Midday exercises are great way to rejuvenate and give yourself a mental break. This will help a lot in improving your productivity and energy to take on the rest of day. However, it can feel overwhelming, especially during a busy day at the office. Here are some tips to help you nail a midday workout to help improve your physique and performance at work.

1. Let your boss know
A midday workout won’t go well if you just disappear from your desk every hour of every day, without letting anyone know, especially your boss, where you are going. Before you booking a lunchtime workout session, bring that up to your boss. Most reasonable bosses would likely say, “Do whatever you need to do, just make sure it won’t affect your performance at the office.”

2. Work should still be a priority
Deciding on having regular lunch workout means you know your priorities. If your boss asks for a minute to get a task done or a workmate asks for your help, you know you should skip workout. This can be tough if you have pre-booked or prepaid a session. In that case, keep this mantra in mind: “A lunchtime workout isn’t given, it’s a luxury.”

3. Always bring dry shampoo
Most of us know that dry shampoo is an instant hair solution, and that’s especially true for lunchtime workouts—when showering isn’t an option. Whether you have short or long hair, dry shampoo can make your hair freshly blow-dried even after an intense and sweaty gym session.

4. Go to work prepared
Pack your bag like how you would pack your car—always ready for any event. Spin class needs different shoes than running or CrossFit. Always have two or more sets of gym clothes with you. Who knows what you would feel like wearing on that day. By having multiple options, you’ll prevent yourself from saying excuses like “I feel cold, and I only have a short and a shirt for workout. I should skip.”

5. Never skip your lunch
A lunchtime workout does not mean you should skip lunch. Post-workout meal is imperative. Like how breakfast fuels you for the day, your post-workout lunch will keep you full until supper and provide nourishment for your muscles to repair itself after an intense exercise. The secret to eating a healthy lunch on time is to pack it. Pack a turkey salad or a sandwich that you can easily munch when you return at your desk, answering emails.

No matter how busy you are, try to find time to take care of your health. If you think working out after a busy day at work is too exhausting for you, make the most of your one-hour lunch break for a midday workout.

You may have been walking around Singapore and suddenly see a “laughter yoga” sign. Laughter yoga? Sounds weird, huh? If you know the great benefits of laughing, you wouldn’t think of laughter yoga as weird at all!

1. Laughing improves mood
Simply put, you laugh the most when you are happy or having fun, right? Laughing puts us in a more positive mood because it encourages the production of the “happy hormone”, endorphin, in our bodies. Additionally, laughter is something that is rarely done alone. Laughing with others will promote an atmosphere of positivity wherever you are.

2. It encourages better social interactions
Having a laugh with your friends or even those you barely know can help you get to know each other better. As said earlier, joking around and having fun with others will leave an air of positivity every time you are together. Plus, a person who knows how to make others laugh or smile a lot invites a lot of attention. You feel like they are easy to approach and fun to be with.

3. It’s a great stress reliever
Laughter helps our muscles relax and also allows us to relieve tension around the body. When you have a great time laughing you will forget, even just for a while, whatever things are making you stressed out or anxious. Even then, laughing will have a significant effect as a stress reliever because it eases tension while also reducing stress hormones in the body.

4. Laughing is good for the heart
Laughing actually helps us to exercise our abdomen, lungs, and heart. A belly laugh which is a loud and hearty laugh, for example, prompts us to use our abdominal muscles sometimes without even knowing. This means that the beating of our heart increases. This serves as a great exercise for the heart and can help us keep it strong and healthy.

5. It also helps the immune system
It has also been found that laughter can even strengthen our immune system. T cells, for example, become active immediately when laughing. These are a subtype of white blood cells which generally hunt down and destroy germs and cells that have become cancerous. The increase in white blood cells also helps with the cleaning of excess waste and toxins still left in the body.

6. Ab exercise
Believe it or not, laughing can actually be treated as an ab exercise. If you laugh too hard, usually you’ll notice a certain feeling in your abdominal muscles similar to that of flexing your muscles when you’re lifting weights. This is simply because our abdomen is one of the main muscles involved when we laugh. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you should laugh for how many hours straight just to get abs.

From dealing with the early signs of depression to lowering your blood pressure level, owning a dog can really give you numerous health benefits. Other than that, your four-legged friend can also help in increasing your fitness routine by working out together. To ensure that both you and your pooch stay fit, we’ve listed down several workout activities that both of you can really enjoy.

1. Walking. If you’ve always lead your pooch into specific paths on your previous walking exercises, then it might time to change your routine by allowing him to take charge on your walk exercises. Let your pet lead you on his chosen path and pace this time, and you’ll be surprise as to where his nose can take you. Just ensure though, that you don’t fall into a duct or trespass on a private lot.

2. Doing an Obstacle Course. There’s no need for you to enrol your pet in some fancy training program just to keep him fit. You can simply set up your obstacle course by looking for items in your neighbourhood like an elevated platform that he can easily jump over, or going into an uphill slope where both of you can run.

3. Playing Fetch. What better way to make your dog exercise than to play fetch. This game is so versatile that it suits any size or breed of dog, and can even be done in your garden, a spacious indoor garage or in an empty lot. All you’ll need is an item that you can easily throw around for your pet to retrieve repeatedly.

4. Jogging. So long as they are already over 18 months old and are physically healthy, dogs actually make great running buddies. Start your running exercise by doing 10-minute runs, while adding 10 minutes weekly until you’ve reached your desired distance and time. This gradual build-up is what allows the connective tissues and muscles of your dog to adapt to the jogging activity without getting injured.

5. Rollerblading or Biking. Since it’s an advanced level of workout routine, biking and rollerblading are routines that are only suited for large dogs. Your dog should also be a year and a half old to start biking longer distances. As you start the activity, ensure that you build up both of your stamina gradually and just exercise within the means of your dog. Put a special bike leash on him, and let him walk or run beside you as you pedal or skate.

While it’s a good way to engage your pet into any of the aforementioned activities, it would still be best to consult a vet first to see if he is in a good condition to perform such exercises. That way, you’ll be able to exercise with your dog without worrying about the possibility of experiencing any form of injury.

Wearing the right workout clothes and gear can really make a big difference when it comes to staying motivated and working out effectively. Some of these gears can aid in speeding up your workout recovery, while some can provide more support for your workout routine. To help you know which workout essentials a fitness buff like you should be keeping in his gym bag and locker, here is a list of six extremely useful fitness items.

1. Wireless Headset: Having wires running and hitting your body as you cycle or run is just plain annoying. To avoid such inconvenience, opt for the sweat-resistant ear buds that will allow you to listen to your workout jam wirelessly via Bluetooth.

2. Yoga Towel: One of the ruling yoga towel brands present in the Singapore market today is Yogitoes. What made this brand popular is the unparalleled grip that their towels provide. Apart from that, their yoga towels are also very absorbent and washes easily. So, if you happen to sweat a lot, just layer it over your mat to avoid slipping as well as to extend the wear of your yoga mat.

3. Charger: There’s nothing worse than discovering that your phone is about to die out while you’re still in the middle of your routine. A good way to avoid this? Always carry a super-lightweight mini external battery with you to keep your workout jam going throughout your workout sessions.

4. Glow-in-the-Dark Sneakers: Anyone who has driven in the dark knows just how difficult it is to immediately spot runners. So if you plan on running at night, ensure that you’re properly dressed. The well-known running shoes brand, New Balance, released their new collection of glow in the dark sneakers, which is perfect for providing head-to-toe visibility. Wearing this will surely make you eye-catching even at night.

5. Thick Yoga Mat: If you’re suffering from joint problems, or is a novice yoga practitioner, we suggest that you opt for a thick yoga mat. Not only is this kind of mat durable, it will also lessen your chances of slipping on your mat if you happen to sweat a lot.

6. Massager: Most people, whether they’re physically active or not, don’t usually stretch as much as they should. To ensure that you perform some passive stretching, keep handy massager with you always. Look for good brands that have massagers that target all parts of your body starting from your neck down to your feet.

Working out can be made easier and more effective by using the right fitness gears. So before you start your road to becoming a healthy individual, make sure that you have all the aforementioned essentials packed in your gym bag first.