Bit by bit to fitness
It’s hard enough most days to carve out time for that hourlong gym workout. Around the holidays it can seem nearly impossible.
The good news is that it doesn’t take a full workout to reap the mental and physical benefits of exercise. Fitness “snacking,” or breaking up exercise into short bits throughout the day, also is effective at controlling blood sugar, burning calories and maintaining your strength and sanity.
“You can get [your exercise] in short bursts,” says Cedric X. Bryant, president and chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise. “It’s like change in your pocket. It all adds up.”
Indeed, while the government advises a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise a week (five 30-minute workouts) for Americans, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity (three 25-minute sessions) as well as two days a week of strength exercises, that effort can be whittled down into little bursts throughout the day. You could start with sets of push-ups or mountain climbers upon rising, take a brisk 15-minute walk to lunch and end with an after-dinner walk and squats while brushing your teeth before bed.
According to a 2014 study, small fitness snacks or bursts before each meal were more effective at controlling blood sugar than one 30-minute workout. And a more recent study indicated that just 10 minutes of light exercise improved the brain’s memory and function.
“A little here and there goes a long way,” says Manhattan Beach-based personal trainer Karena Dawn, one half of the internet-famous Tone It Up girls and co-founder of the Studio Tone It Up app, who favors short, high-intensity interval training bouts to get the biggest metabolism-boosting benefit.