I Tried Exercise Snacks for 2 Weeks
Health and wellness touch everyone's life differently. This is one person's story. The views and opinions expressed are those of the speaker and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Healthline Media.
I spend the bulk of my workday jumping from virtual meeting to virtual meeting. Despite my best efforts, I often find it hard to move around much during the day. When I learned about exercise snacks, I was intrigued.
Exercise snacks are short bursts of exercise throughout the day. They can be completed in 1 minute or less, and should be done every 45 minutes to an hour, over several hours. There's a growing trend to incorporate these into the workday, encouraging movement for people who work sedentary desk jobs.
Exercise snacks can be done using a range of exercises, including burpees, jumping jacks, or other exercises that can be easily done anywhere and using body weight. There's also some evidence to suggest that even just doing 10 squats during these quick breaks, 10 times per day can have a positive impact on your health.
Reading about many of the potential benefits, I decided to give it a try for two weeks.
What the science says
Prolonged periods of inactivity can negatively impact health and well-being. Not only can sitting for long periods lead to musculoskeletal problems, but there is also some evidence to suggest it may be tied to increased risk for hypertension. In one study, people who sat for longer periods of time had increased blood pressure compared to people who were more active during the day.
Reduced mobility after meals can also impact blood glucose levels, whereas movement, even in the form of leg fidgeting, may have positive impacts on blood glucose control.
There is also evidence that exercise snacks can positively impact cardiovascular fitness, blood glucose control, and muscular function and balance.
The setup
I used a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) for several days before getting started to gauge my baseline levels and blood glucose control. A CGM is not required.
I also took my weight using a body fat scale and monitored my blood pressure. I continued to monitor glucose levels, weight, and blood pressure during my 2-week experiment.
I also shared my plan with colleagues, both to hold myself accountable and so that they wouldn't be confused if they saw me doing squats around the office or during meetings.
How it went
I work a hybrid schedule. I go into the office 2 days a week and work from home the other 3 days. I decided to start my experiment on an in-office day and planned to mostly focus on squats.
On my first day, I did some of my squats in the bathroom to give me privacy and other sets in conference rooms between meetings. I didn't notice many changes in the first day, though my thighs were very sore by the end of the work day.
I found it easier to consistently do my exercises on my work-from-home days. There were some days when I missed a set, but I focused on giving myself grace and embracing the idea that any movement was better than no movement.
As I moved through the two weeks, I experimented with timing, eventually adjusting the times to ensure that I always took an exercise snack break shortly after eating.
My results
I found that the foods I ate, more than anything, had the biggest impact on my blood glucose levels during my 2-week study. I did not see any shifts in blood pressure or sleep quality (I use a sleep tracker), or in my baseline blood glucose levels.
When my exercise breaks occurred within 30 to 45 minutes following a meal, I did see that my blood glucose stabilized back to my baseline more rapidly than when I did not plan exercise breaks around meals. Exercise did not seem to have any impact on immediate glucose spikes following a meal, however.
I also lost 2 pounds during that time and saw a slight improvement in muscle tone in my lower body, and found I had more energy during the work day.
If you decide to give exercise snacks a try, it's important to note that everyone's results will vary.
How to get started
You don't need any equipment to get started. All you need to do is to set you intentions, pick a day, and then dive in.
You also don't have to do squats. I ended up doing a mix of body weight exercises. The important thing is to pick an exercise you can safely do and that helps elevate your heart rate and gets your muscles moving.
The takeaway
Carving out space in your day for more movement can have positive impacts on your health and well-being. If you can't commit to breaks every 45 minutes or even every hour, that's ok. The main thing is to find more time to move.
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