Energize Election Night With Exercise

This has been a pretty intense election season. I would venture to guess that most of us can’t wait for it all to be over. Tomorrow is Election Day (go out and vote!) and for some people that means an election night party complete with some sort of blue state/red state game. Often these activities involve playing a not so healthy game like downing shots or chugging a beer - at least for young adults. Other games involve bets with not so appealing consequences to the loser.

In lieu of waking up with a massive hangover, or having to grow some ridiculous facial hair because your ‘team’ lost, I would like to offer a healthy (and not so humiliating) alternative to the typical election night coverage games. This alternative includes competition, endorphins, calorie burning and stress-busters! Not to mention it is family friendly. How can you say “no”?

Drum roll please…

Introducing the ‘Electoral Exercise Game’!!!! Ohhh, yeah…

Yes, I’m serious. If you’re going to be glued to the election coverage all night, why not get off the couch and get a workout in?!

How it works:

Basically, you pick an exercise, such as push-ups, jumping jacks, squats or burpees (depending on your fitness level) and every time the opposing candidate wins a state, you have to do as many repetitions of your selected exercise as that state has electoral votes. Make sense? For example, Illinois has 20 electoral votes, so that would be 20 reps. 

I promise, no matter what party you are rooting for, by the end of the night you will be feeling it! Talk about an energizing game!

Now if you really want to mix it up and add some intensity, you can say that every time you lose a state to the opposing candidate you have to perform a previously set number of reps (i.e. 25 or 50). That way you are working much harder throughout the evening. But, I would only recommend this for the more advanced exercise enthusiasts.

Maybe I think this is fun because I am a health and fitness nerd, but don’t knock it till you try it (I hope you will). So if you are up for the challenge and are able to exercise, this is the election night game for you!!!