Exercise Snacking

Written by Trainer, Deb Costley

Have you heard of exercise snacking? It’s a term that’s been floating around in the fitness and health industry for a few years now, and it’s a concept I think we should all embrace.

Exercise snacking is the process of incorporating bite-sized workouts into your daily routine. It supports the idea that all movement adds up, and that any exercise is ALWAYS better than none.

Here are some examples of what this could look like for you: do a few extra sit-to-stands each time you get out of a chair, march on the spot during a TV ad break, perform some wall push-ups while waiting for the jug to boil, sneak in some calf raises after brushing your teeth, or add in a 5-minute walk in the morning and again in the afternoon.

This concept helps shift us away from the all or nothing mindset and comes with many benefits. Small bursts of exercise are much easier to fit into a busy schedule. They are also less intimidating if you are new to exercise, recovering from injury or illness, or simply having a low energy day. Often, if you are feeling fatigued and you do an exercise snack, you end up feeling more energised with improved motivation and mood. Small amounts of exercise can also help build confidence to start doing more.

Always remind yourself that every movement counts.