Hi Friend,
Looking for an effective workout that can be done in less than 15 minutes? Need a way to move throughout the day? Meet Exercise Snacks! Incorporating exercise snacks into your day can up your fitness, increase energy levels, and fend off the negative effects of sitting all day. 1 to 2 minute exercise snacks are great for breaking up hours of sitting. High-intensity exercise snacks that last 10 to 15 minutes can replace longer workouts with similar results. All exercise, including exercise snacks, counts toward your fitness level.
Exercise Snacks are short, simple, and vigorous bursts of movement that can lead to meaningful improvements in fitness.
Being active every hour throughout the day has tremendous benefits. A sedentary lifestyle contributes to:
Elevated All-Cause Mortality
Cancer
Osteoporosis
Metabolic Diseases
My favorite exercise snacks that can be done any time of the day for 1 to 2 minutes include:
Jumping Jacks
High Knee Lifts
Walking Lunges
Squats
Heel Lifts
Dancing
Stairs
The Blue Zones are well known for their centenarians and major longevity research contributors.
“Famously, blue zone populations don’t specifically “exercise,” they simply naturally move every 20 minutes or so. Exercise snacks are the perfect way to integrate movement into your daily life—even if you can’t have things structured as they do in the blue zones. https://www.bluezones.com/2021/02/exercise-snacks-may-be-as-good-or-better-than-traditional-workouts/ via @bluezones
Short bursts of exercise can be as beneficial as more traditional, sustained cardiovascular exercise.
Dr. Martin Gibala, Professor of Kinesiology at McMaster University Hamilton, and author of “The One-Minute Workout,” explains: “There are proteins in the body that serve as molecular ‘fuel gauges,’ and trigger physiological remodeling in response to the stress of exercise. Brief bouts of vigorous effort can activate these proteins similar to traditional endurance training, and despite a lower time commitment.”
If you are looking for a short workout here is Dr. Gibala’s 11 minute workout
60 seconds of warm-up with easy jumping jacks
60 seconds of burpees (but without the push-up)
Rest for 60 seconds by walking in place
60 seconds of high-knees running in place
Rest for 60 seconds by walking in place
60 seconds of split squat jumps (beginning and ending in a lunge position, alternating legs)
Rest for 60 seconds by walking in place
60 seconds of high-knees running in place
Rest for 60 seconds by walking in place
60 seconds of split squat jumps
60-second cool-down by walking in place
The KEY is to modify this workout based on your own capacity. The bursts need to be vigorous. Vigorous is defined as what is vigorous for you!
Want to figure out what movement works for you and live life to its fullest? Are you ready for Your transformational journey to holistic wellness? Let’s talk! Contact me for a complimentary consultation—or pass this offer on to someone you care about!
Dig Deeper
https://www.healthline.com/health-news/exercise-snacks-the-10-minute-workout-hack-for-any-schedule
https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2023/01/04/exercise-snacks-workout-breaks/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2023/01/04/exercise-snacks-workout-breaks/
Looking to increase movement and reach your health goals in 2023, contact me for a Free consultation to