I struggle a lot with working out. It’s not even that I don’t want to do it; the issue is finding the time. Between working crazy hours, managing my son’s school and social life, and maintaining a house, squeezing it in feels impossible most days. I’ve bought countless exercise tools to make it more doable, but the fact is, focusing an entire hour on workouts each day feels darn near impossible. Instead of just beating myself up for sitting for hours in front of a computer, I might be better off trying a new approach: “exercise snacking.” Although this sadly doesn’t involve any treats to nosh on, it does mean giving yourself bite-sized workout exposure to help keep your body healthy.
Recently, the BBC cited a study conducted by the British Journal of Sports Medicine that found short impactful exercises known as “exercise snacks” might be the best way to tackle fitness. The study revealed that the technique can improve cardiorespiratory fitness by quite a bit, meaning that overall cardiovascular health is improved. Researchers reviewed 11 controlled trials conducted around the world, including studies from the UK, Australia, Canada, and China. Altogether, the trials included 414 adults who were considered physically inactive. Over the course of four to 12 weeks, the studies examined how exercising for five minutes or less across various regiments impacts overall health.
Across the 11 studies, participants who incorporated exercise snacks into their routines saw an average increase in cardiorespiratory fitness — a measure of how effectively the body uses oxygen during exercise — ranging from 4.6% to 17%, per the journal. Researchers also found that it improved muscle endurance, which is particularly important in older adults.
It is recommended that weekly, a person get 150 minutes of moderate intensity workouts or 75 minutes of higher-intensity workouts for good heart health. The study showed that even without reaching those time frames, the exercise snacks ended up still improving overall health. The study did not find evidence that the exercise bursts caused meaningful changes in weight, blood pressure, or cholesterol levels, all of which are key risk factors for cardiovascular disease, so healthy lifestyles are highly encouraged overall.
Here are some quick exercise bursts that can make a big difference:
- Stair climbing
- Jump rope
- High knees or jogging in place
- Dancing to one song
- Bodyweight squats
- Push-ups
- Lunges
- Chair dips
Taking a five-minute break every hour during an eight-hour timeframe gets you a 40-minute workout daily, and that can be a huge game changer for someone like me who works at a desk all day. It may not turn me into a triathlete, but it’ll certainly help keep me alive longer.
