever. You are back before the rest of the crew is up and no guilt involved.
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This is a very idealistic article. Trying to guilt exercise averse family members into exercise will just be another family fight waiting to happen. I am sure if you want to find time to exercise you can but don't expect others to join in. Give them the option then back off!
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We used to go on family walks after a meal, sometimes around the neighborhood, sometimes in nearby parks. It’s a good time to continue visiting, and to see very local sights. And easy to do even after eating a fair bit of food (which I try not to do anymore).
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@Dr. J Yep. When my kids were still at home, on summer evenings after dinner we would go on what we called "barefoot walks" around the neighborhood (yep, no shoes). Sometimes I told them stories during the walk, sometimes we just chatted. They both still like walking (they're in their 20's) and remember those walks fondly.
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