How to Go to the Gym on Your Lunch Break (Without Looking and Smelling Gross)
A lunchtime workout is a more productive way to spend an hour than cyberloafing at your desk. But it can also leave you pretty stinky. (Getty Images)
It’s a nice feeling of accomplishment that comes from squeezing in a workout during a lunch break. For myself in particular, I’ve started sneaking barre workouts into my day, since they make me feel good about myself, increase my energy levels and help me keep those extra pounds off.
But there is a downside to a mid-day sweat session: the inevitable sweaty hair, running makeup and gorilla-like smell — and then going back to your desk less-than-“fresh.” Fortunately, there are solutions. I asked leading fitness experts for the clever tricks they use, since they deal with this issue day in and day out. Below, some tips to look as awesome as you feel after a workout:
Scent with essential oils
Perfume can turn headache-inducing when mixed with sweat. AKT InMotion founder Anna Kaiser discovered that essential oils work more naturally with body chemistry. After her heart-pounding cardio classes, Kaiser dabs a few drops of essential oils on her wrists and directly on her ponytail strands (her favorite is Tata Harper). “The aroma is calming and never over-powering, plus it recalibrates your energy levels as you come off the adrenaline rush post-workout,” she says.
Related: 6 Moves for Slimmer Hips and Thighs
Make dry shampoo your best friend
For me, figuring out the hair situation was essential for success – and the good news is that your hair can look even better after you hit class. Whether in spray form or powder, dry shampoo is like a shower in a can. But here’s the trick: A hit to roots and hairline before you work out will absorb sweat so that your locks don’t go limp. Afterward, I flip my hair over and blast sweat with a hair dryer, followed by a good once-over with dry shampoo again. The result is volume and a tousled texture that locks in body, and I very often get more compliments on my hair after I work out than before.
Use body heat as a styler
Barre3 founder Sadie Lincoln has an easy method for getting sexy beach waves after her invigorating studio sessions: She simply twists two low buns at the base of the hairline and secures with bobby pins. “The mix of higher body temperature and sweat sets the buns for waves,” explains Lincoln. Afterward, she slips the pins out and quickly blow-dries hair if needed to refresh. “Then I enjoy my waves for the rest of the day,” she says. You can also try a braided bun or ponytail for similar results.
Do something other than cardio
If you hate perspiring, mid-day workouts don’t have to be a deal-breaker. “You don’t need a killer sweat session to get great results,” says Ballet Beautiful founder Mary Helen Bowers, who trains Victoria’s Secret models with her elegant moves that build up heat without a lot of perspiration. Instead, consider toning, mat-based workouts that involve small pulsing isometric movements that hone in on specific areas like the inner and outer thighs, arms and abs. Commit to these workouts a few times a week in order to reap the benefits, and get in your cardio blasts another time by taking the stairs or getting in a brisk walk.
Related: 10 Myths You Shouldn’t Believe About Hair Loss in Women
Wear gym-to-work clothes
Unlike the sweatpants of yesteryear, today’s activewear is both comfy and stylish — and that’s a good thing for lunchtime gymgoers. Bowers wears her sweetheart-neckline leotard to class with leggings, and then slips on a high-waisted skirt or trousers for the office with heels. Look for fabrics that easily layer and offer full coverage (and please do a bend-over test in front of a mirror to avoid flashing your leopard-print underwear to the world.) If wearing leggings outside the gym, keep things modest by covering your bum with a longer tunic-style top.
Wipe and swipe
When you need to get rid of sweat and smeared makeup and don’t have access to a sink, on-the-go towelettes can be a lifesaver. Radio City Rockette Jessica Osborne cools off from bright lights and high kicks with Pond’s Wet Cleansing Towelettes, while Lincoln and I both refresh with Burt’s Bees wipes.
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