You know me I always believe that where there is a will there is indeed a way. Maybe training during your lunch hour isn’t ideal, it might feel rushed and it might feel like an inconvenience. However, if you are going to achieve a figure which makes you feel proud, sexy and healthy then it might well be your only option. A lot of women these days don’t have enough time either end of the day to workout – maybe parental duties, work commitments or even socialising taking priority.

I get it, you are probably thinking how can you possibly get to the gym, get changed, get a workout done which is effective and then get showered and ready for work again – all in 60 minutes?! Well I have done this on and off for years, really it is no big deal so get rid of that concern right away.

Nevertheless it does take planning and more than anything else the workout needs to be short, sharp and sweet. The intensity needs to be there from the get go and if it is, by the end of your training session you will soon realise you don’t need as long as you maybe first thought.

Training smart is the name of the game; quality and time spent training are not necessarily synonymous with one another. For example, you might spend 60 minutes in an “aerobics” class down the local gym and feel as though you could do it again. In contrast, you will get to the 30^th minute of my lunch time workout and feel grateful it is over. Never overlook this point, quality over quantity every time.

Whilst we are on the subject, what does quality look like?

1. Enhanced calorie burning capabilities around the clock
2. As much “intensity” done in as short a time span as possible
3. Focused training to achieve a specific goal

All of these points are crucial to an effective lunch time workout; after all you don’t have all evening to get the job done. So this is what I am going to do, first of all I will share with you my lunch time workout for the entire body. Then I shall cover 3 key points to explain why you are expected to follow it to the letter.

Lunch Time Workout Guidelines

1. Complete 4-5 circuits
2. Perform 10-12 reps per exercise
3. Use a 4 second negative on each repetition
4. Rest for 20 seconds between each exercise
5. Rest 60-90 seconds between each circuit
6. Use as much weight as you can handle
7. Do not do this routine 2 days in a row

Total Body

1. Squats
2. Deadlifts
3. Dumbbell bench press
4. Overhead dumbbell press
5. Bent over barbell rows

I know what you are thinking “that doesn’t seem too bad, surely 40 minutes on the cross-trainer is much better?” Here is why I want you to train this way:

Rule 1 – Time Under Tension

A power phrase often championed by world renowned trainer Charles Poliquin, time under tension is the ultimate tool to blitz body fat and quickly reshape your figure. By spending more time lowering the weight (think 4 second negatives) you are increasing the amount of time across the workout that your muscle fibres and body are working for. As a result, you will burn more calories. However, this doesn’t just mean during the workout. This is where the magic happens. Training like this will help create something known as the “afterburn effect” or properly known as EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption). Simply put the body has to repay the oxygen deficit created from the workout and as a result it increases your calorie expenditure for the next 24+ hours.

Rule 2 – Rep Ranges Count

By now you know I advocate getting amongst the weights in the gym and I would also like you to flirt with lower rep ranges from time to time. Daring to pick a weight which causes you to fail between 10-12 (or at least struggle) won’t make you “hulk” up but it will help you burn unwanted body fat. The stimulus this rep range gives means that you will be hormonally better equipped to use certain nutrients and it also means certain hormones will become more active. Growth hormone and testosterone are the two key ones here, both essential for fat loss. Again, let me reiterate there will be no getting huge so don’t panic.

Rule 3 – Time Is Precious

Remember this is a lunch time workout, it needs to be quick. I am looking to get you the most bang for your buck. Relate back to my earlier point, quality over quantity every time. The overall effect this workout will have on your body in comparison to parking yourself on a cardio machine for 30-40 minutes is so superior.

This is one less excuse on the list. Don’t say “I don’t have time” and instead say “I will do it in my lunch hour”. There will even be enough time after to get a quick health loaded snack in post-workout.