Day Eight - Movement
Regular incidental activity that gets you huffing and puffing even for a few seconds has great promise for health.
Today we are going to have a snack, an exercise snack.
We all know the benefits of being more active, including improved mood, reduced stress, protective effects from chronic disease, improved memory, and thinking skills, but it's hard to find time in our busy lives. Health guidelines for optimal health suggest that we aim for 150 minutes of moderate physical exercise per week which equates to 30 minutes every day, but even this is a stretch for most Australians.
For those time-poor who can't find thirty continuous minutes for physical exercise, don't despair. New research showing short-duration exercise, aka snacking, several times a day can cumulate into meaningful fitness gains even if totalling as little as five to 10 minutes a day. Take, for example, briskly ascend 3-flights of stairs three times a day, three days a week for six weeks showed an increase in aerobic fitness of 5 percent-plus improvements in leg power. 2
So how can you add short sharp bursts of 'High-Intensity Incidental Physical Activity' (HIIPA) into your day? 3
HIIPA activities can be as simple:
Stair climbing: briskly ascend 3-flights, three times a day
Moving while you wait. Find the in-between moments like walking briskly between meetings, waiting for transport, coffee, etc
Online meetings: Try some squats, heel-lifts, or push-ups (camera off) whilst waiting for your next online meeting to start.
Reframe daily chores: car washing, grocery carrying, dog walking or playing with your kids could be your ideal workout.
Review your commute: park further away, get off one stop earlier or ride your bike home.
The results are clear that small amount of everyday movement can make meaningful improvements to your fitness.
Reference
Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis, Lifestyle and Population Health in the University of Sydney's Charles Perkins Centre and School of Public Health
Do stair climbing exercise "snacks" improve cardiorespiratory fitness? cdnsciencepub.comhttps://www.sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2019/02/21/the-new-exercise-trend-that-s-made-for-everyone.html
Further reading
Read: the-new-exercise-trend-that-is-made-for-everyone www.sydney.edu.au
Listen: Walking in praise of walking.
The secret to living longer could be as simple as picking up your pace walking.
** Disclaimer – Part of the Build Your Ideal Day Program – 30 Day challenge by Duncan Young. All content and media on the Build Your Ideal Day Website is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice and should not be relied on as health or personal advice.
