and raise them again. Repeat. Nobody will know
you’re tightening your core during that Thurs-
day afternoon conference call.
Hurdle: There’s no gym nearby, but there
is a little park
Since there’s no gym, there’s probably no show-
er. But your building has a restroom where you
can change clothes, and you have access to
some pleasant outdoor space. So what should
be your go-to non-sweaty move?
Try some yoga. Dr. Jodi Ashbrook, founder of
The Yoga Movement, says, “Choose a small
space to claim as your own.” Then pull out your
phone and stream a quick 15-minute yoga rou-
tine. Yoga lets you stretch out and tone muscles
that have tightened from sitting down for long
periods, allows you to connect with your breath-
ing and the fresh air, and, as Ashbrook says,
helps you to “find your zen amidst the corpo-
rate chaos.”
Hurdle: You work from home and have
no equipment
You’re the perfect candidate for exercising at
lunchtime. You have an onsite shower and your
change of clothes is right down the hall. NYC-
based personal fitness trainer Michelle Gabriele
says all you need is your own body weight, a
bit of space, and some good tunes. Here’s a
quick all-rounder that she recommends:
Warmup: Start by doing some “old school
jumping jacks,” she says. Get your heart pump-
ing with 30-40 in a set.
Quads and glutes: Go from jumping jacks
straight into 15-20 jump squats to work the
lower body and target your glutes.
Chest and core: Drop into push ups, army style
on your toes or with legs crossed at the knees.
Abs: Finish up with 15-20 butterfly crunches
to tone your middle.
Bonus move – triceps: If you are feeling
strong and want to keep going, try 15-20 tricep
dips on the edge of a kitchen chair.
Complete this rotation three times and take
your time. “Feel the burn,” Gabriele says. “Do
slow reps, keep motivated and switch up these
moves three to four times weekly.”
Hurdle: You can change into trainers, but
not get sweaty
You have no shower handy and no means of
changing clothes, so you’re stuck in your pro-
fessional attire. Not a problem.
“Getting a workout in doesn’t mean you have
to get sweaty,” says Janis Isaman, owner of
My Body Couture. “Go for a walk. Aim for
15,000 steps; that’s an active day.” To take it
up a notch, she suggests grabbing a TRX
suspension trainer and a tree.
Hurdle: There’s a gym down the road, but
you’re sceptical about time
There’s a gym five minutes away? Great! Oh,
but you think there’s not enough time for a
meaningful workout? Don’t worry; most fitness
experts agree that a solid 30-minute workout
is sufficient.
Primal Power Fitness owner James Shapiro
recommends a combination of machines, free
weights, and your own body weight. Just re-
member to leave time to recover. “The last
thing you want to do is go heavy,” says Shapiro,
“and come back to the office without a proper
cool down.”
Amy Goodson, a registered dietitian who works
with professional athletes, agrees that thirty
minutes can be plenty. Her own plan, The One-
Hour Lunch Break, requires getting ready quick-
ly, spending thirty minutes exercising, taking
ten minutes to freshen up afterwards, then
relaxing with a healthy packed lunch brought
from home.
Imagine that. You can use your lunch break to
exercise and still have fifteen minutes to eat.
ISSUE #06 | 2018 | SkinHealthMagazine.com 35