A few months ago, I decided I wanted to lose a couple of pounds and tone up some areas of my body.
To keep my busy work schedule intact while fitting in some fitness, I started working out during my lunch break.
The idea of working out during lunch came to me when I was in grad school and one of my peers had an insanely fit physique. I mean homegirl's arms were looking like Angela Bassett from the Tina Turner film.
Anxious to turn my boring arms into arms of steel, I asked her what her workout routine and meal plan consisted of. In addition to scarfing down steel-cut oats, salads, chicken breasts, and veggies on the regular, she also worked out three times a day. She told me that she worked out once in the morning, once during lunch, and once after work.
At first, the idea of working out at midday seemed daunting. I would have rather devoured some Chipotle or Chinese take-out while watching the latest episode of Love & Hip Hop on my tablet during my break from the workday. However, the #bodygoals that I had for myself were still on my mind, and I knew I needed to get out of my comfort zone to get the results I wanted. How does the saying go? Oh yeah, sometimes you have to change your ways to receive change!
But in reality, squeezing in some cardio during my lunch break has been easier and more fulfilling than I imagined. Here is how I have personally benefited from my midday workouts.
I have a better body and more energy.
Although my arms are not quite like Tina Turner's and my six-pack is still M.I.A., my body has changed for the better. I have noticed that my legs look toner and feel stronger, and my energy level is amazingly high even at midday when people normally get fatigued.
I have more “me" time.
Getting a workout in at lunchtime gave me an extra hour of sleep in the morning (no more a.m. workouts!) and more time to work on my side hustle after work. Plus, working out during lunch allows me to avoid the early morning and after-work gym crowds, instead of wasting time waiting for the elliptical.
The best part? I can take advantage of more happy hours with friends after work. After all, it's not ideal or the smartest to workout after having margaritas, right?
I save money (and my waistline).
Before I started working out during lunch, I was spending a ton of money at Chipotle or Whataburger (yes I'm a Texas gal). Looking back at my bank account statement, I was spending a minimum of $8-$10 almost every day. Spending that amount of money may seem small, but trust me it adds up.
Since I don't have time to eat out for lunch, I meal prep. So now when I need to eat a quick, healthy, and inexpensive meal, I make a quick spinach salad, eat turkey bacon and a boiled egg, or chicken breast and steamed veggies.
I'm less stressed.
We all know that exercise is proven to reduce stress so indulging in a midday workout is an easy way to blow off some steam. I work in a profession that can be very stressful at times, so since I cannot grab a glass of tequila midday, working out during lunch has helped me “woosah" when I need it.
So what do I do during my lunch break workout?
Even though I do not work far from my local gym, I prefer to use my surroundings at work to burn calories. I love to run outside of my office, run the stairs in my building, or use the benches outside for a couple of tricep dips. I also squeeze in a few push-ups, squats, and crunches.
No matter where you work, there will always be a park, field, sidewalk, or flight of stairs within walking distance. To get the midday boost and benefits, you just need a quick 30-minute workout.
Whether you need a break from sitting at your desk all day or want to free up your evening for drinks or date night with the boo, exercising during your lunch break is a great option.
If you are a midday workout junkie, what does your workout consist of?
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xoMAN started as an Instagram Live series and is now a full-cast production, with Walker as the host. Initially, she was skeptical about joining as the new host of xoMan. Not because she doesn’t have the chops to thrive in the role, but because coming in on something that wasn’t her original idea initially seemed daunting for the media personality.
However, since she loves a challenge, the CockTales: Dirty Discussionspodcast host embraced the task with an open heart and mind.
Courtesy
“I was like, this is a cool concept, so I’m so glad that they decided to turn it into a podcast,” Walker tells xoNecole. “It’s been interesting to take somebody else’s idea and try to turn it into a thing, put it together, and bring it to fruition. I am anxious, nervous, and all things, but above all, I’m excited.”
When xoNecole's managing editor Sheriden Garrett approached Walker to take on the position, it felt like fate. She had previously attempted to get Garrett on her CockTales platform about six or seven years ago due to her expertise in the love and relationship space.
“I was like, wait, y’all listen to the show? And you want me to host a show where I’m only talking to men? And I’m listening to them and not giving them a hard time? I say that because sometimes I feel like, on my show, I may come off like I don’t even like men," she says.
"I love men, but it can be frustrating sometimes on that platform, social media, and other places when they continue to regurgitate the same rhetoric about what I like to call Twitter topics, like constantly talking about who’s paying as a man, as a woman. You should do this. You should do that…It’s been cool hearing the stories with the men we’ve spoken to so far at xoMAN, hearing these stories, and hearing them let their guards down.”
A Howard graduate, Walker almost didn’t enter the world of media after listening to advice from elders who said she would make a great lawyer because she loves to debate topics and sometimes argue (haha).
"It’s been cool hearing the stories with the men we’ve spoken to so far at xoMAN, hearing these stories, and hearing them let their guards down.”
After traveling to the nation’s capital to study political science, Walker soon discovered that her only motivation for becoming an attorney was the potential income and witnessing how boss women like Erika Alexander’s Maxine Shaw character on Living Single would look in their suits as career women.
“I realized that this was for real,” she says, studying law at Howard. “This is a lot of work, and when you think about what you do, I was like, this is not a performance, and I just wanted to talk. I wasn’t trying to defend anyone.”
A visit to a fair showcasing the different organizations on Howard’s campus, combined with her affinity for celebrity gossip and entertainment news, ultimately led Walker to explore a radio career. Soon, she auditioned for a show and landed the gig. By the spring semester, she was on the radio, ultimately leading her to switch her major to journalism with a concentration in broadcast news.
Soon after earning her degree in the field, Walker decided she didn’t want to do anything related to hard news. Instead, she became involved in lifestyle content. She used her friends' love of hearing her stories to motivate her to get into podcasting.
The rest is, as they say, history.
“Before podcasts became what they are, I was in a living room with a microphone before ultimately moving to a studio and refining the show. I loved it and knew people were listening because I monitored the analytics and everything," she explains.
"When we decided to do a live show, the show sold out in two weeks, and I was so nervous. I was like, 'Are we ready? Are we gonna be able to sell out this venue?' We didn’t have any sponsorship. We were still independent and had to front the money for everything.”
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“When they sold out in two weeks, not only did I price my tickets too low, but I thought, wow, we’ve got something. I was like, people spent money to hear me and my co-host talking about our shitty love lives. This is wild, all from an idea in my head. It made me feel like I was on the right path and encouraged me to stop doubting myself. I have imposter syndrome," she reveals.
"Even to this day, I’m constantly biased. But it’s like, if not me, then who? And, like, why not me? If people can do it with way less and way more. I’ve been trying to encourage myself and other people to eliminate the doubt that we have in ourselves so we can do whatever it is we want to do. I love it. No matter how many sleepless nights I have, I will continue to have bags under my eyes until the end of time because I’m enjoying it.”
"I have imposter syndrome. Even to this day, I’m constantly biased. But it’s like, if not me, then who? And, like, why not me? If people can do it with way less and way more. I’ve been trying to encourage myself and other people to eliminate the doubt that we have in ourselves so we can do whatever it is we want to do."
In between garnering a strong social media presence for her work as a podcast host, lifestyle influencer, and beyond, Walker has managed to use her many gifts and talents, like cooking, and most importantly, giving a strong opinion about the things she does (or doesn’t) believe in to carve out a lane of her own.
As she embarks on this chapter as the host of xoMAN, where she has already spoken with actors Devale Ellis and Skyh Black and Dear Future Wifey podcast host Laterras R. Whitfield, Walker hopes that it encourages people, especially women, to look at their male counterparts from a different perspective.
“I hope that anyone listening can listen to the first few episodes, hear how different each man is, and learn to let down whatever preconceived notions you have about me or a specific man, whoever it is in your life," she says. "Just listen, talk to them, ask them how they feel, and listen with an open mind, without thinking that you already know what the answer is.”
“I just hope that people learn to, again, not put people in boxes and make the other person, whoever it is, men specifically for this show, but sit down and talk with an open mind and listen to understand, not to respond. Help someone feel safe.”
xoMAN officially launches on Tuesday, June. 17.
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