\u201cI love exercise snacking\u2014especially for people who have sedentary jobs, because it’s easy to sneak five minutes in a couple of times a day, but not always so easy to get away to the gym for 30 minutes,\u201d says personal trainer Tara De Leon<\/a>.<\/p>\n You may like<\/p>\n \u201cSmall, frequent movement breaks, especially if you’re doing something cardiovascular, like walking, can help regulate blood sugar and improve your cardiovascular health.\u201d<\/p>\n If you want a quick routine that will challenge your mid-body muscles, try this five-minute deep core workout from Pilates instructor and physiotherapist Lilly Sabri<\/a>.<\/p>\n It targets muscles like your transversus abdominis<\/a> (side-lying abdominal muscles), multifidus<\/a> (spinal support muscles) and pelvic floor muscles.<\/p>\n Five-minute deep core workout<\/p>\n 5 Min Pilates Core & Abs | Workout at Home | No equipment needed – YouTube Watch On <\/a><\/p>\n There are nine moves in this workout and the goal is to complete each one for 30 seconds before moving onto the next.<\/p>\n If you find you need a longer rest, press pause and give yourself a break.<\/p>\n Sabri also includes modifications throughout, so you can opt for easier versions of each exercise.<\/p>\n The instructor says doing it regularly will strengthen your mid-body muscles and improve your posture.<\/p>\n The benefits of exercise snacking<\/p>\n \u201cExercise snacks are super beneficial,\u201d says De Leon. \u201cThey\u2019re time-efficient, non-intimidating, they boost your energy throughout the day, help you improve your consistency and are great for metabolic health.\u201d<\/p>\n Structuring your exercise into short bouts throughout the day is similar to doing more vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity<\/a> (VILPA).<\/p>\n VILPA refers to short, one to two-minute bursts of intense physical activity that are performed throughout the day as part of daily living rather than during structured exercise.<\/p>\n This could include running to catch a bus or carrying heavy groceries to and from your car.<\/p>\n According to 2024 research in the British Journal of Sports Medicine<\/a>, you only need to do very small amounts of VILPA, approximately 1.5 to 4\u2009minutes per day, to substantially lower your risk of heart attacks and other cardiovascular events.<\/p>\n
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