Lunch Hour Workout: 5 Tips to Master Your Time

Young woman doing intervals on stairs.

Fitting a workout into my lunch hour is something that I often have to do – and it’s not as difficult as you might think. Well, the workout is challenging, but finding the time to do it is not. I can honestly say that I think I have mastered the lunch break workout. That’s why I want to share with you my tips for planning and preparation.

This lunch hour workout should not be rushed or unplanned and should not be followed by you eating your lunch at your desk. These tips are to make sure you have time to do your workout (even without a gym!) and still have time to shower (if possible) and have your lunch. Ready?

Cropped shot of a man chopping vegetables on a countertop

1. You have to meal prep
Make this 3-minute meal in a mason jar or this quick and easy chicken and avocado wrap the evening before. That way, you have your post-workout meal ready when your workout is over! It takes time to order takeout and, when you meal prep, you’re guaranteed a much healthier meal!

2. Get your training bag together the night before
Make sure you have your workout clothes, socks, shoes, water, towel, mat,…whatever you need! Pack it the night before and put it by the door! In fact, I keep workout clothes and shoes at my desk at all times. This makes everything just a little bit easier.

3. Block out your lunch hour in your calendar
If you want to work out during your lunch, block it out as a meeting in your calendar. You don’t want anyone interfering with your workout – it’s part of your day!

Two friends working out together in the gym.

4. Make your workout QUICK (but super effective)
No weights, no equipment – bodyweight exercises only. The Standalone Workouts in the Runtastic Results app are perfect for lunch-break workouts! Why? Because you can do them any time and they tell you approximately how long it will take to complete. I always choose the ones that have a maximum of 15-20 minutes so I know I can finish in time. These workouts are intense and will give you the best training in a short amount of time!

Here’s an example of a Standalone Workout in the Results app called “Hotel”:

30 mountain climbers
60s low planks
30 sit-ups
20 high plank knee-to-elbow

Repeat 4 rounds

5. Quick showers only!
Wham bam, done! Have your body wash and towel ready and spend a maximum of 5 minutes in the shower. You can take a more relaxing and enjoyable shower at home. Ladies, I know we aren’t supposed to work out in makeup, but this isn’t the time to completely wash your face and reapply your make up. If your face is a little bit red, it will have some time to cool down while you’re eating your prepped lunch. And, of course, you can always bring your makeup with you in your training bag in case you need to reapply a bit or dry shampoo in case your hair gets a bit oily.

Young woman doing intervals on stairs.Get the gear you need to reach your fitness goals.

If you’re someone who needs to work out on your lunch hour every day, you will master this really quickly! Or, if you’re like me, and this only happens occasionally on a busy day, use these tips to help you be the master of your time and have the most productive lunch hour workout.

And, be sure to download the Runtastic Results app for hundreds of bodyweight exercises, over 20 Standalone Workouts and the possibility to start your very own personalized 12-week training plan!

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Lunden Souza Lunden Souza is an Online Fitness & Lifestyle Transformation Coach. She helps people all over the world create a sustainable healthy lifestyle, so they'll never have to "start over" again! Connect with @lifelikelunden for real-life strategies to get on track for long-term health in both body and mind. View all posts by Lunden Souza