The ‘exercise snacks’ as effective as a 20-minute walk

Squeezing in a few ultra-short micro-workouts may be just as good as going to the gym. Photo / 123rf
Short intense ‘exercise snacks’ will burn calories, help you lose weight and improve heart health. Here’s how to do them.
The idea of heading out for a 5k run or climbing into the car for a gym class can feel like something to be filed under “Possible Future Projects”. But a new study has found squeezing in a few ultra-short micro-workouts may be just as good, if not better.
The study published this week by the Royal Society was carried out by Dr Francesco Luciano of the University of Milan and compared long continuous walks to short intermittent walks. They had subjects walk on a treadmill and stair climber and found: “The time-averaged oxygen uptake and metabolic cost are greater for shorter than longer bouts,” in other words, there was more energy being used on the shorter bursts.
The late and much-missed broadcaster Dr Michael Mosley was a huge advocate of these small but frequent exercise breaks and, as we know, he was consistently driven by the latest research. The evidence for the benefits of short bursts of intense exercise is building all the time.
On his Just One Thing Radio 4 series, he said: “Doing exercise in short chunks really can help you burn more calories, lose more weight and help you improve your blood glucose and blood pressure to a greater degree than doing it in larger chunks. And it is really easy to fit into your life.”
A small study in New Zealand had nine people with blood sugar issues trying short bouts of intense exercise before meals (six one-minute sharp incline walks or six one-minute bursts of resistance training, alternating with the walks). This was compared to 30 minutes of moderate-intensity continuous exercise. The goal of the research was to discover how each approach affected the body’s ability to manage blood sugar. The findings were clear: “Dosing exercise as brief, intense ‘exercise snacks’ before main meals is a time-efficient and effective approach to improve glycaemic control in individuals with insulin resistance.”
Lucie Cowan, a cycle master trainer at Third Space London, strongly supports the use of short workouts and highlights a whole raft of improvements to both mind and body that can be experienced with very little disruption to your day. “A person might perform a quick set of squats, a few flights of stairs, or a short, brisk walk between meetings or household chores. These mini-workouts still elevate the heart rate, engage muscles, and burn calories, but they don’t demand the same logistical planning as a longer workout.”
Where most of us spend our days in imposed periods of sitting in front of a computer, if we stop, get up and perform a short mini-workout we can alleviate some of the harm all this static keyboard tapping is almost certainly doing.
Cowan says: “Sitting for prolonged periods is one of the leading contributors to poor health outcomes, including obesity, cardiovascular disease and metabolic issues. Exercise snacking directly counters this by encouraging frequent movement breaks.”
There is obviously a finger-wagging internal PE teacher within all of us that feels anything short of an all-out “proper” workout is cheating and the moral equivalent of using someone else’s essay in your finals, however, the benefits of short workouts are much the same as those from any other form of exercise, Cowan says.
“Despite its seemingly low-intensity nature, exercise snacking can improve cardiovascular health. Research shows that short, intense intervals — such as climbing stairs or doing a quick sprint — can increase cardiovascular endurance. These activities promote the same physiological adaptations as longer, moderate exercise by enhancing the efficiency of the heart and lungs in pumping blood and oxygen throughout the body. Similarly, brief exercise sessions can lead to significant gains in muscle strength and endurance.”
There are a number of reasons why frequent short bursts may be better than longer, more conventional exercise. One factor is the ripple effect of working out once you’ve stopped.
“Small bouts of high-intensity activity, such as 1-2 minutes of stair climbing or jumping jacks, can increase your heart rate rapidly, triggering what’s known as the “afterburn effect” (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption or EPOC). This means your body continues to burn calories even after the session is finished. Over the course of the day, multiple exercise snacks can result in a higher overall calorie burn compared to a single low-intensity walk.”
We all, in reality, take pauses during the day, instead of filling these with toast, biscuits and Instagram try a short but satisfying exercise snack.
No-equipment, accessible and home-friendly workouts by Lucie Cowan, a cycle master trainer at Third Space London. Feel free to use these in micro-workouts from 30 seconds up depending your available time.
Chair squats are a fantastic way to strengthen the legs, hips and core, which are crucial for maintaining mobility and balance as we age.
How to do it
Stand in front of a sturdy chair with feet hip-width apart. Lower yourself down as if you’re going to sit, but just before touching the chair, stand back up. Repeat 10-15 times. This exercise mimics the movement of sitting and standing, which is essential for everyday functionality.
Wall push-ups are a gentle yet effective upper-body exercise that works the chest, shoulders, and arms, without the strain of floor push-ups.
How to do it
Stand facing a wall at arm’s length, place your palms on the wall at shoulder height, and slowly bend your elbows to bring your chest towards the wall. Push back to the starting position. Perform 10-12 repetitions. You can adjust the difficulty by stepping further away from the wall.
Marching in place is a simple cardio exercise that improves circulation, gets the heart rate up, and enhances leg strength and co-ordination.
How to do it
Stand tall and gently raise one knee towards your chest, then lower it and raise the other knee. Pump your arms as you march for 1-2 minutes. This can be done during TV ad breaks or as a quick energy booster.
Heel raises strengthen the calves and improve ankle stability, which can help with balance and reduce the risk of falls.
How to do it
Stand with feet hip-width apart, hands on a chair or wall for balance. Slowly lift your heels off the ground, rising on to your toes, then slowly lower back down. Perform 10-15 repetitions. This exercise improves balance and supports lower leg strength, crucial for walking and climbing stairs.
This exercise helps improve hip strength and flexibility, which is important for stability and preventing falls.
How to do it
Stand behind a chair for support, with feet hip-width apart. Lift one leg out to the side, keeping it straight and toes pointed forward. Lower it back down and switch to the other leg. Repeat 10 times per leg. Keep the movement controlled to engage the core and improve balance.
Seated knee lifts are a great way to activate the core and hip flexors without putting pressure on the knees or back.
How to do it
Sit in a sturdy chair with feet flat on the floor. Lift one knee towards your chest, then lower it back down. Alternate between legs for 10-12 repetitions on each side. This exercise helps improve lower-body strength and core stability, aiding in daily activities like standing up or getting out of a car.
Arm circles help improve shoulder mobility and work the muscles in the shoulders and arms, increasing flexibility and circulation.
How to do it
Stand or sit with your arms extended straight out to the sides at shoulder height. Make small circles with your arms, gradually increasing the size. After 30 seconds, reverse the direction of the circles. This is a low-impact exercise that can be done during a break or as a warm-up.
This exercise strengthens the core and enhances spinal mobility, helping improve posture and reduce back stiffness.
How to do it
Sit upright in a chair with feet flat on the floor. Place your hands on your lap or hold the sides of the chair. Slowly twist your torso to the right, hold for a second, and then return to the centre. Repeat on the left side. Do this 10 times on each side. Twisting helps keep the spine flexible and activates the obliques (side abdominal muscles).
Flexibility is key for preventing stiffness and improving movement. A standing calf stretch keeps the muscles in the lower leg flexible and helps relieve tension.
How to do it
Stand facing a wall, place both hands on it for support, and step one foot back, keeping the heel on the ground. Gently bend your front knee, feeling a stretch in the calf of your back leg. Hold for 20-30 seconds, then switch legs. This stretch can be done after a short walk or period of sitting to loosen up the legs.
Improving balance is crucial for preventing falls, especially in older adults. This simple exercise helps build stability and leg strength.
How to do it
Stand near a chair or wall for support. Lift one foot off the ground and try to balance on the other for 20-30 seconds. Repeat with the opposite leg. If needed, lightly hold on to the chair or wall for stability. As your balance improves, try letting go of the support. Stand near a chair or wall for support. Lift one foot off the ground and try to balance on the other for 20-30 seconds. Repeat with the opposite leg. If needed, lightly hold onto the chair or wall for stability. As your balance improves, try letting go of the support.