Thank you, Mary! These are the kind of snacks we should be eating more often. I used to be of the mindset that a little wasn't enough, but I learned a long time ago (and I try to impress upon my clients and Substack readers) that something is better than nothing. Movement, however small or seemingly insignificant, trumps sitting any day of the week. I appreciate your comment.
It really does go down to how we plan our days and how consistently active we are! I can go to my afternoon practice for club soccer but also get a super heavy lift in the morning and still be classified as sedentary. This would go down to, for example, sitting down 5-6 hours straight at my job if I am working in the pathology department and going through results or potentially coming back home and studying and doing homework for hours. It goes down to taking breaks and making sure those legs are constantly moving! Once you really start doing that, you will feel the difference, and the research supports that it can have such an impact.
That’s spot on Steven! I’ve even considered one of those under desk foot pedal things just to keep the legs moving and the blood flowing when I’m sitting and become so focused and absorbed in what I’m doing that I don’t get up and move as often as I should..
Personally, I’ve found that stacking calf raises onto my coffee routine and shoulder rolls after meetings has made a noticeable difference in my energy and focus. It’s subtle, but it adds up.
This isn’t just about avoiding the risks of prolonged sitting; it’s about reclaiming movement as a natural, joyful part of daily life. So here’s my stack for the week: 10 seconds of spinal twists after I close my laptop each evening.
It's always the smaller things in life that can make the biggest difference, just simple changes in our daily lives like taking the stairs, or parking further in the garage can make a huge difference for longevity. Since I became aware of the negative effects of sedentary behavior I've made it my goal to limit it as much as possible.
What you’re doing isn’t just about movement; it’s about building a lifestyle that supports longevity and vitality. The shift from “exercise as an event” to “movement as a habit” is subtle but powerful. Keep leading by example; it’s the kind of ripple effect that inspires others to rethink how they move through their day.
I really appreciated how detailed the article was with providing a rough a gameplan to incorporate movement into our daily routines. I've really started going for short walks after my meals and I've started to seeing improvement in my energy levels throughout the day and also better digestion. After seeing these benefits I'm going to try adding some of the habits this article provided into more of my routine. Thank you for sharing your findings and experiences!
I really liked this article because it made me think differently about how small movements throughout the day can contribute to better health. The idea of “accumulating habits” makes sense, since we all have daily routines, and adding movement to them feels more natural than trying to create completely new habits. For example, I've started doing calf raises while brushing my teeth and quick stretches every time I refill my water bottle; it's simple, but it helps me feel more energetic. I also think this approach could be very useful in workplaces or schools, where it is common to spend long periods of time sitting down. If we integrate small exercises into our usual activities, staying active could become more realistic and less intimidating for everyone.
I liked how this article made moving more feel more simple and realistic. The idea of movement snacks is a good reminder that even small moments of activity can add up throughout the day. I have started to taking more short walking breaks and it has really helped to make me feel more energized.
This article provides a clear perspective on the fact that you can't put in effort for a small portion of the day, then be sedentary the rest, and hope it still balances out. It’s interesting to see that you can still be affected by being sedentary even if you exercise regularly.
Before taking this class and reading this article, I always thought that doing my morning workout would check off my exercise box and I was able to relax and not get that much exercise for the rest of the day. I thought my actions for the rest of the day did not matter do to the fact that I already accomplished my 60 minute morning workout. Now I know that when I get home from the gym I should not sit down and do homework and watch tv for 6 hours straight, instead I should be breaking up sitting with getting up and walking every 30 minutes or so. I can also stand up to do homework and find more creative ways to be less sedentary. Doing so will greatly impact my life and set myself up for a better future just by doing these small changes. I also like the idea that adding in small changes such as small movements while sitting down or being sedentary is so important and it doesn't even feel like you are exercising.
I love the idea of habit stacking and exercise snacking because it makes movement automatic rather than relying on willpower. For me, I like to do calf raises while I'm sitting in class. Not only is this being more intentional with my sedentary time I am also strengthening and stretching my legs.
That’s such a smart approach! I have never thought about calf raises while sitting in class.It is definitely getting blood flow to circulate in those legs, and it is super interesting how you are turning sedentary behavior into a small, consistent movement habit. I might have to give it a try!
Before I took the class I am currently taking. I believed that the workouts I did in the day were good enough and that my behavior outside of my workouts would not harm my life. But having learned what I have learned, I used to be extremely sedentary outside of working out. I would do 1 to 2 hard workouts throughout the day, like a run in the morning and a lift in the afternoon, but I would just go home and play video games or watch a movie or TV series. Which would result in me just sitting down for the rest of the day. Nowadays, especially now at school, I try my best to go and take a walk now and again if I haven't moved around in a while. So the whole idea of snacking exercise is something I have never thought of. Just doing something to get the body moving every hour to half hour can really change your life, so this way of thinking is great for us.
I like your point about using technology reminders for movement! That’s a smart way to keep yourself accountable, especially when we get absorbed in work or study and forget to move. Building on your idea, I think pairing reminders with specific actions like standing up every time a text comes in or stretching during a short break could make it even more effective. It’s like creating automatic cues that turn small movements into a natural part of the day
Realizing that even with regular workouts, long periods of sitting can still be harmful is a hard thing to take in fully because it is so often that we spend more time sedentary than moving that changing that seems harrowing. I like how you’ve started adding small movement breaks throughout your day, and I hope that could be a fix to the issue of being sedentary
I love how you framed "movement snacks." The connection link between habit stacking and reducing sedentary time really resonated. It's like for people with busy schedules. I paired squats with brushing my teeth and shoulder rolls during breaks, and it unclosed for me the amount of time that I am just sitting
I agree! Making little changes throughout your day don't require much work but they can make major changes to your physical and mental health! They don't feel like you are working out but will improve your future if you stay consistent!
This is very true! I think back to a lecture I had not so long ago, where we discussed how we could implement more movement throughout our days without the need for full-on workouts. Some examples we discussed were switching from an electric toothbrush to a handheld so you actively had to move your hands, and another involved parking a few spots farther from the stores so you could get a few more steps in. These are simple but easy things to do daily.
I agree and I remember this lecture as well. Since then, I've been walking to all of my classes, and I get through most lectures now without feeling completely dead. I recommend it if it's an option for you!
This post really opened my eyes to how being “active” and being “non-sedentary” aren’t the same thing. I never thought about how even if we meet the exercise guidelines, we could still spend the majority of our day sitting. The comparison about trying to fix a sedentary lifestyle with one workout being like chugging water once a week really made sense. I also like the idea of habit stacking and exercise snacking it feels realistic and achievable instead of overwhelming.
It was eye opening for me too. Even when we meet the guidelines, that won’t cancel out the ill effects of sitting most of the rest of our day. As you said, incorporating movement snacks makes it so much easier to include more movement. Thank you for your comment and for sharing your perspective.
Yes, I agree! The thing that stuck out to me was the comparison of drinking a gallon of water on Monday and expecting that to hydrate us for the week. That analogy put into perspective that just because I meet guidelines one day doesn't mean that lasts me the week.
This is a fantastic breakdown of how to practically integrate "movement snacks" using the power of "habit stacking."
The part that resonated most with me the most was your focus on the autonomic nervous system and its role in our modern, often sedentary, work/school lives. The chronic, low-level stress of sitting, staring at screens, and the lack of movement can absolutely keep us in a mild state of "fight or flight," silently lowering our capacity for focus.
The real genius of movement snacks, especially when you pair them with a reliable trigger, is that they act as a mini-dose of nerve stimulation. A few simple squats, a quick walk, or some dynamic stretching can actually throw off that stress cycle and improve your brain power and mood, not just your physical health.
I've personally found huge success with the classic going for a 15 minute walk for my study breaks (the Pomodoro method). It’s an unavoidable, predictable trigger that helps.
I enjoy how post highlights the importance of movement for our bodies. Sitting on the couch in the same position for 2 hours is uncomfortable enough. Adding in how we can help people who have sedentary behaviors like that such as small movements while being sedentary shows how easy it can be to increase our longevity with consistency and effort. Making movement feeling less like a chore can be the ultimate motivation to people who are not regularly practicing these habits.
I agree, Jaiden. I appreciate how you highlighted that moving feels less like a chore when it's key. That mindset really changes everything. It's not really about forcing long workouts. It's more about weaving small, enjoyable actions into the movement we already have.
This is great! Habit Snacking! Thank you! I often get hired because people know what to do but aren’t doing it.
What’s getting in their way is the critic inside that compares what they are capable of now with what they did 20 years ago.
“15 mins a day isn’t enough you should be doing more, you use to do 45 mins 5 days a week. “
“You ran marathons and now you can’t even find time for a workout, you suck.”
Information and strategies like this are super helpful!
🙏
Thank you, Mary! These are the kind of snacks we should be eating more often. I used to be of the mindset that a little wasn't enough, but I learned a long time ago (and I try to impress upon my clients and Substack readers) that something is better than nothing. Movement, however small or seemingly insignificant, trumps sitting any day of the week. I appreciate your comment.
It really does go down to how we plan our days and how consistently active we are! I can go to my afternoon practice for club soccer but also get a super heavy lift in the morning and still be classified as sedentary. This would go down to, for example, sitting down 5-6 hours straight at my job if I am working in the pathology department and going through results or potentially coming back home and studying and doing homework for hours. It goes down to taking breaks and making sure those legs are constantly moving! Once you really start doing that, you will feel the difference, and the research supports that it can have such an impact.
That’s spot on Steven! I’ve even considered one of those under desk foot pedal things just to keep the legs moving and the blood flowing when I’m sitting and become so focused and absorbed in what I’m doing that I don’t get up and move as often as I should..
Personally, I’ve found that stacking calf raises onto my coffee routine and shoulder rolls after meetings has made a noticeable difference in my energy and focus. It’s subtle, but it adds up.
This isn’t just about avoiding the risks of prolonged sitting; it’s about reclaiming movement as a natural, joyful part of daily life. So here’s my stack for the week: 10 seconds of spinal twists after I close my laptop each evening.
It's always the smaller things in life that can make the biggest difference, just simple changes in our daily lives like taking the stairs, or parking further in the garage can make a huge difference for longevity. Since I became aware of the negative effects of sedentary behavior I've made it my goal to limit it as much as possible.
What you’re doing isn’t just about movement; it’s about building a lifestyle that supports longevity and vitality. The shift from “exercise as an event” to “movement as a habit” is subtle but powerful. Keep leading by example; it’s the kind of ripple effect that inspires others to rethink how they move through their day.
I really appreciated how detailed the article was with providing a rough a gameplan to incorporate movement into our daily routines. I've really started going for short walks after my meals and I've started to seeing improvement in my energy levels throughout the day and also better digestion. After seeing these benefits I'm going to try adding some of the habits this article provided into more of my routine. Thank you for sharing your findings and experiences!
I really liked this article because it made me think differently about how small movements throughout the day can contribute to better health. The idea of “accumulating habits” makes sense, since we all have daily routines, and adding movement to them feels more natural than trying to create completely new habits. For example, I've started doing calf raises while brushing my teeth and quick stretches every time I refill my water bottle; it's simple, but it helps me feel more energetic. I also think this approach could be very useful in workplaces or schools, where it is common to spend long periods of time sitting down. If we integrate small exercises into our usual activities, staying active could become more realistic and less intimidating for everyone.
I liked how this article made moving more feel more simple and realistic. The idea of movement snacks is a good reminder that even small moments of activity can add up throughout the day. I have started to taking more short walking breaks and it has really helped to make me feel more energized.
This article provides a clear perspective on the fact that you can't put in effort for a small portion of the day, then be sedentary the rest, and hope it still balances out. It’s interesting to see that you can still be affected by being sedentary even if you exercise regularly.
It really opened my eyes to how much sitting can impact health even with regular exercise. It’s a good reminder to stay active throughout the day.
Before taking this class and reading this article, I always thought that doing my morning workout would check off my exercise box and I was able to relax and not get that much exercise for the rest of the day. I thought my actions for the rest of the day did not matter do to the fact that I already accomplished my 60 minute morning workout. Now I know that when I get home from the gym I should not sit down and do homework and watch tv for 6 hours straight, instead I should be breaking up sitting with getting up and walking every 30 minutes or so. I can also stand up to do homework and find more creative ways to be less sedentary. Doing so will greatly impact my life and set myself up for a better future just by doing these small changes. I also like the idea that adding in small changes such as small movements while sitting down or being sedentary is so important and it doesn't even feel like you are exercising.
So true Keith, its always the smaller changes in a person's lifestyle that can be the key to longevity.
I used to think one workout was enough to. It’s crazy how much small movement breaks can make such a big difference in our overall health.
I love the idea of habit stacking and exercise snacking because it makes movement automatic rather than relying on willpower. For me, I like to do calf raises while I'm sitting in class. Not only is this being more intentional with my sedentary time I am also strengthening and stretching my legs.
That’s such a smart approach! I have never thought about calf raises while sitting in class.It is definitely getting blood flow to circulate in those legs, and it is super interesting how you are turning sedentary behavior into a small, consistent movement habit. I might have to give it a try!
Before I took the class I am currently taking. I believed that the workouts I did in the day were good enough and that my behavior outside of my workouts would not harm my life. But having learned what I have learned, I used to be extremely sedentary outside of working out. I would do 1 to 2 hard workouts throughout the day, like a run in the morning and a lift in the afternoon, but I would just go home and play video games or watch a movie or TV series. Which would result in me just sitting down for the rest of the day. Nowadays, especially now at school, I try my best to go and take a walk now and again if I haven't moved around in a while. So the whole idea of snacking exercise is something I have never thought of. Just doing something to get the body moving every hour to half hour can really change your life, so this way of thinking is great for us.
I like your point about using technology reminders for movement! That’s a smart way to keep yourself accountable, especially when we get absorbed in work or study and forget to move. Building on your idea, I think pairing reminders with specific actions like standing up every time a text comes in or stretching during a short break could make it even more effective. It’s like creating automatic cues that turn small movements into a natural part of the day
Realizing that even with regular workouts, long periods of sitting can still be harmful is a hard thing to take in fully because it is so often that we spend more time sedentary than moving that changing that seems harrowing. I like how you’ve started adding small movement breaks throughout your day, and I hope that could be a fix to the issue of being sedentary
I love how you framed "movement snacks." The connection link between habit stacking and reducing sedentary time really resonated. It's like for people with busy schedules. I paired squats with brushing my teeth and shoulder rolls during breaks, and it unclosed for me the amount of time that I am just sitting
I agree! Making little changes throughout your day don't require much work but they can make major changes to your physical and mental health! They don't feel like you are working out but will improve your future if you stay consistent!
This is very true! I think back to a lecture I had not so long ago, where we discussed how we could implement more movement throughout our days without the need for full-on workouts. Some examples we discussed were switching from an electric toothbrush to a handheld so you actively had to move your hands, and another involved parking a few spots farther from the stores so you could get a few more steps in. These are simple but easy things to do daily.
I agree and I remember this lecture as well. Since then, I've been walking to all of my classes, and I get through most lectures now without feeling completely dead. I recommend it if it's an option for you!
This post really opened my eyes to how being “active” and being “non-sedentary” aren’t the same thing. I never thought about how even if we meet the exercise guidelines, we could still spend the majority of our day sitting. The comparison about trying to fix a sedentary lifestyle with one workout being like chugging water once a week really made sense. I also like the idea of habit stacking and exercise snacking it feels realistic and achievable instead of overwhelming.
It was eye opening for me too. Even when we meet the guidelines, that won’t cancel out the ill effects of sitting most of the rest of our day. As you said, incorporating movement snacks makes it so much easier to include more movement. Thank you for your comment and for sharing your perspective.
Yes, I agree! The thing that stuck out to me was the comparison of drinking a gallon of water on Monday and expecting that to hydrate us for the week. That analogy put into perspective that just because I meet guidelines one day doesn't mean that lasts me the week.
This is a fantastic breakdown of how to practically integrate "movement snacks" using the power of "habit stacking."
The part that resonated most with me the most was your focus on the autonomic nervous system and its role in our modern, often sedentary, work/school lives. The chronic, low-level stress of sitting, staring at screens, and the lack of movement can absolutely keep us in a mild state of "fight or flight," silently lowering our capacity for focus.
The real genius of movement snacks, especially when you pair them with a reliable trigger, is that they act as a mini-dose of nerve stimulation. A few simple squats, a quick walk, or some dynamic stretching can actually throw off that stress cycle and improve your brain power and mood, not just your physical health.
I've personally found huge success with the classic going for a 15 minute walk for my study breaks (the Pomodoro method). It’s an unavoidable, predictable trigger that helps.
Thank you for this insightful commentary and additional information on the stress cycle and the Pomodoro method, Fiona!
I enjoy how post highlights the importance of movement for our bodies. Sitting on the couch in the same position for 2 hours is uncomfortable enough. Adding in how we can help people who have sedentary behaviors like that such as small movements while being sedentary shows how easy it can be to increase our longevity with consistency and effort. Making movement feeling less like a chore can be the ultimate motivation to people who are not regularly practicing these habits.
I agree, Jaiden. I appreciate how you highlighted that moving feels less like a chore when it's key. That mindset really changes everything. It's not really about forcing long workouts. It's more about weaving small, enjoyable actions into the movement we already have.
Yes indeed! And as you point out simplicity can be the difference for many in whether they do it!