Anybody in here lift on your lunch break?

NorthCascades
NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I found a gym near work, I can walk there in five minutes, and they have a parking lot for rainy days.

Any office workers go to the gym at lunch? Has it even been an issue to come back to work in different clothes then you wore in the morning? And how is the rest of the work day after lifting?

Replies

  • trswallow
    trswallow Posts: 116 Member
    I've gone to the gym to lift, for yoga, and for aerobics/boot camp classes. I also regularly go for a run mid afternoon. I generally change into workout clothes and change back into my previous work clothes after my workout. I am in a small office and everyone knows I do it, but it has never been an issue.

    All offices are different and probably the biggest determining factor is what kind of work you do, do you have regular face-to-face meetings with clients, and are you going to cause your work area to smell like a sweaty gym locker room.

    Some workplaces encourage employees to workout or to at least take walking breaks because along with health benefits (i.e. insurance cost), it gives them a mental break and they are more focused when they return to work.

    It might not hurt to have a well thought out explanation of how you working out at lunch is beneficial to your employer, if you think it could be a problem.
  • pomegranatecloud
    pomegranatecloud Posts: 812 Member
    When I worked in an office that had a gym in it, I used to lift or run. I'd just change back into the same work clothes. Same with my coworkers who'd work out during lunch.
  • scorpio516
    scorpio516 Posts: 955 Member
    A few years ago, I went to the gym 4 lunches a week - twice to use the shower after a run, twice to lift. No issues. Two other guys went to their gyms thrice a week to swim or run.
    Last office, I had a corporate gym on the first floor of the building. I spent three lunches a week dodging pedestrians running through downtown Boston. Half the admin staff went to other gyms for classes.
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    I do sometimes, but I work at a gym, so it's not a huge deal for me. I have a locker and can shower after my workout, so being clean and all that is a non-issue. Stairs can be a problem after a big leg day, but that's the only "issue" I've walked into so far. But that's not specific to workout out on a lunch break.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    I did until very recently - being able to fit in training during the working week was a huge factor in favour of increasing my training volume.
    Had a very cooperative boss who agreed to swap 5 one hour breaks a week for 3 longer ones.

    Training invigorates me mentally which more than makes up for any physical fatigue.
  • FatWithFatness
    FatWithFatness Posts: 315 Member
    I used to, I always just changed into workout clothes and took a 5min shower at the end if I got sweaty.
  • MonkeyMel21
    MonkeyMel21 Posts: 2,396 Member
    I have in the past but one of our providers decided he wants to leave early so we all just work through lunch now :|

    When I did, I wore the same clothes. I would change in to my gym clothes, work out/take quick shower, put back on original work clothes (maybe a new pair a panties, lol). I always feel awesome the rest of the day!
  • Ironandwine69
    Ironandwine69 Posts: 2,432 Member
    I lift during my lunch break. I don't get super sweaty when I lift, so I only wash my body, put hair up in a ponytail and go back to work.
    I wear the same clothes back though, I take my gym clothes in a bag, change, workout, shower, out on the same clothes and back to work.
  • Nussbary
    Nussbary Posts: 34 Member
    NorthCascades wrote: »
    Has it even been an issue to come back to work in different clothes then you wore in the morning? And how is the rest of the work day after lifting?

    I go when I don't have lunch meetings, why do you need to change your clothes? take a shower and get dressed, then go back to work.
  • tjones0411
    tjones0411 Posts: 179 Member
    Nussbary wrote: »
    I go when I don't have lunch meetings, why do you need to change your clothes? take a shower and get dressed, then go back to work.

    Same here. Workout, shower, change back into my same work clothes. To answer the other part of your question, I feel fine for the rest of the day after lifting at lunch (or doing any other sort of workout), but I'm used to exercising before work anyway.

  • cs2thecox
    cs2thecox Posts: 533 Member
    I generally lift at lunchtimes too.
    Walk to gym, change in to gym clothes, lift, quick shower, back in to work clothes, walk back to the office.

    My hair and makeup might not be as good afterwards as they were in the morning as I always end up rushing back to my desk, but I can fix that easily enough if I have a meeting or something.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    Nussbary wrote: »
    NorthCascades wrote: »
    Has it even been an issue to come back to work in different clothes then you wore in the morning? And how is the rest of the work day after lifting?

    I go when I don't have lunch meetings, why do you need to change your clothes? take a shower and get dressed, then go back to work.

    Maybe just a shirt. I sweat a lot when I lift, and I bet it's going to be warm in the gym. Planning to find out in a few hours. :smile:
  • Nussbary
    Nussbary Posts: 34 Member
    NorthCascades wrote: »
    I sweat a lot when I lift, and I bet it's going to be warm in the gym. Planning to find out in a few hours. :smile:

    Me too, my wife thinks I shower with my clothes on. I guess my assumption is that you change INTO gym clothes, then after a shower put your work clothes back on. Most people facebook the entire lunch break, so no one will even notice - take advantage of it.
  • Grimmerick
    Grimmerick Posts: 3,342 Member
    I don't lift but I do core/resistance training downstairs at lunch. I take shower wipes if I get a little sweaty and change back into my clothes when I get back upstairs.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I was trying to do that far awhile on Tuesdays and Fridays, but my gym is a good 15 minutes from my office and I was having a hard time getting there and getting a workout done and cleaned up and back to work on time.

    Instead, I have worked out a schedule with my boss that I can work through my lunch hour and take my exercise contract time at 3:30...so I get to the gym around 3:45 and I'm done by 4:45 or 5:00 and then go pick up the kids from school.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    Years ago, I had a boss who felt like fitness was important and should be a priority for everyone. He loved it. He told me if I go to the gym at lunch, I could come back as late as I pleased. To bad I didn't take advantage back then.

    Current job will pay half the membership dues.
  • steelaxitute2127
    steelaxitute2127 Posts: 159 Member
    I actually do a little bit of cardio and lifting during my lunch break. Thankfully, my gym is in my office area (the perks of working for the local government), so I can just head down there after I change. As for after I'm done working out, I wash up a little and spray myself with some perfume. My coworkers all know that I workout during lunch and no one has complained about me smelling afterwards. Working out during my lunch definitely gives me a boost for the rest of the day, too.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    edited October 2017
    I have been lifting 2-4 days a week on my lunch break for the past 9 years. pretty much the only lifting I do now. I walk to the gym (3ish mins away) change into workout clothes, workout, change back and walk back, then eat at my desk as I use up my lunchtime gyming it up.

    I find working out at lunch helps get me through the rest of the day, and gives me something to look forward to in the morning.
  • Thehardmakesitworthit
    Thehardmakesitworthit Posts: 838 Member
    I just joined the gym 2 minutes from my office for this purpose only. I love it. Swap clothes, quick shower and back to the office in 55 minutes. Will do wonders for my continuity....
  • missjazminenicole
    missjazminenicole Posts: 379 Member
    I just shower and put the same work clothes back on after. No big thing.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    NorthCascades wrote: »
    Years ago, I had a boss who felt like fitness was important and should be a priority for everyone. He loved it. He told me if I go to the gym at lunch, I could come back as late as I pleased. To bad I didn't take advantage back then.

    Current job will pay half the membership dues.

    I'm upper level management and 3 or 4 years ago I talked to my boss about allowing people to sign a contract for 30 minutes of exercise 5x per week...we ended up going with 4x per week. Anyone is allowed to sign the contract, but as most of our people work with the public, it usually has to happen around the lunch hour. I don't really have any contact with the public so on Tues/Fri I work through lunch and head out around 3:30 unless there's something that has to happen at work.

  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    I'm a software developer on the west coast. I only have to interact with customers via email and it usually goes through the support team anyway. Occasionally we have people like the board or other companies we work with in our office, but we get a day's warning for that.

    Is there a point to workout clothes vs just bringing a fresh shirt? Half the team works in tee shirts, I'm part of that half.
  • CJ_Holmes
    CJ_Holmes Posts: 759 Member
    Yes, I sometimes bike over to the 24 hour fitness and do some lifting at lunch. I keep it simple, like squats overhead press so I can be back within an hour and not get super red and sweaty. I have to change into workout clothes since I wear a dress at work. :) I either rinse fast or just do some strategic baby wipes, since I'll be biking home after work and showering then.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,966 Member
    I wish. I only get 30 minutes for lunch :(
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    NorthCascades wrote: »
    I'm a software developer on the west coast. I only have to interact with customers via email and it usually goes through the support team anyway. Occasionally we have people like the board or other companies we work with in our office, but we get a day's warning for that.

    Is there a point to workout clothes vs just bringing a fresh shirt? Half the team works in tee shirts, I'm part of that half.

    Other than I don't like to workout in cotton, probably not...
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    Ok, the gym I had in mind gave me a bad feeling, so I wound up signing up for a slightly further but nicer one. Just had a good session.
  • ent3rsandman
    ent3rsandman Posts: 170 Member
    NorthCascades wrote: »
    I found a gym near work, I can walk there in five minutes, and they have a parking lot for rainy days.

    Any office workers go to the gym at lunch? Has it even been an issue to come back to work in different clothes then you wore in the morning? And how is the rest of the work day after lifting?

    All the time! Nobody really notices that I've changed clothes, and honestly I don't think I'd know if any of my coworkers came back dressed differently. The rest of my day is always golden after I've lifted, as long as I don't have to do anything physically strenuous. That's actually the main reason I prefer to go as early as possible.

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