Every little bit counts in ‘exercise snacking’
You know the feeling: You’re on the couch watching television and it’s getting late. You find yourself starting to crave a snack for no real reason. What if rather than reaching for a cookie or some chips, you did some “exercise snacking” instead?
Frank Velasquez Jr., Director of Sports Performance at Allegheny Health Network (AHN), describes exercise snacking as “a trendy term that describes fitting small bits of exercise and stretching into your day at home or at the office that would replace food snacking.”
Think of exercise snacking as a way to break up your workout into short spurts throughout the day rather than doing it all at once. Instead of reaching for food, try “snacking” on exercises throughout the day by fitting in quick, five- to 10-minute workouts. This is particularly practical and beneficial for those who work from home or who sit at a desk for extended periods.
Velazquez oversees AHN Sports Performance and Physical Therapy at Wexford Plaza and Cool Springs and believes exercise snacking of 5 to 10 minutes throughout the day can actually work as well as traditional exercise regimens.
“Yes, small bits of exercise such as foam rolling and/or stretching muscle tissue or doing low-intensity exercises meant to improve strength for joint stabilization and skeletal alignment done in 5 to 10 minutes can be just as beneficial if not more,” he explains. In fact, a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) shows packing weekly amounts of exercise into only two days works as well as spreading it out across seven days. The study examines physical activity levels of more than 350,000 adults and concluded there was no difference in death rates between those who spread 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week over seven days versus those who packed it into only two days. Researchers say the takeaway is that the total amount of exercise is more important than when it takes place.
Snacking or weekend warrior?
We all know someone who has overdone it as a “weekend warrior” and wound up with some sort of sports or exercise injury. Velasquez cautions that trying to squeeze weekly totals of exercise time into two days might tempt some to overdo it.
“Just exercising on the weekends may lead to more muscle soreness and/or possible injury,” he warns. “We recommend building exercise and wellness time into the busy work week as well, reducing the risk and maximizing the gains.” That’s not to say you can’t spend more of your free time on days off doing more exercise. The key is to not undertake so much that you can’t walk the next day or are left completely sore come Monday morning.
As for getting started with an exercise snacking routine, Velasquez recommends a few easy first steps.
“Go out and purchase a 3-by-6 foot foam roll, an exercise ball or Swiss/yoga/physio ball, some resistance bands to go around the ankles and knees for posture exercises,” he advises. “All in, you are at less than $100. If you are planted at your work desk or computer all day, we recommend regular breaks every 90 to 120 minutes where you would stand and walk around the office or home.” Take that time to roll out on the foam roll or do some low-intensity exercises using the bands or bodyweight for posture plus glute and core muscles.
As we move into colder weather this late fall and winter, exercise snacking can be a go-to way to keep fit. “Exercise snacking can be done in or outdoors,” says Velazquez. “Start doing it daily so that it becomes a habit and part of your workday. Minimal time, maximum effectiveness.”
He recommends combining daily or weekly activity with good nutrition, hydration, and sleep for the best overall benefits. “If you can do that,” he adds, “you will feel and see the changes you want to see in a timely fashion.”
To stay healthy, adults ages 19 to 64 should try to do some sort of physical activity each day and aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity every week, like brisk walks or cycling. An alternative is to do 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity each week such as running, swimming or a game of tennis. Try to fit in strength exercises twice per week that focus on major muscles like legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms.
One good guideline is to remember that one minute of vigorous activity provides the same health benefits as two minutes of moderate activity. An easy way to fit in the right amount of movement is to do some sort of physical activity for 30 minutes five days per week … or do it by “exercise snacking” in three spurts of 10 minutes each day.