157696894webAccording to Nuffield Health, one of the secrets to increased energy might be a lunchtime work out.

From Able Magazine #109 (January/February 2014), by Tom Jamison

Check out Part 1 here.

Experts share top tips for fitting in a lunchtime workout and still having time for lunch:

There are many advocates of the lunchtime workout, or as many call it, the express workout, but how do you fit a workout, and lunch into one hour? And if you do, does the short 20-30 minute workout really make that much difference to your health? Nuffield Health experts, Jackie Donkin, nutritional therapist and Aaron Benn, personal trainer at Nuffield Health Fitness & Wellbeing Centre Birmingham suggest turning the lowly lunch break from a soggy sandwich in to a power hour.

Make your lunch break a power hour! 

If like most people you get an hour for lunch, break it down into segments and use your time accordingly. Use 20 – 30 minutes for your exercise activity and the remaining 30 -40 minutes to get ready and eat your lunch. Jackie, says; “Make your lunch the night or morning before, this will free up your time during your lunch break and means you don’t have to stand in the busy lunch queue or end up eating non-healthy foods, which can make you feel sluggish and lacking energy.” Jackie suggests; “For a nice healthy lunch try a lean turkey wrap. Take a couple of turkey slices, half an avocado, a couple of sun dried tomatoes, a small amount of crumbled feta and a handful of spinach and wrap in a wholegrain tortilla. Or try steaming a salmon fillet the night before and placing it in a lunch box with a large handful of spinach with some lemon and pepper. Meals like this are rich in protein and provide a good supply of the amino acids needed for good muscle recovery.”

A short work out could help you live longer.

A recent survey by Nuffield Health and the London School of Economics shows that the average person in the UK needs to do 12 minutes more exercise a day in order to achieve the government recommended 150 minutes of exercise a week.

The research shows that a staggering seven in 10 (70%) of adults do not meet the recommended amount of exercise a week. It suggests that by ‘moving more’ – people can lower their cholesterol (by 6%) and risk of high blood pressure (by 4%), cut the risk of lifestyle related diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, while controlling their weight. Active people are not only 7% less likely to be obese, but they also reduce their risk of poor mental health by 6%.

Aaron, comments: “I understand the needs of my members and for many that need is to fit exercise into a relatively busy day with limited spare time. Therefore we work on providing a variety of express classes and exercise programmes that are effective and time efficient. Lunch time is perfect for this as it is often an underused part of the day and the perfect time to release some stress and kick start energy.”

Is a quick work out a good workout? 

Aaron, says: “Exercise is good for you and unless you have any underlying health concerns, being active is a must. We offer all our members comprehensive health MOT’s before they start their journey with us. If you have any concerns about exercising, do speak to a GP or medical professional before starting any exercise regimes.”

Ideally, a quick lunch workout should be one that incorporates all of the big muscle groups. For this, Aaron suggests: “At Nuffield Health we host 30 minute group PT classes on a large multi-functional training system called SYNRGY360™. The SYNRGY360™ has a series of different attachments on it, which we get members to use in a circuit style format, one area focuses on arms, another core, another focuses on legs and so on. This style of workout can be adapted to the individual. A similar workout can be achieved by using free weights and weight machines in your local gym, speak to a professional about your goals and they will be able to help you plan a quick routine that includes both cardio and strength training.”

Stuck at your work with no gym in sight? 

Simply getting outside and enjoying some fresh air can be good for the body. If you don’t have time to exercise, simply focus on taking some time away from your work to relax, get some oxygen to the lungs and where possible take in some vitamin D.

Look out for Part 3 next Wednesday!