MOVEMENT SNACKS™
How to use “Movement Snacks” to Sustain Energy and Momentum
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If the thought of exercising daily makes you feel overwhelmed, or you are struggling to find the time to fit in your daily workouts, movement snacks might be your answer.
Kinesiology researchers at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada call short spurts of exercise “exercise snacks.” I like to broaden the term and call them “movement snacks” since the movement does not have to be full-on exercise, it can just consist of anything that feels good on your body – anything that gets you moving.
Implementing movement snacks will remove that feeling of “I have to do this” and replace it with “I can do this,” which will leave you feeling accomplished, not depleted or overwhelmed. So, if you’re unable to do a full workout, or if—even better—you want to add more movement during the day, use Movement Snacks to find consistency and results.
EXAMPLES:
- Do 25 pliés as you brush your teeth
- While on phone calls – get up and walk around for the entire call
- Do alternating lunges while you wait for your food to cook
- Do five big stretches to the sky, then forward fold to toe touch with deep breathing
- Do a small yoga series during commercials
- Always take the stairs
- Each time you go to the bathroom, do 5 counter pushups on the sink
- Do heel lifts while you are folding laundry.
- Do knee lifts before a flight
- Do Do Do, and keep doing!
These bite-sized “snacks” are a small but mighty tool in your movement toolbox.
BONUS: These snacks make the task of daily exercise easier to digest. Instead of dreading an hours-long workout or a highly regimented exercise schedule, you can find ways to simply, effectively, and joyfully integrate movement into your daily routine. Just a few snacks a day, performed consistently, can go a long way in strengthening muscles, boosting heart health, and creating a lifestyle that naturally involves movement.
