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As we get further into the new year, schedules fill up and that burst of motivation to tackle our health goals starts to wane. Not to mention that wintry weather often keeps us stuck inside making it even harder to exercise, especially for those that enjoy walking or running.
But you don’t have to deprive yourself of the benefits of exercise if you don’t have large chunks of time to dedicate to working out. The solution? Exercise snacking.
What is exercise snacking?
“Exercise snacking” is doing short bouts of exercise throughout the day, allowing you to make room for exercise in the nooks and crannies of your busy schedule — even if it’s just a few minutes at a time.
Some of these suggestions may seem too tiny to make a difference, but science shows this strategy has a ton of health benefits. A recent study suggests that “exercise snacking can be an effective way to boost fitness and another study concluded that even fitness breaks of less than a minute may improve cardiovascular fitness. Here are some activities to do during your short breaks:
Go for a walk
Lacing up your shoes and hitting the pavement is a great way to get your mind off your to-do list while prioritizing the health and fitness goals you’ve been working so hard to reach.
Research suggests that 30 minutes of exercise will help you release endorphins — your body’s natural source of feel-good chemicals. But other research shows that even 10 minutes of walking can result in lower anxiety — especially if you follow it up with a quick meditation session. Not only that, but studies also suggest that walking for 15 minutes can cut sugar cravings in half.
Weather not cooperating? Get your steps in indoors! Try one of these indoor walking workouts I put together for you:
Do 10 squats
Squats are a great lower body exercise that engages the quads, hamstrings…
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