They do say that any number of minutes of exercise is better than zero minutes, and lately, exercise snacking is all the rage. The research is growing on the benefits of this bite-sized approach to fitness, and for many of us, it’s a more manageable way to fit exercise into our busy schedules. For those who spend hours working at the computer desk, just five or 10 minutes of exercise could perk up your mood and help you feel more focused and productive when you sit back down again.
New study
In a recent study published in the journal Sports Medicine and Health Research, researchers wanted to further explore the effectiveness of exercise snacking for enhancing metabolic health and fitness in those who are sedentary. The researchers focused on:
- Muscle strength
- Muscle growth and adaptations
- Energy metabolism
- Aerobic fitness
- Markers like insulin sensitivity and fat oxidation
Can these short bouts of physical activity help counteract the detrimental health effects of being sedentary for an extended time period? The researchers examined related previous studies where participants exercised in brief bursts multiple times throughout the day, either at home, in the office, or at school.
The results
The researchers concluded that:
- Exercise snacks are an effective way to lower health risks associated with being sedentary as well as boosting muscle strength and size and improving cardiovascular fitness and glycemic control.
- Vigorous exercises like stair climbing and sprints are beneficial for boosting muscle power.
- Moderate-intensity 10-minute strength training workouts were especially advantageous for older adults.
- Exercise snacking effectively lowered blood sugar levels after a meal, as well as insulin levels and triglyceride levels. This bite-sized method also improved fat oxidation and metabolic health.
- Short bursts of resistance exercise conducted twice daily could enhance skeletal muscle mass and strength and increase muscle protein synthesis, promoting muscle growth.
Growing research on microdosing fitness
Whether you’re jogging in place, doing a few rounds of bodyweight exercises like squats or lunges, or brisk walking for a few minutes, researchers have found microdosing fitness to be an advantageous and time-efficient approach to boosting cardiorespiratory fitness and building strength. One study showed that 16 minutes of bodyweight moves like squats and lunges broken up through the eight-hour workday can help counteract the negative effects of prolonged sitting and improve leg strength and balance.
Another study highlighted that brief bouts of vigorous exercise lasting no more than one minute multiple times per day can improve cardiorespiratory fitness and exercise performance in inactive adults. This included stair climbing or hopping on an exercise bike for just one minute. That’s right, just 60 seconds at a time for your health and fitness.
