Eat the bird, then feel the burn -- at no cost

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By late this afternoon there’s a good chance your gut will be groaning from the pound of mashed potatoes and the better part of a pumpkin pie you ingested. While your inclination might be to sleep off that food coma tomorrow, we have a better idea: go work out. For free.

Several area gyms are open for free to non-members the day after Thanksgiving and through the weekend, the better to help you burn off some of those billion calories. It may even inspire you to get a jump start on the whole New Year’s resolution thing.

‘The holidays are a notorious time of year to pack on pounds,’ says Dave Reiseman, vice president of communications for Gold’s Gym, ‘so we wanted to give consumers a fun way to battle the bulge. Our message is to enjoy your Thanksgiving meal, but along with that turkey and mashed potatoes and gravy, come get an extra serving of cardio, squats and yoga.’

Here are a few places where you can treadmill to your heart’s content, or crank out a few bicep curls. If nothing else, it’ll get you in shape for trolling the malls. And if you want to know exactly how much exercise you need to do to burn off what you ate, check out this blog post that spells it out.

Total Woman Gym & Day Spa: This gym for gals only has 10 locations in Southern California and is opening its doors to nonmembers from Friday to Sunday. Facilities are stocked with cardiovascular and strength training equipment, and group exercise classes are offered.

Gold’s Gym: ‘Trim the Fat Friday’ is what Gold’s calls their workout-for-free day (for local residents with ID). This offer also goes from Friday to Sunday, and trainers and nutrition experts will lend guidance on how to avoid the pitfalls of gluttony this season. Note to members: Some Gold’s Gyms are open today, so do a pre-gorging workout and enjoy the holiday guilt-free.

24-Hour Fitness: Gyms are open to nonmembers from Friday through Sunday at all of the chain’s 400-plus locations. Club amenities vary--some have pools, some don’t, etc.--but you’ll be able to feel the burn regardless.

So go sweat, and take it easy on the leftovers.

-- Jeannine Stein