Go for walks! If you want to you can also squeeze in intervals of squats, pushups against a wall, walking lunges, that sort of thing.

Keep a small gym bag with you at work too, with wet wipes, deodorant, back-up make-up and the like, so you can do a quick freshen up afterwards. In the warmer months keep a sports bra and t-shirt in the bag and put those on to keep your work outfit fresh. Ignore the people who make snide comments about you being smelly afterwards. In years of working out at lunch I've never had an issue (actually asked friends at work to double-check) and the only ones who made snide remarks were the heavyset women co-workers on their way to McDonald's for lunch. And no I'm not being snarky. Those were the snide people.

I dont do it now, but I used to when I was younger.

In one hour:

run like hell at noon to the bathroom and change into running clothes (10 minutes). Get down to the lobby and run 13 minutes in one direction and 13 minutes back. run up the stairs back to the bathroom (where I have left my gym bag with deodorant, my change of clothes etc--no one is going to steal this stuff...) . Spend 10 minutes changing and freshening up and getting back to my desk.

On the way back to my desk, grab a protein shake I brought from home and drink it at my desk for lunch.

It's doable...

Nowadays I can fit my workouts into my day at home (before or after work) because my kids are older. One thing that irks me now is the folks who work for me who workout during lunch tend to THEN take lunch at their desks--rather than doing what I always did (drink a protein shake) they spend an hour after they workout eating a 3-course meal at their desks. First of all, its gross for all of us to watch (and smell) you eat a full meal at your desk. Your desk is not your kitchen table. And second, there is no possible way to work while eating a full meal. So basically you are taking a lunch and then taking another lunch. Annoying.

If you aren't near a gym, then running or walking outside is the only real option ( or going up and down stairs in your building maybe?). You can totally do it in an hour but you have to do a very quick clean up after. If you dont have a shower, then you just washing your face with some water in the bathroom, use some wipes on your body, deodorant and put your hair up in a bun/ponytail or use dry shampoo if you have long hair.

Sure, its not as good as taking a shower but if you are serious about working out and have limited time, you need find some solutions. You can shower properly when you get home. As for lunch, you eat lunch at your desk while working. I have done this many times and its fine.

5 mins change into gym clothes in office or in office bathroom
5 mins warm up
30 mins run!!!
5 mins cool down
5 mins clean up
10 mins dressed/drink some water

If you want to do something, you can find ways to do it.

Another runner. It is absolutely worth it to squeeze it in once or twice a week during the workday. Here's what I do:

-- Pick days when I don't have an afternoon meeting.

-- Wear something easy -- it's quicker to get out of a dress than to get out of pants, a blouse, a sweater/blazer.

-- Try to remember to pack a lunch.

-- Run like hell for 30 minutes.

-- Wash my face and underarms in the bathroom sink. We don't have showers here.

-- Eat lunch at my desk.

-- Know that sometimes, I'll have to give it up if deadlines are pressing.

-- Don't really care if I look a little messy.

-- Spend the afternoon productively working and enjoying my runner's high.

Some weeks, this is the only time that works for me to exercise ... totally worth it to me.

I go to the gym once a week during lunch. It takes almost 2 hours when you consider 15 min drive, 1 hour class, and 30 min to change/shower/change. I eat lunch at my desk.

I also eat lunch at my desk the other days of the week (while working), which is how I justify the long gym break.

I wish I could do more days a week, but it's just too time consuming.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In your case, I would run, but then I'm a runner! I've taken many a running lunch break through the years.

But how do you shower?!

So you have 1 hr to walk to locker room, change, get outside run, get back and cool down, shower and change.

Not to mention packing all the workout gear, shampoo, etc every morning.

Yeah, no.

Then you are just lazy.

Changing takes 5 minutes. 30 minutes outside for a 5K. Back in locker room, 20 minutes for a shower and change. Easy.

Just seems like a lot of trouble for 30 min workout. We also only have one shower, so I often have to wait to change.

I guess I could eat while I wait in the bathroom.

Runners go to this trouble you won't relate if you are a walker or choose other forms of cardio exercise. Winter time has limited daylight until the time change so running outside of work hours is not easily done outside. ( dreadmill is one other option) So getting in 4 runs a week which is about the minimum requires some adjustment for a lunch time run or get out of work early run at least 2X per week

Anonymous wrote:No one has answered when you eat

You shove a granola bar in mouth on way back.

I am pretty sure anyone who works out during lunch goes longer than an hour

For us, my problem is with telework, flex, and such we only have all personnel there 10-3, so ALL meetings get crammed in those 5 hours, which means lunch time is often scheduled or has extremely hard deadlines.

I’ve tried working out at the end of the day and showering at hone, it’s not bad but only works on quiet days (which hasn’t happened often this year)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In your case, I would run, but then I'm a runner! I've taken many a running lunch break through the years.

But how do you shower?!

So you have 1 hr to walk to locker room, change, get outside run, get back and cool down, shower and change.

Not to mention packing all the workout gear, shampoo, etc every morning.

Yeah, no.

Then you are just lazy.

Changing takes 5 minutes. 30 minutes outside for a 5K. Back in locker room, 20 minutes for a shower and change. Easy.

Just seems like a lot of trouble for 30 min workout. We also only have one shower, so I often have to wait to change.

I guess I could eat while I wait in the bathroom.

No one has answered when you eat

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do barre classes - you don’t sweat enough to need to wash your hair after. Sometimes I rinse off in the shower if it was a hard class. It’s near my office though, I would run if I were you. Dry shampoo and blast your roots with a dryer.

OP - I still don't get the running thing. Where exactly am I supposed to dry my hair? We don't have a locker room at the office. There's no gym or treadmill.

Omg. What are you asking? What do you have available... A gym nearby? A park? A bunch of stair you can climb.

I go to a gym on my lunch break but that’s not helpful to know if you don’t have a gym to go to.

Anonymous wrote:I do barre classes - you don’t sweat enough to need to wash your hair after. Sometimes I rinse off in the shower if it was a hard class. It’s near my office though, I would run if I were you. Dry shampoo and blast your roots with a dryer.

OP - I still don't get the running thing. Where exactly am I supposed to dry my hair? We don't have a locker room at the office. There's no gym or treadmill.

I do barre classes - you don’t sweat enough to need to wash your hair after. Sometimes I rinse off in the shower if it was a hard class. It’s near my office though, I would run if I were you. Dry shampoo and blast your roots with a dryer.

Anonymous wrote:I get it, but what do you do about long or even shoulder length hair? I can certainly hustle to change and shower, but my hair takes 10+ minutes to be dry enough to be appropriate for work.

Depends on how hard you are working out. Dry shampoo can work wonders. Buns and braids can also work.

I use a hot air brush for my shoulder length thick hair and it looks fine. Takes about 7 minutes total.

I get it, but what do you do about long or even shoulder length hair? I can certainly hustle to change and shower, but my hair takes 10+ minutes to be dry enough to be appropriate for work.