{"id":4204,"date":"2020-01-27T19:14:32","date_gmt":"2020-01-27T09:14:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.isaboost.com.au\/?p=4204"},"modified":"2020-01-28T15:10:36","modified_gmt":"2020-01-28T05:10:36","slug":"benefits-of-exercise-snacking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.isaboost.com.au\/benefits-of-exercise-snacking\/","title":{"rendered":"The Benefits of Exercise “Snacking” and How to Do It"},"content":{"rendered":"
No one can deny that exercise is an important part of health and fitness, particularly if you\u2019re hoping to shed some pounds. What you eat may be the most important driver, but the right exercise plan can jump-start your attempts to slim down and shape up.<\/p>\n
One of the most common excuses that people use for why they fail to exercise regularly is lack of time. Most of us have jobs, families, and other obligations that quickly eat up the available hours that we have each day.<\/p>\n
Trying to squeeze in a workout in between out other important activities can seem impossible at times. Luckily, new research seems to indicate that small bouts of exercise can be equally as, if not more, effective as longer workouts.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately for those of us who love to eat, exercise snacking doesn\u2019t involve adding treats to your exercise regimen.<\/p>\n
The idea behind this new fitness craze is that instead of setting aside 30 \u2013 60 minutes every day to exercise, you instead fit your bouts of exercise into your day in \u201cbite-size\u201d pieces.<\/strong><\/p>\n In other words, exercise snacking, also known as \u201csprint endurance training\u201d (SIT), asks you to occasionally take a short break from your daily activities to perform a bit of physical activity.<\/p>\n One of the most popular exercise snacks involves staircases. If you work in an office building, chances are that you have a few staircases that you usually avoid by heading to the elevator<\/p>\n You can use these staircases to get a short bout of exercise. A few times each day, stand up from your desk and head to the staircase. Walk or jog up the stairs at a brisk pace, and then return to your desk. It\u2019s as simple as that.<\/strong><\/p>\n One group of researchers<\/a> asked a sample of adults working sedentary jobs to do this three times each day, three days per week, for six weeks. The research concluded that the exercise improved participants\u2019 oxygen intake, suggesting that exercise snacking has the potential to significantly improve their cardiovascular function.<\/p>\n The initial research on exercise snacking is promising to say the least.<\/p>\n Another study<\/a>, similar to the one described in the previous paragraph, asked a group of sedentary women to regularly climb stairs instead of using a more traditional endurance-based exercise program. The results mirrored those of the other study, demonstrating that these small bouts of exercise can make a major difference in cardiovascular health.<\/p>\n This is an important finding, as cardiovascular issues have been proven in numerous studies to be one of the most devastating killers in the world. In fact, one study<\/a> indicated that poor cardiovascular health is the top indicator for just about every form of non-accidental mortality. This is of particular concern for individuals who are middle-aged or elderly, as physical activity and overall health tend to decline with age.<\/p>\n According to statistics, only about 40%<\/a> of adults<\/strong> in these demographics currently meet the current standard guidelines for aerobic fitness. For these individuals, performing short bouts of exercise throughout the day can potentially make a big difference.<\/p>\n However, SIT isn\u2019t just about cardiovascular health. There are other important benefits that should not be overlooked. For example, individuals with insulin resistance<\/a> who practiced some form of exercise snacking before eating their meals were found to have more stable blood sugar throughout the course of the day.<\/p>\n Another study, published by the Journal of Aging<\/a>, examined the effect of SIT on older individuals. In particular, the study sought to determine whether exercise snacking could make a difference in muscle strength and composition among older populations. Researchers found that after engaging in a SIT program for 28 days, the individuals in the study did see an improvement in health scores relating to muscle strength, particularly in their lower bodies.<\/p>\n Even if you are already in pretty good shape, SIT can be beneficial to your overall fitness. According to research published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology<\/a>, runners who performed short sprints throughout the day with several hours of recovery in between saw improvements in the cardiovascular fitness and even their running times.<\/p>\nDoes Exercise Snacking Really Work?<\/h2>\n
How to Perform Exercise Snacks<\/h2>\n