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BY: LBL Team

3 Lunch Break Workouts That Deliver Results

Want to get in better shape, but you think you don’t have the time? Here are three lunch break workouts that will keep you fit and trim.

Thigh exercise

Requiring nothing but five minutes of your time, this exercise is separated into 40-second bursts and five-second breaks.

Ski squats

  • Stand straight
  • Bend all the way down with your legs together, exhaling on your way up

Sumo squats

  • Assume a ski -squat position
  • Spread your legs wide apart
  • Squat

Pop squats

  • Squat widely
  • Touch down in the middle with the opposite hand each time
  • Jump back up to starting position

This is followed by the squat hold, in which you sink down with your hands toward your chest, going down as low as you can.

Repeat these exercises until 5 minutes are up.

15-Minute Yoga

A great way to tone your entire body, yoga takes just 15 minutes a day.

  • Stand with your hands by your side and feet and hips distance apart
  • Draw your shoulders away from your ears and closer together on your back
  • Stack your hips, ribcage, and head in one vertical line
  • Take 10 gentle breaths
  • Roll your shoulders and neck
  • Inhale and lift your arms over your head
  • Lift from the sides of your waist and stretch up
  • Exhale as you take your arms out behind you at a 45-degree angle
  • Bend at your hips and extend your chest so your torso is elongated
  • Take your palms or fingertips to the ground and then crossing your forearms and holding opposite elbows with your hands
  • Let your head hang heavy and bend your knees
  • Lie on the ground with your knees on the floor and your back arched
  • Walk your hands to the front of the mat
  • Extend your arms
  • Keep your hips above your knees as you rest your forehead on the mat between your arms
  • Draw your shoulders onto your back, sending your heels toward the ground.

5-minute ab workout

  • Begin in a push-up position
  • Engage your core
  • Bend your elbows and lower body toward the floor and press back up
  • Bring your left knee to the outside of your left elbow and pause for two seconds
  • Return to starting position
  • Do another push-up
  • Bring your right knee to your right elbow
  • Return to start and do 30 reps

Plank jack

  • Straighten your body from head to heels
  • Lower your body toward the floor
  • Engage your core and bend your elbows
  • Straighten your arms and quickly jump your feet forward to outside of your hands
  • Jump back to previous position
  • Do 30 reps

Flying bridge pose

  • Sit with your knees bent, feet and hands on the floor by your hips
  • Push up with your knees over your ankles, your hands under your shoulders
  • Push back your lower hips between your arms until your legs are straightened and your weight is evenly distributed between your hands and feet
  • Bend your knees
  • Push your hips back up to the previous position

Tips for a healthy sack lunch

Exercising is only half the battle. The other half is eating healthy. Here are some tips for packing a healthier lunch for work:

  • When cooking dinner, make extras and pack up the leftovers.
  • Schedule a meal prep day in which you make large batches of healthy meals you like and divide them up to take to work during the week.
  • Pack your lunch before going to bed rather than in the morning.
  • Invest in some quality storage containers so your food always stays fresh.
  • Consider re-purposing leftovers to keep your taste buds happy. For instance, if you made tuna sandwiches the night before, try making a tuna salad for lunch.
  • Balance your lunches. Always eat one fruit, one vegetable, some protein, and a complex carbohydrate.
  • Pack foods you enjoy eating to stay motivated.

Break from the norm

Lunch break workouts are growing in popularity — and for good reason. You can easily burn fat in just under 30 minutes a day.

References

  1. “10 Lunchtime Workouts Under 30 Minutes,” Self, December 14, 2013.
  2. “20-Minute Lean Mass Lunchtime Workout,” Muscle & Fitness, March 27, 2015.
  3. “The Ultimate Lunch-Hour Workout,” Fitness, February 4, 2009.
  4. “Want to Work Out at Lunch? Here’s How to Do It in Under 60 Minutes,” Health, May 24, 2016.
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