I've started a new job recently and for the next year I'm a trainee and so I wil be switching offices every 3 months. I just started my current rotation and the building I'm in has a gym and happened to have a 3 month fall special so I joined. Because my new job is kind of far away from where I live and I take the train in to work every day I don't have a lot of time but I plan to go to the gym every day over lunch at least. That gives me 30-45 minutes of exercise each day. Does anyone have any suggestions on the best way to spend those 30+ minutes at the gym. Yesterday was the 1st day I went and I did 30 minutes on the elliptical. I was thinking of doing cardio Mon, Wed, Fri. and circuit training on Tues. & Thurs. I know this probably isn't enough exercise but I figured it's a start. I also plan to do an exercise tape 2-3 nights a week after work. Thanks in advance for your help!

Hi Mayday

It sounds good to me! That's pretty close to what I do (elliptical 30 - 45 minutes 3 times a week & weight training 30 minutes 3 times a week). Some people may say more than that is better, but IMO if that is the schedule that fits into your life best, then you'll do it -- and that's the most important thing . You should always take a day off between weight sessions to give your muscles a chance to recover, so 2 - 3 days a week is excellent.



Editing now to add: Since you'll be doing this over your lunch hour, make sure you have a good breakfast and then a snack about 2 hours (or 90 minutes or so) before you go to the gym. And -- of course -- bring a nice lunch for afterwards! I always worry about people who go to the gym on their lunch hour because you still need to eat, right?

Luckily the way my office is set up I can eat my lunch at my desk when I get back from working out and no one really notices. I definitley wouldn't go without lunch! Have you been able to lose weight with the schedule you're on? My main goal is to be healthy but I also have some extra pounds that I'd love to lose.

Another question, when I joined this gym a personal trainer took me around and he gave me a list of circuit training machines to start out with and I'm to do 15 reps on each. The problem is he only started me on about 4 or 5 machines plus sit-ups and doing 15 reps of each only took me 15 minutes and that's basically because I'm learning how to work the machines. Do you think this is enough? I still had 15-20 minutes left to workout so I got on the elliptical machine for the remaining time.

Thanks for your help!