Movement Snacks: The Best Bite-Sized Habit for a Healthier You
- Daniela Radoman
- Apr 14
- 4 min read
From desk jobs, to netflix, to sitting around doddling on your phone, it can be easy to stay seated for hours without really realising just how long you’ve been on your butt for.
What if I told you that you could drastically improve your health with just a few minutes of activity scattered throughout the day?
Enter “movement snacks” - short, vigorous bursts of physical activity that can have significant health benefits.
The Science Behind Movement Snacks
Recent research highlights the benefits of these short activity bursts.
A 2022 paper published in Nature Medicine analysed data from over 25 000 non-gym going adults who wore fitness trackers.1 The researchers found that the people who engaged in short bursts of activity for as little as 1-2 minutes a few times per day had a significantly lower risk of mortality.
Compared to people who didn’t engage in these movement snacks, those who made room for about 3 1-2 minute long bursts were found to have:
38-40% lower risk of all-cause and cancer mortality
48-49% lower risk of cardiovascular disease mortality
Yes, you read that right. This only adds up to 3-6 minutes broken up throughout the entire day!
These numbers blew up with the more movement snacks someone took throughout the day, indicating that there’s a positive dose-response relationship. Meaning, the more movement snacks, the more health benefits one will see.
Those who took 10-11 movement snacks throughout their day saw:
55% lower risk in all-cause mortality
And what’s even more? These people weren’t gym goers. They were simply moving about during their everyday life.
The one caveat is that these short bursts have to be vigorous, but what does that mean?
Well, the researchers classified it as reaching 2 of the 3 following criteria:
At least 77% of your maximum heart rate
At least a rating of 15 on the Borg Scale
At least 64% of your VO2max
Let’s look at just the first 2 since they’re the easiest to track on your own.
Heart Rate
Use the heart rate formula of 208 - (0.7 x Age) to find your maximum heart rate, then multiply that by 77% to find the minimum you’d need to reach.
Let’s say you’re 50 years old. This would then look like:
208 - (0.7 x 50) = 173 bpm
Then let’s find 77% of that:
173 x 0.77 = 133 bpm
The Borg Scale
The Borg Scale is just a scale used for one’s rating of perceived exertion (or RPE). It’s a scale from 6 to 20 where people choose the rating that best describes their perceived exertion level during physical activity.
Take a look at the picture below to get an idea of what this scale looks like. Feel free to take a screenshot to have it handy for when you do take some movement snacks!
Movement Snack Ideas
What’s great about movement snacks is that you don’t need a gym, fancy equipment, or even workout clothes!
Here are some ideas you can snack on (...get it?):
Take the stairs instead of the elevator
Walk briskly to the mailbox and back
Do some pushups off the kitchen counter while you wait for the coffee to brew
Squat up and down from the couch between commercial breaks
Power walk while talking on the phone
March on the spot between work breaks
Throw a little dance party while listening to your favourite tunes
Set a timer to remind you to move a little every hour
If you find you can’t move vigorously, try adding in at least a few gentler mobility exercises or stretches throughout your day. Something is always better than nothing, and you gotta start somewhere!
Remember, this isn’t an exhaustive list. Just move when you can, however you can. Your body doesn’t care what the movement looks like - it just likes to move!
Why This Matters - Especially for Women with Health Conditions
If you’re living with osteoporosis, arthritis, or other chronic conditions, long, high-impact and intense workouts can seem intimidating - or even painful.
The great thing about movement snacks is that they’re:
Short - all you need is a minute!
Flexible - you can fit it in while doing your everyday activities
Low Pressure - you can do it anywhere and don’t need to make any investments or commitments (i.e. a gym membership)
Adaptable - you can do whatever you like and what your body agrees with
Backed by Science - this paper says it all
Realistic - easy to incorporate and keep up with in your everyday life!
Think of it like this
🧠 Movement snacks = mini workouts for busy people.
⏱️ Super short: just 1 to 2 minutes.
💪 Huge benefits: lower risk of disease, more energy, and better mood.
You don’t need to overhaul your life and make drastic changes to your schedule to improve your health. Just start small.
Movement snacks aren’t just a fitness trend. These short bursts of movement can reduce your risk of major diseases and even death, and can help you combat the negative effects of sitting too much, help you feel stronger, more energetic, and enhance your quality of life.
Remember, these small changes add up with time, which can lead to huge health benefits in the long run!
So, next time you find yourself sitting around for a little too long, just remember: a quick movement snack might just be what your body needs.
Final Thoughts
Our goal at Delta Kinesiology is to help women reach their health and fitness goals
regardless of age, ability, or experience level. We tailor each session using evidence-based principles and methods to help you reach your goals. Whether that be going about your day pain-free, building muscle, improving stamina, or feeling better about yourself, we are here to help.
Get in touch with us today to schedule a free consult by clicking the link below.
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References
Stamatakis, E., Ahmadi, M. N., Gill, J. M. R., Thøgersen-Ntoumani, C., Gibala, M. J., Doherty, A., & Hamer, M. (2022). Association of wearable device-measured vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity with mortality. Nature medicine, 28(12), 2521–2529. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-022-02100-x
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