DO YOU FIND IT CHALLENGING TO SET ASIDE dedicated time for extensive exercise routines? Today, I want to explore exercise snacks: 7 tiny workouts for big results.
The world seems so fast-paced. I found it challenging to set aside dedicated time for exercise in the past.
Do you find work, family, and other commitments leave you little room for lengthy trips to the gym or hour-long workouts? But you know that staying physically active is essential for your health and well-being.
The good news is that there’s an alternative — a concept called “mini moves” or “exercise snacks” that can help us stay fit and healthy even when time is tight.
This essay will explore ten tiny workouts that can yield significant results backed by science and expert opinions.
What Are Exercise Snacks?
What are exercise snacks?
Exercise snacks (mini moves) are short, efficient bursts of physical activity that you can incorporate into your daily routine.
These bite-sized workouts can range from a few minutes to 15 minutes and offer various health benefits. You can sprinkle “exercise snacks” throughout your day.
Exercise Snack Benefit — Better Heart Health
Brief bouts of exercise can be just as effective as longer workouts to improve health.
Got two minutes to exercise? Then, you have enough time to drop your heart disease, cancer, and even early death risks.
These are the 2022 findings reported in the European Heart Journal. At the seven-year follow-up, researchers calculated exercising vigorously for 15 minutes was linked with an 18 percent drop in the risk of early death.
The relative drops in heart disease were impressive, too. Doing at least 19 minutes was associated with a near-halving (40 percent) lower heart disease risk.
Finally, doing 16 minutes each week was associated with a more than one-sixth (16 percent) drop in cancer risk.
Health Improvements In Absolute Numbers
A smart reader recently reminded me that I should always try to include absolute numbers, not just relative improvements.
A drug cuts a risk in half. But half of what? 50 percent? One in 100,000? The value of the drug hinges on the baseline risk.
Exercise snacks (or mini moves) such as quick jogs or jumping jacks that increase your heart rate can improve your cardiovascular health.
Exercise Snack Benefit — Burning Calories
Short, high-intensity workouts can be highly effective for burning calories.
Short, high-intensity workouts can be highly effective for burning calories.
A 2020 British Journal of Sports Medicine study reported that short bursts of intense exercise can help with weight management.
Exercise Snack Benefit — Boosting Metabolism
Engaging in mini-moves can give your metabolism a boost.
Short bursts of exercise can increase your metabolic rate, helping you burn more calories throughout the day.
Short Bursts of Activity Can Have Huge Health Benefits
www.uhhospitals.org
“Short bursts of activity burn more calories, increase metabolic rate, and improve endurance and strength — all in less time. Simply ramping up your activity for a few minutes, a few times a day, can improve health,” says University Hospital sports medicine specialist Joshua Beer, DO.
Let’s turn to 10 of my favorite exercise snacks.
#1 Exercise Snack — Walking
Throughout my work day, I walk around the office. I do three to five-minute walks.
Did you know that sedentary individuals who take six mini-walking breaks during the workday boost their mood?
In addition, this strategy is associated with less fatigue and fewer food cravings (than those walking on a treadmill for 30 minutes in the morning or sitting for six hours straight.
Movement like walking enhances circulation and can increase hormones and chemicals that stimulate your brain, helping you feel more alert and energetic.
#2 Exercise Snack — Planks
Today, I did three sets of planks, each lasting 45 seconds. It was part of my gym workout but could have been a routine non-gym day.
I love planks, as they are a fantastic strengthener of my core. When I do planks, I engage my abdominal muscles.
Moreover, I engage my shoulders, lower (and upper) back, chest, and lower body muscles (including my quadriceps and glutes).
Planks are a comprehensive full-body exercise.
When I started doing them, I began with a 30-second plank. I gradually increased the duration of the activity as I became more comfortable.
#3 Exercise Snack— Stairs
If you have access to stairs, take advantage of them.
Sprinting up and down the stairs for five to 10 minutes can provide an effective cardiovascular workout that strengthens your legs and engages your core.
Stair-climbing may be a useful strategy for enhancing divergent thinking in everyday life.
Divergent thinking is a thought process that can generate creative ideas by exploring possible solutions. It typically occurs in a spontaneous, free-flowing, “non-linear” manner.
Not up for running the stairs? I walk them. Here’s what I recently wrote about the topic:
Climb Your Way to Better Health
medium.com
4. Exercise Snack — Desk Chair Lifts
Here is another workday favorite of mine: Desk chair lifts.
I spend long hours at my desk. Chair leg lifts are an excellent way to sneak in some leg-strengthening exercises. Here’s what you need to do:
While seated, raise your legs off the ground and hold for a few seconds. Lower and repeat seven to 10 times.
This exercise targets your quadriceps and can be done discreetly during the workday.
Do it, and you may have less back pain.
5. Exercise Snack — Standing Calf Raises
The standing calf raise is easy while waiting for your coffee to brew.
Stand on your tiptoes and lower your heels back down. Try doing ten. Here is a brief explanation in visual form:
How to Do Standing Calf Raises: Techniques, Benefits, Variations
Learn how to do standing calf raises with proper form.
Standing calf raises will help tone and strengthen your calf muscles.
#6. Exercise Snack — Wall Sits
Wall sits are a simple yet powerful exercise for strengthening your leg muscles.
Stand with your back against a wall, bend your knees at a 90-degree angle, and hold the position as long as possible.
This exercise is a great way to tone your quadriceps.
Wall sits are a great way to tone your quadriceps. Furthermore, a Journal of Sports Medicine study showed that static isometric exercise, such as wall sits, is best for lowering blood pressure.
#7. Exercise Snack —Quick Bodyweight Squats.
Bodyweight squats are an excellent way to engage your leg muscles and glutes.
These can be done in just a minute or two, making them perfect for quick breaks during the day.
https://newcancerinfo.com/media/374cc8166b8b5ce4523f658dd40e6d4b
Conclusion
Incorporating mini-moves into your daily routine can significantly improve your overall health and fitness. The seven tiny workouts discussed here are just a starting point.
The exercise snacks are easily adaptable to your schedule and can be done at home, in the office, or wherever you can spare a few minutes.
Consistency is Key
Please remember the key to success with mini-moves is consistency. Gradually increase the duration and intensity of these exercises as your fitness level improves.
Making exercise snacks a part of your daily routine can achieve big results, enhancing cardiovascular health, burning calories, and improving muscle tone.
So, don’t skip your exercise routine the next time you feel pressed for time. Instead, opt for one of these mini moves to maintain your health and well-being, one small step at a time.
I’ll end with this: Doing exercise snacks throughout the day can significantly impact your health.
Thank you for reading “7 Exercise Snacks.”
