6 Simple Ways to Get the Most Out of Your Workout

Expert-backed tips to get the most out of your workout.

Guest Post from Thrive Global By Elizabeth Yuko

Whether you’re a person who can’t wait for their next trip to the gym or 5K run, or someone who is still working to make working out a priority, we all want to make sure that every minute we spend exercising counts.

It’s also important to recognize that not everyone wants the same thing out of a workout session. While some are looking to improve their health, others may want to build their strength or endurance to get better at a sport, while others turn to exercise or other gentler forms of movement (like yoga or tai chi) for stress relief.

We should also remember that pain is not always gain. “Yes there may be some level of difficulty as you build up your stamina and strength, but pain is never a good thing, and you can get fit without pushing yourself to the point of hurting,” Bert Mandelbaum, M.D., a sports medicine specialist and co-chair of medical affairs at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles and author of The Win Within: Capturing Your Victorious Spirit, tells Thrive Global.

It’s up to you to determine your priority, but regardless of what it is, you should be getting the most out of your workout. Here are some tips from experts on how to do exactly that:

Have a consistent workout plan…

One way to maximize the benefits of your workout is to stick to a consistent plan. Rather than cramming a week’s worth of exercising into the weekend, Mandelbaum recommends trying to regularly schedule 30 minutes of movement each day. The half-hour doesn’t even need to be all at the same time: you can try breaking it up into two 15-minute segments, he says. And yes, out-of-the-gym activities like walking the dog, raking leaves, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator all count as exercise.

… But vary the exercises

So yes, you’re going to want to stick with a consistent workout schedule, but it’s a good idea to change up the exercises you’re doing, Mandelbaum explains. Not only does this keep things more interesting, but repetitive motion over time can really wear down and stress the muscles and joints, and make them more prone to injury, he says. To avoid this, instead of doing the same exercise three or four days in a row, Mandelbaum suggests switching it up and alternating with something different for one or two of the days to engage different sets of muscles.

Try an exercise ball

Chances are you already have one of those big exercise balls (also called Swiss balls) in a closet at home or sitting somewhere in your office — now is the time to put it to use. For starters, it’s a great addition to your regular workout, allowing you to stretch and move your spine in a controlled manner, Neel Anand, M.D., professor of orthopaedic surgery and director of spine trauma at Cedars-Sinai Spine Center in Los Angeles, tells ThriveYou can use the exercise ball for everything from crunches, squats, planking, and other forms of stretching, according to the Mayo Clinic (here’s some inspiration and visuals to get you started).

“Moving the vertebrae in this way can help nourish discs in the spine by increasing blood flow and lubrication to them,” she says. “Additionally, using an exercise ball in conjunction with core strengthening exercises will work the abdominal muscles and help to stabilize the spine.” They are also great for “active sitting,” engaging muscles while you’re working at a desk or watching TV.

Don’t forget about recovery

Your exercise session isn’t over when you step off the treadmill — cooling down and having a recovery period is also an important part of maximizing your workout. Stretching after a cooldown will loosen any tight muscles and increase flexibility, which will help for the next workout, Mandelbaum explains. You may also want to try using a foam roller after exercising, John Soberal, DPT, a doctor of physical therapy at Providence Saint John’s Health Center’s Performance Therapy in Santa Monica, CA, tells Thrive. He explains that it may help to “iron out” fascia — the connective tissue that envelops muscles that tend to cause mobility restrictions.

Plan meals around your workout

We’re not suggesting reorganizing your whole life around going to the gym, but some thoughtful meal planning can help ensure your workout is as effective as possible. For example, if you plan to exercise in the morning, don’t eat dinner too close to when you’re going to bed, Hannah Dove, DPT, a doctor of physical therapy at Providence Saint John’s Health Center’s Performance Therapy in Santa Monica, CA, tells Thrive. “Eating an extremely late dinner will make it harder for your body to digest on time and then you might feel sluggish when you wake up in the morning,” she says.

But, do take the time to prepare or set out your breakfast for the next morning, Dove recommends. That way you won’t waste time or energy deciding what to make. Then, the next morning, wake up and eat a light breakfast — like a banana and some peanut butter, or a hard-boiled egg and toast — to help give your body good fuel to use during the workout.  “In order to perform well, your body needs the right fuel at the right times, so make it easier on your body instead of working against it,” she adds.

Use your unplugged time to plan your workout

At Thrive, we’re big proponents of unplugging from devices to ease your body into sleep mode— ideally at least 30 minutes before bed. Dove suggests extending that to one or two hours, if possible, and using that time without electronics to plan your workout for the next day. “Picking what exercises and the order the night before will take all the guesswork and stress out of it the next day,” she notes. “Set your plan the night before, and then all you have to worry about the next day is executing your plan.” Your plan doesn’t have to be complicated: it can be as simple as queueing up your favorite exercise video or audio workout, deciding whether to take a class at the gym or go straight to the elliptical, or taking the time to visualize yourself going through the moves and getting in a great, productive workout.

And while you’re unplugged from your devices in the evening, Dove also recommends taking the time to write out your goals for the following day. These can be specific to your workout, or general health and fitness goals with ideas of how you plan on achieving them. “You are much more likely to succeed if you hold yourself accountable by writing down your intentions and plans,” she explains.


At Behere, we know it’s essential to maintain your routine – including exercise – wherever you are in the world. That’s why choosing a fitness studio, along with apartment and workspace, is key to your time spent in a new city. Learn more and get started below!

Originally posted on Thrive Global. Written by Elizabeth Yuko, Staff Writer/Editor at Thrive Global.

The Best Times of the Day to Exercise In Order to Sleep Well

New research says to avoid vigorous workouts at this time.

By Elizabeth Yuko

With a busy work, family, and social schedule, it can feel especially tough to squeeze a workout into our day. Not only that, but if you do manage to take the time to exercise, you want to make sure that you’re getting the most bang for your workout buck.

One Thrive Microsteps (a too-small-to-fail, science-backed behavior change that you can implement right away) is to exercise each day, because any type of physical activity will help you sleep better. But are some times of day better for a workout than others?

Traditionally, experts have suggested avoiding nighttime exercise in order to maintain good sleep hygiene, Howard LeWine, M.D., the editor-in-chief of Harvard Men’s Health Watch notes. But he points to a new study, published in Sports Medicine, which suggests that you actually can exercise in the evening without disturbing your sleep, as long as you still avoid vigorous activity for at least one hour before going to bed. So how does exercising at different times of day (and night) affect your sleep?

Evening workouts

After examining the results of 23 different exercise and sleep studies, researchers found that people who exercised in the evening fell asleep faster and achieved deeper sleep than they would otherwise. The exception to this is anyone who did high-intensity exercise — such as interval training — less than one hour before bedtime. In those instances, it took people longer to fall asleep, and they experienced poorer sleep quality. If you do prefer an evening workout, it’s best to stick to less vigorous activities.

Morning workouts

Exercising first thing in the morning can also prompt deeper sleep at night, according to the National Sleep Foundation. For instance, the NSF’s research has found that people who worked out on a treadmill at 7 a.m. slept longer at night, experienced deeper sleep cycles, and spent 75 percent more time in the most reparative stages of sleep than those who exercised later on.

Afternoon workouts

If getting up early isn’t an option, the NSF also found that working out in the afternoon has its own set of benefits — including the fact that your body temperature is one or two degrees warmer than it is in the morning, which means you’ll move around more efficiently, decreasing your chance of injuries. Afternoon exercise can also help with your nighttime sleep because working out raises your body’s core temperature for four to five hours. Later in the evening, when your temperature decreases, that change signals to your body that it’s time to get ready to sleep.


At Behere, we’re big supporters of maintaining your routine – that includes exercise – no matter where you are in the world. That’s why choosing a fitness studio, along with apartment and workspace, is a core part of your lifestyle in a new city. Check us out and get started below!

Originally posted on Thrive Global. Written by Elizabeth Yuko, Staff Writer/Editor at Thrive Global.

Here's How You Can Make Time For Exercise – Even on Crazy Days

A new study shows choosing to exercise is hard work for our brains. These are some ways to make it easier.


Guest post by Nora Battelle, Staff Writer at Thrive Global

At Behere we know the importance of exercise in staying mentally and physically fit, that’s why fitness memberships are a core part of Behere. And there’s no shortage of science suggesting that exercise is good for your mental as well as your physical health — and yet for many of us, incorporating exercise into our daily routines remains a struggle. A new study, published in the journal Neuropsychologia, asks why. Shouldn’t it be easier to take on a habit that is so good for us?
The study’s answer points towards what’s holding us back: According to the researchers, picking physically active behaviors over sedentary ones actually requires more brain power than picking active behaviors over sedentary ones. Whether it’s evolutionary or cultural, our brains seem to be wired to have an easier time lying on the couch than running on the treadmill — or even out in the park.
This means that it’s crucial to have structures in place that help you keep active, even when your brain is already tired out and would love some couch-lounging. Your brain will reap the benefits if you force it to: you’ll find that moving around even just a little bit will leave you less stressed, in a better mood — and even more energetic.
Here are a few microsteps to get yourself working out:

Pick a regular (sedentary) part of your existing routine and switch it out for an active choice

A great bet for incorporating change into your routine is attaching it to an already familiar habit. You may currently be in the habit of taking the elevator up to your office, using the closer train entrance or parking lot on your morning commute, or standing in front of the mirror as you brush your teeth and floss every night. Instead of the elevator, take the stairs; rather than using the nearest entrance, spend a few extra minutes and walk to the farther one; instead of standing as you floss, walk around your house. Small changes like these are a structured way to incorporate exercise into your daily routine without making any significant changes. Because they are attached to habits you already have, they should be easier to make routine.

Pinpoint the most frustrating, stressful part of your week, and commit to exercise right after that

exercise women


This could be a weekly meeting or work task, or a regular phone call with one of your parents — simply pinpoint a moment of peak stress in your week. Then, commit to some physical activity immediately afterwards. Hold yourself accountable by writing a note to yourself in your calendar or an iPhone reminder. Depending on where and when this moment of stress happens, that activity could be as quick as running down the office stairs for a walk around the block, or as comprehensive as scheduling in gym time or a quick run. Whatever the activity is, sticking to it in those moments of tension will have an outsize effect on your stress by catching it immediately and diffusing tension through movement.

Work out while you watch TV

This is one of my favorites: You get to indulge the part of your brain that’s telling you to lie down on the couch while actually circumnavigating laziness. There are tons of exercises you can do while sitting or lying down in front of a show — pilates leg exercises are particularly great, because they often don’t require moving your upper body and interrupting your viewing experience. And there are plenty of videos with clear instructions to get you started on Youtube — run a quick search and find some moves that work for you. Every time you settle in for an hour of TV, take the first twenty minutes to exercise, as well.
Utilize these ideas to get your butt moving, even when you really don’t want to.


Article originally published on Thrive Global.
At Behere we know the importance of maintaining your fitness routine. We also know the value of living abroad (science backs this one up too!). That’s why we support your big dreams of living in a new city, by providing a solution for the time consuming, costly and overwhelming work behind it.
Choose a city and we’ve got you covered. Learn more here!