ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — Experts recommend 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week to stay healthy but squeezing in exercise with a busy schedule may seem impossible. Now research shows, you may not need a full workout to get all the health benefits of one. Ivanhoe explains how quick Movement Snacks may just do the trick.
Work, family, chores. After a long day, the last thing on your mind might be exercise. But studies have long shown exercise improves your brain health, helps manage weight, reduces the risk of disease and strengthens bones and muscles. The goal is to get 150 minutes of exercise per week. But with busy schedules …
Jenn Lea, Performance Coach at Human Performance Institute says, “Squeezing in anything is better than nothing at all.”
Recent studies found that “Movement Snacks,” or an exercise workout lasting minutes or even seconds, can be an effective workout.
Lea says, “It can be as little as 30 seconds sprinting up a flight of stairs or it could be as long as 10 minutes walking around your block.”
In a Canadian study, researchers had people race up three flights of stairs three times a day, which took about 20 seconds. After six weeks, the participants had increased their aerobic fitness by about five percent. Another study at the University of Texas in Austin found four seconds of intense intervals, repeated until they amounted to a total minute of exertion, led to rapid improvements in strength and fitness in middle-aged and older adults. Some ways to incorporate Movement Snacks include starting the day out with a morning stretch, taking a walk during your lunch break, or taking a break during the day to do 30 to 60 seconds of squats, push-ups, jumping jacks, or sit-ups. Getting you moving through the day.
Other studies found these Movement Snacks can lead to better sleep, increased longevity, and clearer thinking, learning, and judgment.
Contributors to this news report include: Milvionne Chery, Producer; Roque Correa, Editor.
Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/pa-health/index.htm
https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/full/10.1139/apnm-2018-0675#.XEdGEM-pHOQ
https://utswmed.org/medblog/movement-snacks-exercise/
“MOVEMENT SNACKS” AND HOW THEY BENEFIT YOUR HEALTH
REPORT #3015
BACKGROUND: The Mayo Clinic recommends that adults need 150 minutes of adequate physical activity every week. A minimum of 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week is suggested. Strength training for all major muscular regions is recommended at least two times per week. A weight or resistance level heavy enough to tire but not harm is most beneficial with twelve to fifteen repetitions. Adults are supposed to move more than they sit throughout the day. A universal goal of 30 minutes per day is suggested if one is looking to maintain their current physical physique. To assist in weight loss an additional 150 minutes of exercise is recommended, totaling for 300 minutes of aerobic activity per week. Many adults in America work nine to five desk jobs and find it difficult to find time to move. Reducing the amount of time, you spend sitting can be a simple, and often overlooked, way to get more movement into your daily routine. Our metabolic rate is affected the longer we sit throughout the day. Sitting for too long over extended periods can lead to a negative impact on long term health and slower durability. Research also shows that those who sit less throughout the day are more likely to keep off lost weight.
(Source: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/expert-answers/exercise/faq-20057916)
THE STUDY: New studies are showing that “Movement Snacks” can be just effective of a workout as heading to the gym. Movement snacks are short workouts that can last only minutes, but get your body up and moving. A study by Candian researchers E. Madison Jenkins, Leah N Nairn, Lauren E. Skelly, Jonathan P. Little, and Martin J. Gibala, tested the benefits of stair climbing as a “snack movement.” Participants included young adults randomly selected from student population at McMaster University. They were instructed to perform 60 steps, three times a day, separated by a one-to-four-hour recovery period. The trial was to last for six days. High oxygen consumption was reported for participants who completed these movements. It was concluded that “snack movements” were effective in improving cardiovascular health and aerobic fitness. UT Southwestern Medical Center found that indulging in a five- to ten-minute-high intensity movement snack a couple times a day, equated to equal or over the recommended weekly intake of 150 minutes of exercise. They recommended finding an activity you loved that can be broken down into a movement snack making your day healthier and more enjoyable.
(Sources: https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/full/10.1139/apnm-2018-0675
NEW REGULATIONS: According to the UT Southwestern Medical Center, small movements throughout the day can be just as beneficial and effective as long and vigorous workouts. After existing physical routines were disrupted two years ago, snack movements became a new normal and an effective way to maintain healthy exercise. While the first few weeks were the most taxing, people reported looking forward to their movement snacks and enjoying them as a part of their daily routine. They were far less dreadful than driving to the gym or engaging in a long and taxing workout. Not only can “snack movements” help benefit your physical endurance, they also were reported to improve sleep, expand vitality, and intensify serotonin receptors.
(Source: https://utswmed.org/medblog/movement-snacks-exercise/)
* For More Information, Contact:
Jennifer Lea
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