Should You WorkOut During Your Lunch Break?
By All American Fitness
For busy people who struggle to find time to exercise, working out over your lunch break makes excellent sense. You may have a full hour or more available for a lunch break that you may be thinking about using as gym time. However, before you determine that this plan will work well for your schedule, think through a few important points.
HOW LONG WILL YOU BE EXERCISING?
If you are going to exercise during your lunch break, you need to ensure that you have an adequate amount of time to do so. A 30 to 45-minute workout may be great, but you also have to factor in time to actually eat lunch, to get to and from the gym and to shower. For some people, a midday workout is not ideal, and it may be more practical to hit the gym on your way home from work later. The length of your workout and where you plan to exercise are both important factors when analyzing timing.
HOW FAR AWAY IS THE GYM?
Similar to the above topic, your commute to the gym also needs to be taken into consideration. Is your gym of choice a few blocks away, or is it a 15-minute drive with traffic? Are you willing to switch to a gym that is closer than your usual haunt? Every minute of your lunch break counts, so you want to spend as little time traveling as possible.
ARE YOU ABLE TO CLEAN UP?
Working out can make you a sticky, smelly mess. Your hair may be completely matted with sweat after a very strenuous workout. You generally need access to a shower after working out so that you can get cleaned up. You should pack a bag with your personal hygiene items as well as fresh undergarments, if necessary. Ensure that you leave plenty of time to dry and style your hair, and women may also need to apply makeup.
MAINTAINING MOTIVATION
As with any workout routine, you’ll only reap the benefits if you can stick to it. Many gym-goers use a pre-workout powdered drink to get a boost of energy. You can prepare your drink in a shaker bottle in the morningand keep it in the fridge at your office until you are ready, or simply keep a container of the powder at your desk. Shortly before your lunch break, you can start drinking your pre-workout beverage so that you are feeling motivated and ready to go.