Scheduling time for exercise can be hard. Sometimes with a busy schedule, squeezing in a quick lunchtime workout is the best way to get your exercise for the day. Here are some tips to get the most from your quick lunchtime workouts:
Keep workout clothes in your car.
Whether you have planned on working out today or not, it’s a good idea to be prepared for a spontaneous exercise session. It’s a terrible waste if you’re motivated to go work out at lunchtime, but you didn’t bring your gym clothes or shoes!
So keep a set ready to go in your car or in your desk at work, so you’re always prepared when the desire for a quick lunchtime workout strikes you.
Choose Your Workout Wisely.
There are two key factors for choosing a workout in the middle of the workday:
First, you’re more likely to be amenable to a spontaneous workout if it’s something that you actually enjoy. So pick a kind of exercise that’s fun for you — a quick jog, a yoga or Pilates class, a weight training circuit at the gym, a session of calisthenics from a YouTube video — whatever your jam is. (If you’re following along with workout videos, please be careful. There are a lot of lousy personal trainers and terrible exercise instruction on the internet.)
Second, if you’re leaving the office or house for a mid-day workout, pick somewhere that’s near you. You don’t want to spend 75% of your precious lunchtime workout getting to and from the gym!
Get an Exercise Accountability Buddy.
Midday workouts are prime candidates to lose to work excuses. Lists pile up, emails and phone calls need returned, deadlines loom. And Aunt Nancy just forwarded you another list of the 12 top cat videos on Facebook…
When you have a workout buddy, you’ll each block off time on the calendar with no chance of backing out. Having an appointment with a personal trainer is a great accountability tool. Canceling on your workout buddy is a lot tougher than simply telling yourself you’ll get one tomorrow while you dive into more paperwork.
Bring Lunch For A Quick Post-Workout Meal.
Working out during your lunch hour should never replace actually eating lunch. Taking a few minutes the night before (or before you leave in the morning) to prepare a healthy protein-and-vegetable combination for lunch will ensure that you get all the nutrition you need to recover from your workout. Good food will also help you make it through the dreaded afternoon energy crash, and help you avoid cravings during the rest of the workday.
If you’d like to schedule a lunchtime workout with a personal trainer, we can work with you in Nashville, Cool Springs, Antioch, or even in your home or office. Contact Basics and Beyond for top-notch personal training and nutrition help.