Workout on Your Lunch Break Without Being a Sweaty Mess
It’s nearly lunch hour and you have already had a busy workday. Your energy levels have dropped and the ham and cheese croissant at your favourite cafe beckons.
Although it is nice and cosy to be tucked away with a coffee, it is only a short term pick me up that will leave you tired later on.
Without spending too much time there is a way you can refuel and get those endorphins pumping to power you through the afternoon. So don’t let the cooler weather or the prospect of becoming a sweaty mess put you off.
Here are five ways to fit in a lunchtime workout into your working day:
There is no better way to improve your quality of life than the health benefits you receive from walking:
It’s a free and easy way to achieve some cardio during your lunch hour. Simply grab a friend and go!
Set some fitness goals to do a lap of your workplace and build from there. The physical activity of a brisk walk is a perfect midday workout to increase your heart rate and get weight loss benefits. No gym bag required!
According to the Department of Health if all Australians did an extra 15 minutes of brisk walking five days a week it would reduce disease potentially caused by inactivity. So you don’t even have to go too far to fit a walk into your lunch break workout.
Yoga is another lunchtime workout option to warm-up in the cooler months:
Cycling is a perfect way to give you a good cardio session to increase your heart rate in your lunch time workout:
Cycling uses every muscle group so burns carbs and enhances weight loss. A friend to chat to will make a great workday option if you have little time for discussing the weekend during the day!
If you have capacity you can even to cycle to work or get your bike to work on the train. Always go at your own pace and if you do any high intensity interval training, don’t forget to cool-down.
Cycling is free, it improves your overall health and reduces traffic and is great for the environment.
If the weather is an issue, you could always do a mini workout if you have a spare office available in your workplace even if there is no locker room:
At the end of your lunch break always allow enough time to cool down. This is as important as the warm up:
Do some stretching in your post-workout. It is important to stretch every muscle group. Try to ensure the upper body has a good stretch particularly if you have done any strength training or pushups.
You can easily bring a workout band to work to assist with stretching. Try placing a band over your foot and do some lunges to get a good stretch in the quadriceps.
Really enjoy your cool down and take your time, you deserve it!
Now that you are ready to go back to work you will be pleasantly surprised post-workout that not too much time is needed to achieve your fitness goals.
Really your only limit not taking that first step forward. Change up the routine from time to time so that you include a range of activities.
After spending some of your lunch break exercising you will glow for the rest of the day. There is no need to spend hours in the gym to get the health benefits in both mind and body. Don’t forget the body wipes and deodorant and you will never be a sweaty mess!