In theory, Thanksgiving should be a relaxing holiday: You enjoy a delicious meal and then watch football on the couch…what’s more chill than that? But the truth is, it can be all types of exhausting. Whether you’re drained by travel stress, cooped up cooking in the kitchen, navigating tricky family dynamics, or simply wiped out from eating snacks on snacks, there’s a lot about the day that isn’t exactly calming.
So what can you do when your energy is flagging? We have an uncomplicated, impactful idea: A five-move stretch and gentle movement routine that can put a little pep back in your step. Created for SELF by Valerie Lucas, E-RYT 500, senior master trainer with YogaSix, this sequence is designed to boost your energy and ease bloating—while also helping your body let go of all that holiday tension.
“It’s a simple yet effective way to stay comfortable, calm, and connected,” Lucas says, so you can stay present with your family and friends during all the festivities.
It starts off with standing cat-cow, a variation of the classic yoga move that boosts blood flow throughout your body while alleviating tension in your back. Next is downward dog, which can combat the tightness in your spine, shoulders, and hamstrings that comes from lots of sitting. From there, you’ll get onto your back for dead bug, which technically isn’t a stretch, but is a gentle core exercise that can help invigorate you and possibly aid digestion. Then, you’ll stretch out your hip flexors (and fire up your sleepy butt) with a glute bridge—ideal if you’ve been chilling on the couch or sitting at the dinner table for hours on end. Finally, you’ll finish with figure four, a relaxing stretch that targets tightness in your lower back and glutes while also calming your mind.
This sequence doesn’t take much time—just five to 10 minutes—making it easy to slot into your Thanksgiving plans. Do it in the middle of the day when you feel your energy levels dipping or after the big meal as a way to get a second wind. If you’re doing it post-feast, Lucas advises waiting about 20 to 30 minutes for comfort. (Might we recommend fitting in a quick fart walk before to really get things moving?) Hell, you don’t even have to wait until you’re already feeling zonked to give it a try: Pencil it in before breakfast to set the tone for the day ahead,
If you want a little bit longer of a stretch, Lucas suggests doing more reps or extending the time you hold each move, rather than repeating the sequence multiple times. That’s because it’s designed to start out more invigorating and then become more relaxing toward the end, so doing several rounds of it from the top might negate the chill-out aspects, she explains.
Ready to unwind and loosen up this Thanksgiving? Here’s an awesome five-move stretch sequence that can tick both boxes!
The Workout
What you need: You may want a yoga mat for comfort, but otherwise all you need is your bodyweight! (And enough room where you can stretch out).
Exercises
- Standing Cat-Cow
- Downward Dog
- Dead Bug
- Glute Bridge
- Figure Four
Directions
Do the following moves in the order listed below. For each, follow the prescribed number of reps or hold for the duration of time listed.
