Thanksgiving is in 12 days. Twelve. And I am dreading it. On the dread continuum, being a scale from 1-10, I'd say it was a 427. Everyone who has battled the bulge knows EXACTLY what I'm talking about when I say...or scream: "I DON'T WANT TO SPEND ANOTHER HOLIDAY FAT!!!" Here's the thing...I was once an only child who now has to share her turkey, fixins', and holiday cheer with six step siblings, all very tall, svelte and athletic. Oh, and married with ginormous houses and families to fill them. And here I come, 5'4" on a good day, STILL wearing the fat girl uniform for the umpteenth holiday in a row. Oh, and I'm 36 and single...which people tend to equate with leprocy. You wouldn't believe the amount of unsolicited dating advice I get on a daily basis. And not usually from family...more from co-workers, small children, even my dentist. Next year...I'm going to hire someone to pose as my boyfriend for the holidays. And pay him extra for lots of PDAs. Ho Ho Ho.
Here is what I AM looking forward to about Thanksgiving, though. Boxer abs. It's not really called boxer abs but Britney Spears demonstrated it on Ellen's show a few years ago and that's what she called it. It's more commonly referred to as leg throws. Anyway...it is an exercise that requires two people. Mom in Texas = Person #2. It's my favorite exercise because a)it is a partner exercise, b)it usually involves laughing, which takes your attention off the grueling pain and ridiculous face you're making and c)you feel it for several days afterwards.
Here's how it works. You lie down on your back, arms outstretched. Your partner, reluctantly at first, stands above you and puts one foot on either side of you, arm pit level (There are pit-free variations, where your partner stands slightly behind you, but I'm a little too short for this to work). Now, you wrap your arms around their feet. Here's where the magic begins. Keeping your back on the floor, you bring your legs up so your partner can grab your feet. Then, they throw your legs back down to the ground. And it's your job (actually your abs' job) to keep your feet from hitting the floor. Do this about 100 times...hopefully your partner is counting because you are focusing on keeping your head and abs from shooting off your body...and voila, you feel like you could conquer the world. After a nap, of course.
As a picture is worth a thousand words, and YouTube is worth exponentially more than that, here is a clip to illustrate.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTy1J5Iyxq4
It's a slight variation, mind you, but I chose it for the hot Englishman. PS...I think I'll contact him to see if he'll be my date next Thanksgiving. After the dishes are done, we'll drop to the floor and demonstrate our leg throws. Everyone will whisper "Look how in love they are. And what great abs they have!"
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And who said those Brits didn't have a sense of humor. Good luck on the Leg Throws!