What sounds like a late night TV infomercial might actually
be true. Research is showing that short
bouts of exercise a few times per day can do a whole host of things. From reducing blood pressure to blood sugars,
research is showing that intensity versus duration plays a role.
Researchers looked at participants (read the full study
published in Diabetologia here)
who exercised for thirty minutes continuously per day versus exercise ‘snacks’
or higher intensity exercise for a shorter duration (about ten minutes) before
a meal. Exercise is known to lower blood
sugar so any bit is beneficial, but those that had the “exercise snacks” per
meal had lower blood sugar throughout the day.
Another key point to consider is the level of fitness of the
individual.
The Journal
of the American College of Cardiology published research regarding jogging
as little as 5 minutes per day may increase one’s lifespan. There is also research for a one-minute
workout which has 3 intense 20 second intervals.
So…there is a catch to all of this. The exertion in all of these short workouts
is intense. The goal is to push the participants out of
their comfort zone. The psychological
benefits of exercise range from improving brain health for individuals at risk for
Alzheimer’s disease to buffering against stress and depression.
Read the full article (with more research) at: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/12/31/the-super-short-workout-and-other-fitness-trends/?ref=nutrition&_r=0
Gina Volsko, RD, LD, SCAN blog coordinator. Find her at http://sport2fork.com
