Before becoming a fitness enthusiast, I thought a workout was only legitimate if it lasted at least an hour, left me drenched in sweat, and had me sore for days on end. I am SO glad I outgrew that mindset, or else I don’t think I’d have ever gotten in shape! Now, I will squeeze in 20 minute workouts here, 15 minute workouts there, and I’ll even squeeze in a quick lunch workout here and there! If just thinking about doing ab exercises in your cubicle has you squeamish, allow me to introduce some amazing reasons to carve out some time each day for even just a few minutes of exercise!
I’m the queen of no excuses, and today I’ll be sharing three weight loss and strength workouts that you can squeeze in on your lunch break–no matter if you’re a mom, a CEO, or both!
Benefits of Quick Workouts
In a perfect world, we’d have all the time we want to do things like get a full body workout in, make home cooked meals three times a day, and go to the spa like it’s nobody’s business. However, we live on planet earth in reality, and sometimes we need to make do with what we’ve got.
Getting a quick workout in during the day is better than no workout at all! Imagine thinking that five minutes of ab exercises is pointless. Maybe if you’re looking at a single day, but what about if you look at it on a year-long scale? If you were to do five minutes of abs three times per week for a year, that would be 13 hours of ab exercises! Now does it seem pointless?
Not only do short workouts add up over time, but they will also improve mental strength. So even if you squeeze in one of the quick lunch workout routines I’m going to share, I promise they will be worth it–for body and mind.
3 Quick Lunch Break Workouts For Weight Loss & Strength
These simple, but effective lunch workout exercises are going to help you lose unwanted weight, and build strength! You can adjust the amount of reps you do, depending on how much time you’re willing to spend on them, but even just a few rounds will leave you feeling accomplished!
1. Core Crusher
For a great core workout, you don’t need any equipment, and you don’t need much time either! For this quick core crusher, all you need is a place to lay on your back. The key to this set of exercises is to keep your low back glued to the floor or mat. Imagine sucking your belly button down towards the ground the entire time. Even if it makes your movements smaller, you’re targeting your core more!
Exercise 1: Reverse tabletop
- Laying on your back, send your arms up towards the ceiling, and bring your legs bent so that your ankles are in line with your knees, and your knees are stacked over your hips. From here, send your right arm over head behind you, hovering above the ground, while your left leg extends long in front of you, also hovering above ground. Return back to neutral, and switch to the other side. Do this slowly and controlled. 5-10x each side
Exercise 2: Low boat hold
- Starting in the same position as above, send both arms and both legs out long, hovering above the ground. Keep your low belly glued to the mat! Hover and hold for 30 seconds. The lower you hover, the harder it gets! You should be shaking by the end of it!
Complete: 1-4 rounds
2. Booty Blaster
Exercise 1: Heel lift sumo squat
- Step your feet out wide and sit low into a sumo squat. Your toes should be pointed to about 11 and 1 o’clock. Keep your chest tall, and your shoulders rolled back. Your hands can land on your hips or clasped in front of your body. Staying low, come up onto the ball of your right foot, lifting your heel, then lowering back down. Switch sides. Do 5-10x each side
Exercise 2: Heel lift hold sumo squat
- Starting in the same position as above, lift both heels up and pulse even lower into your squat. Make the pulses very small, lifting no more than an inch up and down. Take it slow and controlled. Repeat about 5-10x.
Complete: 1-4 rounds
3. Shoulder Shredder
Exercise 1: Upright row
- Standing up straight, bring your hands stacked over one another in front of your body. Slide your elbows up high, as if swiping the front of your body with your stacked hands, and rise all the way up until you need to lift your shoulders. Keep your shoulders rolled down and back, and repeat 5-10x, adding weight if you’d like. Protip: keep your core tight and strong for added toning!
Exercise 2: Lateral raise
- Start standing up straight with your arms by your side. Slowly lift your arms up to a T, until your fingers are at shoulder height. Hold for a second, then slowly lower down to your sides. This may seem simple, but the key to the burn here is to go as slowww as possible. Repeat about 5-10x, adding weight if you’d like.
Complete: 1-4 rounds
