Note: Always check with your health professional before beginning new forms or exercise, or increasing the time spent exercising.
‘Exercise snacking’ is the latest trend, and no, we’re not talking about a new chain of restaurants or cafes. Exercise snacking is the concept of fitting in 1 to 5 minute bursts of exercise wherever and whenever you can, either as an addition to longer periods of exercise or as a way to get started in fitness and movement. Let’s face it, even when we wish we could, there are often times in our lives when it simply isn’t possible to head to the pool, or fit a 20 minute walk or a round of tennis into the day. Exercise snacking is perfect for those times when we might not be able to leave the house because we need to care for another, or when appointments take precedence over hitting the trail or heading to Pilates. So let’s take a look at when and how you can fit an exercise snack into your daily routine – especially when the alternative is to be doing nothing!
At home
- Keep one hand on a steady surface (such as the hand basin) and fit in a few rounds of squats while you clean your teeth.
- Do some kitchen bench push-ups while waiting for the toast to pop or the kettle to boil (see if you can up the number each day).
- Try standing to sitting repeats from the dining chair while the potatoes are boiling.
- Repeat-lunge your way to the mail box and back when you go to collect the paper.
- Intentionally squat and stand as you lift the washing from the basket to the clothes line.
- When bringing the groceries in from the car, lift the bags up and down ten times before you unload their contents into the pantry.
- Stand on one foot for as long as possible when grinding your coffee. Switch to the other foot and try again.
Out and about
- When you take cans of food from the pantry, use them as props for a short burst of weight lifting.
- If your appointment is on an upper floor, take the stairs instead of the lift (both up and down). If you arrive early at your appointment, do this more than once!
- While waiting for the bus, fit in some lunges or tai chi moves!
- If your friend is into exercise snacking, do a set of 20 astride jumps each time you meet up!
How does exercise snacking help?
Research shows in adults 65 years and older, exercise snacking helps build muscular endurance – the ability to keep going with physical activity for longer without getting tired. While exercise snacking may not have an effect on blood pressure, it is an important lead-in to the sort of activity that will. Simply by keeping to an exercise snack routine of twice a day for 4-6 weeks, you’re training your body to prepare for greater challenges of more intense exercise, and when you do take these on, you’ll find them easier than if you were starting from scratch. That’s because even small amounts of aerobic activity helps our body to remove waste from muscles – something which makes it easier for us to eventually exercise for longer periods. Whether you’re using exercise snacking to build muscle, or as preparation for more intense exercise, every snack you take is a win!
If you’re looking for exercise snacks to suit your current level of fitness and health, talk to your GP or practise nurse about recommended exercise you can try at home. And don’t be surprised if you get bitten by the bug and move on to longer sessions of training!