Exercise at Lunchtime

Exercise your lunchbreak options

Using your lunchtime to do some exercise has so many great advantages.

For a start, it stops you 'vegging out' at your desk and playing computer games. You can also try to get a bit fitter and lose weight (if that's your objective). On top of all that, you'll start to feel good about yourself and break out of the lunchtime rut.

So, now we've got the reasons out of the way, just how dedicated have you got to be?

Well, you don't need to join a trendy gym to get a bit of exercise in your valuable lunch hour (although if you want to then fine). Just remember, lots of people join gyms and pay a subscription and then never use them - so why not start exercising before you join one?

Ah, you say, 'but what happens if I'm working in some out of the way place, somewhere where there's no local leisure centre or park? Well, never fear! There's plenty you can do anywhere and almost anyhow!

Keep it simple

The best way to benefit from working out - whether it's exercising for weight loss or not - is to make up your own simple exercise programme. And that's why lunchtime's are so good.

Using lunch breaks means you can make small, regular changes that will actually add up to much better results than you would achieve by going at it all at once.

If you're on a large industrial estate, why not work out some jogging or cycling routes round the perimeter? If you've got a car park - or any open spaces nearby, you can go jogging or take power walks a few times a week and get results more steadily. If you can get some friends together it makes it much more fun.

Once you have done some circuits for a week or so, try to improve your time - or make the course a little longer or harder.

Of course, it helps if you can find somewhere you can have a wash and brush-up afterwards. If there isn't somewhere obvious see if you can get your company to invest in a small shower in the loos - or maybe someone you know lives nearby who'll loan you their bathroom for a small return favour?

Other workout ideas

There are plenty of excellent basic workouts that you can achieve in a small room or outside the office without requiring any equipment.

These are where you use your body for 'resistance' and are called...resistance exercises (clever that). You will be able to do these workouts no matter where you are.

All you need is a stop watch, some space to move around without scaring anybody and a bit of commitment.

At first you need to warm up so you could go for a light walk or even a very gentle jog. After this you can choose from a whole load of resistance exercises, such as sit-ups, push-ups, squat- jumps, even skipping! The idea of the stop watch is to try and give yourself a few minutes on each exercise and then lengthen the time, the fitter you get.

The rules are always to make sure you don't overdo it and stop if you're going a nasty shade of purple! Overdoing it isn't clever and actually won't do you any good. That's why the phrase 'little and often' is the way to go.

So, there are no excuses. You can get plenty of exercise during your lunchtime, you just have to be a bit committed - and if you live somewhere incredibly boring - a little bit imaginative.  You'll be using you lunch break to keep yourself in shape, especially if combined with a healthy diet and you will soon find yourself losing a bit of weight in the process. Come on, it's what your lunch break's for.

 

To make the most of your newly inspired lunchtime exercise routine enter our Fitness First competition where you can win a years gym membership!