Latest news with #exerciseSnacking
The Independent
a day ago
- Health
- The Independent
These expert-approved five-minute daily workouts can improve flexibility, strength and longevity
Fitting an hour-long workout into your day can be tricky for a lot of people. Fortunately, lengthy sessions at the gym aren't a prerequisite of a successful and sustainable exercise plan. If you spend most of your days sitting at a desk and struggling to find time to move, 'exercise snacking' could be the perfect solution. This fitness trend involves committing to a few short bouts of activity throughout the day – think a snack, instead of a full meal – and it offers plenty of benefits. A small study conducted by the University of Essex found that just 16 minutes of bodyweight exercises like squats and lunges, spread across a standard eight-hour work day, helped subjects strengthen their muscles and boost their balance over the course of four weeks. And a 2022 article, published in the Exercise and Sport Sciences Review, found positive impacts from even shorter bursts of activity – namely, 15-30 seconds of vigorous-intensity exercises such as cycling or stair climbing, three times per day. It concluded that this strategy was effective at 'improving cardiorespiratory fitness and exercise performance in inactive adults'. In short, treating your workouts like little snacks throughout your day, rather than a full hour-long gym session, could improve your strength, flexibility and longevity dramatically. If that impressive list of benefits has piqued your interest, read on. Below, we speak to three experts on walking, stretching and strength training, and task each with sharing a few simple exercise snacking ideas for Independent readers to try. Walking Make conscious choices to increase your daily activity levels, such as using the stairs rather than a lift, or picking a parking spot further away from your office. Try picking up the pace while walking for greater potential health benefits. For some, a walk is the ideal way to keep fit. It's cheap, easy to do and boasts a raft of benefits. It's also a great option if you want to jump on the exercise snacking trend. 'It's a good general recommendation for anyone to exercise throughout the day,' says Dr Elroy Aguiar, an assistant professor of exercise science at The University of Alabama with a specialism in all things step-based. 'Some new research that's come out in the last couple of years is actually saying that sedentary time, sitting down for long periods, can be offset by doing large amounts of exercise. But ideally you should have less sedentary time and lower amounts of aerobic or resistance training exercise [throughout the day]. That's the ideal combination.' Walking is one of the most accessible ways to do this: you don't need any equipment, and you can do it pretty much anywhere. 'You don't need to think about those breaks in sedentary time as 'exercise', it's more like purposeful movement in between bouts of doing things,' advises Dr Aguiar. 'For example, parking your car a little bit further away than the car park that's immediately by your office, or using public transport and getting off one stop early.' 'It's more about thinking of activity as a choice throughout the day: building in movement wherever possible rather than thinking 'I have to have an hour to exercise, otherwise I'm not doing any'.' His second piece of advice is to be mindful of the intensity of this purposeful movement. If you're walking, that might mean picking up the pace slightly – Dr Aguiar's research points to a cadence of 100 steps per minute being representative of moderate-intensity. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week, and promises 'significant physical and mental health benefits from regular exercise'. If you can chip away at this target with a brisk walk a few times each day, you'll be well on your way. So, try incorporating a few faster-paced walks into your day to enjoy health perks such as increased energy expenditure and improved cardiovascular fitness. Strength training Add a short circuit of compound (multi-muscle) bodyweight exercises such as squats, lunges and press-ups into your work day. Try to work all of the major muscle groups (the chest, back, shoulders, arms, legs and core) at least a couple of times per week. Strength training lays the foundations of a fit and functional body, not only helping you build strength and muscle, but also increasing your mobility, bone density and joint health to minimise injury risk. And you don't need to pump iron for hours on end to achieve this. 'Many people believe you need a 60-minute-plus session to feel the benefits of exercise, but nothing could be further from the truth,' says Raquel Sanjurjo, a gym-owner and personal trainer with more than a decade of experience. 'Studies show that as long as there is enough stimulus across the week, your strength and muscle will increase. It doesn't matter if you do it in a 90-minute window or in 10-minute blocks spread throughout the day. Just try to hit all of the muscle groups [the chest, back, shoulders, arms, legs and core] for four to eight sets each week, then get ready for the gains.' Sanjurjo recommends using the routine below when you're short on time and don't have any equipment to hand. In five minutes, complete as many rounds as possible of the circuit below: Squat x10 Sit-up x10 Jumping lunge x10 (five on each side) Press-up x5 If you can't perform a press-up, you can make this exercise easier by placing your hands on an elevated surface like a sturdy chair or your desk. You can also swap the jumping lunges for standard lunges if you prefer low-impact workouts. Stretching Find a five-minute stretching routine you can do anywhere without any specialist equipment. If you sit down a lot during the day, try to break up sedentary periods with this stretching routine. If you're looking for a more relaxed way to add some extra movement into your day, stretching is a top option. Stretching can also help with mobility later in life and help you maintain more independence as you age. 'For most people, the biggest benefit they're going to get from stretching is that feeling of losing restriction and [gaining that] freedom to be able to move,' says flexibility expert and Bodyweight Warrior founder Tom Merrick. A sedentary lifestyle can have the opposite effect, leading to a downturn in flexibility, according to the Harvard Medical School so if you can make short stretching sessions a part of your exercise snacking routine, you'll reap the rewards for years to come. 'If you're sitting a lot in the day, you're going to get some compression and tightness of the glutes, and they then have an impact on other lower body positions like the squat,' Merrick says. 'Loosening the hips really helps to unlock things. The hip flexors tend to be tight on a lot of people.' In the clip below, he shares five stretches he does every day. There are two to specifically target the hips – the couch stretch and 90/90 – and this pair can be done pretty much anywhere. The squat and elephant walk are accessible too, loosening tight hips and hamstrings, but you'll need a pull-up bar to perform the hang for healthier shoulders and decompression of the spine. Try holding each stretch for 60 seconds for some respite from your usual posture at your desk. How to use exercise snacking Exercise snacking is a great way to introduce more movement into your day, especially if you're someone who struggles to find time to work out. Above, you'll find all the ingredients you need to give it a try. The main appeal of exercise snacking is its accessibility – there's no point committing to an itinerary you know you won't stick to. Instead, start with just one or two short bouts of exercise per day, prioritising things that are achievable, enjoyable and make you feel good – this is the key to making an exercise plan stick. When you're consistently completing these sessions, you can slowly try adding more in, with the end goal of hitting the 150-minutes of moderate-intensity activity (or 75-minutes of vigorous-intensity activity) per week championed by the WHO and NHS. And there you have it, a bite-sized answer to your workout woes and a great place to start if you're new to exercise, or getting back into it.
Yahoo
22-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Don't Have Time For A Big Workout? Try 'Exercise Snacking'
After a long day at work, the last thing you may want to do is a hard workout. Even thinking about it can be exhausting, especially when you're trying to balance that with dinner, spending time with family and friends and other things on your to-do list. How can you possibly do it all? That's where 'exercise snacking' comes in. Instead of doing one big workout a day, it encourages you to get in some movement throughout the day in shorter bursts. The goal is to move your body in a way that feels good or productive to you. Exercise snacking can be as informal or formal as you'd like. On the informal side, it might look like walking your dog, stretching your legs, doing jumping jacks while watching TV, taking the stairs or using a resistance band while you're at work. 'You are able to do these without it really impacting the time in your day,' said Joslyn Thompson-Rule, a Peloton instructor. Exercise snacking is not only easier to fit into a busy schedule, but it's beneficial for your health, too. According to a 2019 study in Journal of Aging Research, exercise snacking can improve leg muscle function and size. And even climbing the stairs for a few minutes throughout the day can improve cardiovascular health, according to research at McMaster University and UBC Okanagan. Exercise snacking can improve your daily living, too. It 'gives you energy bursts' and 'improves sleep performance,' said Georgy Dillon, a pre- and postnatal personal trainer who uploads exercise snack videos. So, it can help you fight that afternoon slump you may feel after lunch. 'Of course this is great for cardiovascular health, but the big thing for me is the positive impact it has on mental health, too,' Thompson-Rule said. If you feel down, unmotivated or unable to focus, fitting in an exercise snack can change that. According to Dillon, it improves clarity, elevates your mood and just generally benefits your mental well-being. Since it's usually easier to fit this type of exercise in, it can also help you feel more accomplished, like you're able to meet your goals. '[It's] rewarding and gives you a sense of achievement,' Dillon added. For people who have had an exercise addiction, knowing what a 'healthy' workout looks like and stopping when necessary can be difficult. Exercise snacking is purposefully short, which can be less triggering and feel more natural than a trip to the gym. 'For those who have a condition or find working out more difficult, practicing the appropriate small exercise snacks means that they aren't putting themselves under too much pressure too soon,' Dillon said. For people with a chronic illness, such as back pain or a heart issue, exercise isn't always an option — especially for a long stretch of time. Talking to your doctor is best (preferably one who's well-versed in Health at Every Size, a holistic framework that promotes health equity), but according to the Cleveland Clinic, low-impact exercises such as walking or resistance bands for a short period can be the 'snack' to choose. But again, ask your physician first (and listen to your body), as more exercise can make things worse for people with chronic fatigue syndrome, for example. So think about what you want exercise snacks to look like for you. What fits into your day best and is most doable? 'There are no hard and fast rules — again, we are trying to move away from the idea that you have to move for a certain period of time for it to 'count,'' Thompson-Rule said. But if you need some more formal ideas to get you started, one option Dillon suggested is an interval workout. 'Choose four exercises and set an interval timer to do 30 seconds of exercise, 20 seconds of rest and repeat for the exercise snack time, [such as] eight minutes,' she said. Those exercises could be pushups, situps, squats, planks, lunges or whatever you find most enjoyable. (Remember: If you don't enjoy it, you won't want to do it, and creating a habit will be harder. Plus, you deserve to enjoy it. Exercise doesn't have to be something you dread!) Thompson-Rule agreed. 'With that in mind, meeting yourself where you are at with both time and movement means you get to do what works for you,' she said. Ultimately, exercise snacking is a whole new (and maybe even better) way to look at exercise. 'It moves us away from the idea that you have to work out for a certain amount of time for it to be effective,' Thompson-Rule added. 'Working out is so different for everyone.' Don't have a lot of time to work out, but want to squeeze some movement in? These are fitness experts' top recommended products! HuffPost may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Every item is independently selected by the HuffPost Shopping team. Prices and availability are subject to change. Amazon "Jump ropes are not only a great way to work on your coordination and footwork, but can also be used for a variety of cardio and HIIT workouts to get your heart rate up," explained Belgrave. Our pick: This model has ball bearings for tangle-free use. $8.99 at Amazon Amazon If working from home is an option, then the addition of a standing desk and walking pad can be an absolute game-changer — and my colleague Lindsay Holmes swears by this one."If you're sedentary, think of ways to add standing or moving throughout the day to build a base of strength and cardio. If you work at a desk, you can get a walking pad to get your steps in while taking meetings instead of sitting," Goodtree told HuffPost. $799 at Amazon Amazon Goodtree recommended glider discs to level up a workout without pricey, bulky equipment. They're compact, easy to tuck away, can be used on carpet or hardwood floors, and make it easy to squeeze in intense, low-impact workouts. They're great for core workouts as well as lunges and much more. This two-pack from Elite Core Sliders is available in four different colors. $11.99+ at Amazon Amazon All of our experts recommended resistance bands, and Hughes pointed to Therabands as a great option for stretching, physical therapy exercises and toning. They're easy to use, tuck away and feature color-coded resistance levels. Their wider band size makes them easier to use for exercises like squats and ab work. $14.99 at Amazon Amazon Hughes considers a basic set of resistance bands such as this one to be a great bare minimum baseline for the fitness averse. This set of five ranges from extra light to extra heavy resistance, so you can work your way up as your strength increases. You can even keep them in your purse so you can pop one on and start doing some squats while out and about. Stranger things have happened! $12.95 at Amazon Amazon Hughes pointed to superbands as another handy resistance band option. These have a heavier resistance than the other bands mentioned, but also come in a variety of different resistances, so you can move at your own pace. "You can easily increase the difficulty with a heavier-tension band (with minimal space and finances being used)," Hughes noted. $18.99+ at Amazon Amazon Goodtree has this variable set from Bowflex that replaces 15 sets of weights! They're adjustable from five to 52 pounds each, so you can use this space-saving, versatile dumbbell for a range of exercises and strength levels. It even has motion-tracking technology that can count your reps and track your form when used in conjunction with a smart device's camera. $214.97 at Amazon Amazon According to Belgrave, "a fitness tracker can help workout-averse people keep track of their daily activity and motivate them to move more. Many fitness trackers come with features like step tracking, heart rate monitoring, and reminders to get up and move throughout the day."You can set goals and reminders and track your progress with this super popular Fitbit fitness tracker. It's surprisingly subtle and chic, and will help motivate you to get some movement in whenever you have a spare moment. $55 at Amazon (originally: $99.99) Amazon Hughes and Goodtree both recommended having a designated exercise mat regardless of what kind of workout you choose. Hughes noted that "it can help create space, a time and place for your workout to occur, providing motivation both physically and pick: This extra-thick, high-density workout mat can be used for everything from yoga and mat pilates to bodyweight exercises, weight lifting and more. It's durable and strong, made with anti-tear foam with excellent slip resistance. $22.56 at Amazon Amazon If mobility issues, fear of injury or stiffness is keeping you from fully embracing a workout, then a yoga block might help add stability and ease your mind. Hughes pointed out that yoga blocks can also be helpful because they can be used to create an incline and for slow eccentric movements. Use them under your chest to make progress with push-ups or tuck them between your knees to create pick: This version from Gaiam has a small footprint and can be used in a wide variety of workouts. It provides stability, support and balance, and is made with latex-free EVA foam with a soft non-slip surface. $14.99 at Amazon Amazon A small set of dumbbells make it easy to get motivated and squeeze in a quick workout. "As you get more into the workout flow, a range of dumbbells is always helpful. An external load can help maximize the difficulty of time spent under tension, improving lean muscle mass development," Hughes simple set of three different weights includes its own stand, so you don't have to worry about storage. $38.20 at Amazon Amazon A foam roller can help you indulge in a bit of post-workout massage and relaxation. Feeling good will help you want to stay consistent."Foam rollers are the best piece of equipment for a self-message. They can be used to release tight muscles, improve mobility, and reduce soreness after a workout," Belgrave pointed can try this lightweight roller from Amazon Basics, made of molded polypropylene to keep its firmness. $16.75 at Amazon Amazon Throw these on your ankles or wrists while doing chores around the house, chasing your kids around or running errands for a bit of increased resistance without having to carve out additional time for a workout. You'll be surprised how much of a difference just one pound each can make. I love them, and Goodtree also finds they're an easy way to add a bit of extra oomph. $64+ at Amazon 9 Habits That Can Drastically Improve Your Heart Health 7 Heart-Healthy Activities That Have Nothing To Do With Traditional Cardio 5 Exercises You Should Do In The Morning, According To Experts
