PureGym, Quartermile: Lunch hour fitness

By Iain Sinclair, personal trainer, PureGym Quartermile

UK office workers spend the equivalent of five years of their lives sitting at their desks, according to recent research. That equates to 24 hours every week, and about 45 days a year.

The research also shows that on average, people spend 55 per cent of their working day sitting at their desks. 60 per cent of the people surveyed said they don’t even take a lunch break, choosing instead to eat at their desks. With these findings in mind, it’s hardly surprising that more than half of office workers are worried about their weight.

The long-term effects of sitting down all day can include an increased risk of heart disease and certain cancers. Even in the short term, it changes the way your body deals with fats and thus leads to weight gain.

Before you assume that you don’t have time to fit exercise in your working day, you may be surprised to find out that there is a very effective workout that takes just 20 minutes to complete. 

A HIIT workout

High intensity interval training (HIIT) is a highly effective training method that only takes between 20 to 25 minutes to complete. It is a great exercise regime for when you are short on time, and if done correctly, it burns calories and improves cardiovascular fitness. Our blog post from earlier this year provides a step-by-step guide on how to complete the perfect HIIT workout.

Even if you don’t have to go to the gym during your lunch break, you could perhaps set up an office-based circuit and get your colleagues involved! If you do decide to do a circuit like this, I’d recommend starting off by doing each exercise for 35 seconds and taking a 45 second rest after completing the circuit, and then repeating it continuously for 20 minutes.

A healthy diet

It’s important to remember that a balanced diet also plays a huge part in a maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Eating small amounts of food at regular intervals helps to speed up metabolism and prevents you from feeling the urge to reach for sugary snacks to boost your energy levels.

A healthy diet and exercise work hand in hand to give you more energy and decrease stress levels. Exercise contributes to the increase of serotonin production, which elevates mood and increases levels of happiness. Even doing small amounts of exercise will lead to a healthier, happier you!

Many people find it difficult to find the motivation to make lifestyle changes that include more exercise and a healthier diet. That’s why it is a good idea to consider working alongside a personal trainer, who can help you stay focused and achieve your goals.

PureGym, Quartermile, offers a wide range of classes each day, some of which run during the lunchtime period, giving our members the chance to squeeze in a quick workout in their busy schedules.

PureGym at Quartermile is one of the busiest gyms in Edinburgh because of the incentives we offer. You don’t have to sign a contract and we have 24/7 opening times. To find out more visit the website www.puregym.com/gyms/Edinburgh or call 0845 077 3256 to speak to the manager, Colin Ferrie.