Feeling So Inclined

Three weeks ago, my employer announced a strict No Overtime policy. A typical work week for me is 43 hours. Because I work alone on Saturdays and Sundays, I can’t take breaks on those shifts. To comply with the new policy, I’m now taking a 1-hour break every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. I eat “lunch” at my desk—in the middle of the night, I don’t have a lot of restaurant options—so, what should I do with these mandatory breaks? Exercise, of course!

One hour is long enough to squeeze in a treadmill walk and a quick shower. My typical treadmill walk is 3.5 mph with a 1% incline for 60 minutes. I’m going to do something different with these new workouts: 3.0 mph with a 10-15% incline for 45 minutes. That’s slower but harder because it’s all uphill. These workouts will supplement, not replace, what I’m already doing. They will hit the muscles in a slightly different way and burn a bunch of extra calories. At this time of year, my cycling mileage drops dramatically. Bonus time on the treadmill should help to keep my weight in check.