If you’ve ever stared at your calendar at 12.30 pm, trainers in hand, convincing yourself you “just don’t have time today”, I’m with you. The intention is there (the workout probably even booked in), but with emails unanswered and meetings overrunning, stepping away from your desk can feel like an indulgence you simply don’t have capacity for.
I spent years battling with the idea of using my lunch break to exercise. Despite being a health writer who knows full well that movement supports our mood, focus and resilience to stress (research consistently shows that both cardio and strength training benefit our mental wellbeing), the guilt often won out. I worried that exercising at lunchtime might make me look less committed or leave me falling behind in the middle of a busy working day.
I’m far from alone. According to a recent survey commissioned by AXA Health, only 6% of women in the UK use their lunch break to exercise, with stress cited as the main barrier. Many of us know that movement would actually ease our overwhelm, but the pressure to stay constantly available keeps us in our chairs or, at the very least, replying to Slack messages between sets.
So, when I moved to freelance work six months ago, I made it my mission to figure out how lunchtime workouts could actually work. Which is when I began leaning on a technique known as habit stacking (or, to borrow a newer phrase from social media, wellness stacking). Rather than treating exercise as another demanding item on an already full to-do list, I started weaving it into existing parts of my day, pairing movement with places, habits and tasks I needed to fulfil anyway.
It’s been a lifeline, particularly during the darker winter months, when lunchtime isn’t just the most practical window for exercise, but often the safest, too.
To find out the simple formula I’ve landed on, and how it’s transformed my mood, motivation and productivity, read on.
While you’re here – if you’re ready to get started with lunchtime movement, be sure to check out the best 15-minute home workouts, the best simple home workouts, and the best home workouts for beginners, period. We’ve also got guides to the most effective home workouts of all time, the best YouTube workouts and the best YouTube workouts in under 10 minutes.
I Swapped My Early Mornings For Lunchtime Workouts – And Truthfully, Have Never Felt Better
What counts as a lunchtime workout?
For me, the first step to making lunchtime workouts stick was widening my definition of what a “workout” actually is. When meaningful exercise is reduced to a 45-minute gym session or a 5k run, squeezing it into a 60-minute lunch break can feel wildly unrealistic (although, as I’ve since learned, it can be done; it just takes a bit of build-up).
In reality, an effective workout doesn’t need to be long, intense or particularly formal. It can be a 20-minute power walk around the park, a quick YouTube yoga flow, or an express Pilates session squeezed in between meetings.
Crucially, the research backs this up. Studies show strong evidence for these bite-sized approaches to movement, with research finding that just 15 minutes of brisk daily walking can boost stamina, cardiovascular health and even life expectancy. Meanwhile, a growing body of research into so-called “movement snacks” – multiple short bursts of activity spread throughout the day – suggests they can be just as effective as longer, more traditional workouts.
As long as you’re nudging your heart rate up and breathing a little harder, you’ll be banking real mental and physical benefits. Aerobic movement, in particular, is known for triggering the release of endorphins (the brain’s natural mood elevators), which partly explains why even a short lunchtime workout can leave you feeling noticeably calmer, brighter and more focused for the afternoon ahead.
What are the benefits of working out on your lunch break?
We all know that exercise at any time of day is good for us. It boosts energy levels, supports sleep and mood, lowers our risk of disease and helps strengthen our bones, muscles and heart.
But slotting movement into the middle of the working day comes with a unique perk: you actually get to carry those mood- and energy-boosting effects straight back to your desk. Rather than leaning on coffee or sugary snacks to push through the afternoon, a lunchtime workout can provide a natural (and free) lift that supports you through the final hours of the day.
“Lunchtime workouts are one of the most underrated tools for energy and productivity,” confirms Jess Fraser, Personal Trainer and Pilates Instructor at YOURS. She explains that “moving your body midway through the day helps improve circulation, sharpen focus and prevent that post-lunch slump.”
It’s something she witnesses regularly in the classes she teaches. “People arrive stressed and desk-bound, and leave calmer, more energised and noticeably clearer-headed,” she tells me. “Exercise pulls you out of your head and back into your body, and starts actively supporting how you show up at work.”
How can I fit a lunchtime workout into my day?
The upside of lunchtime workouts is clear, but, as with most things in wellness, how you approach them matters. Dr Elliott Roy-Highley, medical director at UNBOUND, is a big advocate of stacking your day with movement, but cautions that it can quickly become counterproductive if it’s treated as another box to tick.
“Rushing from a stressful email straight into a high-stress workout, skipping food, and sprinting back to your desk turns your lunchtime workout into another source of stress,” he says. Instead, he recommends starting with something relatively easy or low intensity, particularly on busy days. “The focus at the start is just doing it every day – you can turn up the intensity later.”
That message is echoed by Fraser, who reminds us that “it’s about realising that consistency is better than perfection.” Even 20 minutes of movement, she says, can make a meaningful difference.
Preparation also plays a bigger role than you might expect. Squeezing in a workout inevitably eats into the time you have to eat, and being underfuelled is a fast track to brain fog and the mid-afternoon slump. “Planning your lunch in advance means you can refuel properly afterwards,” says Fraser, while Dr Roy-Highley recommends “aiming for a meal with a variety of colours, carbohydrates to restore your glycogen, and protein to support muscle repair.”
If you really want to maximise the “wellness stacking” effect, Dr Roy-Highley suggests taking your movement outside and, where possible, making it social. “A 20 minute walk or jog gets you moving in nature, which helps lower cortisol, making it a double-stack for your mental and physical health,” he says. “Do it with a friend for a triple-stack.”
And while stacking habits isn’t the same as multitasking, there are still some things best left behind – Slack notifications included. “Turn your phone to Do Not Disturb,” suggests Fraser. “It helps you to be fully present, even if it’s just for half an hour.”
After Six Months Of Working Out at Lunchtime, My Mood, Energy and Productivity Has Skyrocketed. Here’s What I Want You To Know
Months one to three
In the beginning, moving my workouts from early mornings to lunchtime took more effort than I expected. Most days, I’d fully intend to close my laptop at 12.30 pm and swap my desk for a yoga mat or a walk outside, but when the time came, it was scarily easy to convince myself I should just finish one more thing first.
It meant that for the first few weeks, I really had to force myself to stick to the plan, coaxing myself away from my screen with calendar alerts and post-it note promises, which I stuck to the keypad. I kept the sessions short, and slowly but surely, started to notice how much clearer my head felt when I got back to my desk – the work I’d been stuck on felt easier to get through.
What quickly became apparent was that being outside made a much bigger difference than moving at home. A walk or run in daylight left me feeling more refreshed than just rolling out a mat in the living room, especially on days when I was facing a creative challenge.
Accountability also became a huge factor. On days when I worked from a cafe with a friend or had a class booked, I was far more likely to take my break than when my only option was an open YouTube tab. I’m famously frugal, so the idea that I’d already parted with money to move my body meant there was far less chance I’d miss the opportunity.
Ashleigh before an infrared Pilates class at YOURS Shoreditch
(Image credit: Ashleigh Spiliopoulou)
Another small change that helped a lot was putting my workout clothes on in the morning. Anything that removed extra steps at lunchtime made it more likely I’d actually move.
Leaving my phone behind was perhaps my biggest hurdle. I kept wanting to check emails whilst walking or between sets, but I realised pretty quickly that doing that diluted the benefit of the break, and made my neck and shoulders start to ache. Once I stopped bringing it with me, or put it on aeroplane mode when I wanted to listen to music, I noticed I came back to work feeling more settled.
Months three to six
By around two months in, the routine felt familiar, and by month three, it had stopped feeling like something I had to push myself to do. I still adjusted things depending on the day, and some days I still worked out first thing, but lunchtime had started to feel just as much the norm.
When I used my lunch break to exercise, I was realistic about intensity. I don’t enjoy feeling overly sweaty for the rest of the afternoon, so on busier days (especially when I didn’t have time to shower) I stuck to lower-intensity sessions – usually yoga, or a Pilates by Izzy workout on YouTube. Her shorter classes start at around 20 minutes and still feel effective.
On busy days, Ashleigh opted for YouTube yoga or Pilates classes, following instructors like Move with Nicole
(Image credit: Ashleigh Spiliopoulou)
What surprised me most was how this one habit influenced others (see? Wellness stacking). Moving more meant I drank more water without really thinking about it. I also started eating more substantial, colourful lunches, simply because I was hungrier and actually wanted them.
I know that working freelance gives me more control over my day than many people have, which I don’t take lightly. That said, I consistently managed to fit both movement and a decent meal into a 60-minute window, which suggests it’s possible for more of us than we might think. And the best part? Not only did nothing bad happen, but I became noticeably more focused, motivated and attentive throughout the afternoon.
I used to struggle badly with the 3pm slump, and small things would irritate me more than they should. Now, I barely notice it (which I think is a win for everyone who has to deal with me).
If I had one piece of advice, it would be to start small. Ten minutes of gentle movement at home is enough. Once that feels manageable, you can build from there. Over time, the difference adds up.
Shop MC-UK Go-To Lunchtime Workout Kit Now:
Vuori AllTheForm Leggings
I always reach for my AllTheForm leggings for my Pilates or Yoga workouts. They’re so buttery soft that I can sit in them all day, and yet move just as easily with me when I’m working out. I’m also a huge fan of this new French Roast colour, which just dropped this month.
90’s Cropped Quarter-Zip
This is one of Senior Health Editor Ally Head’s favourite new activewear brands. This flattering 90‘s Cropped Quarter Zip has an exaggerated collar, a custom gold zip and a cinched waist, making it ideal for throwing on over your Pilates clothes or wearing to the office. A timeless essential, it offers endless styling options.
For days when you need a little more support, this is one of the sports bras I reach for. It’s designed for running, with double cross-back straps that definitely feel supportive and, in my experience, never rub.