I tried it and the results surprised me
If there’s one thing that gets in the way of exercising regularly for most people, it’s finding the time. Between busy work schedules, family commitments and seeing friends, fitting in a one-hour gym session multiple times per week can feel impossible.
I have a desk job, so spend most of my day sitting down. And despite writing about health and wellness for a living, there are still plenty of days when I just don’t have time for my usual sessions. A potential solution? The concept of ‘exercise snacking’, which involves doing very small bouts of exercise throughout the day.
Research shows that just five minutes of exercise a day could significantly improve your fitness and mental health, and according to a recent study in Exercise And Sport Science Reviews, even just one minute of exercise could have health benefits.
I decided to test exercise snacking for a day to see if it could genuinely challenge my strength and fitness and help me feel the mental benefits of movement, undertaking short workouts that lasted two to five minutes every hour.
I wear the Huawei Watch Fit 4 Pro, which means I already get regular reminders throughout the day to stand when I’ve been sitting for too long. It also sets me a goal to stand for at least one minute per hour for 12 hours each day. Usually, when I receive this reminder I’d just take the opportunity to get a few more steps in, but today I made it my goal to do an exercise snack instead.
What type of movement should you do during exercise snacking?
Most exercise snack studies have focused on the benefits of high-intensity training, which involves short bursts of exercise that significantly raise the heart rate. However, there is some research that shows that quick sessions of low-impact exercise could also be beneficial, including one study that found short bursts of strength training could help women improve muscle mass.
I tried a combination of different exercise styles throughout the day to figure out which types had the most positive effects.
My experience trying exercise snacks
10am: Tabata
The first exercise snack I did was a four-minute Tabata workout. This involved jogging on the spot, press-ups and star jumps – doing 20 seconds of movement followed by 10 seconds of rest. I used the HIIT setting on the Huawei Watch Fit 4 Pro for this workout, which told me that I reached 80 per cent of my max heart rate. Not bad.
11am: Yoga
Next, I decided to try something lower-impact. I did around five minutes of stretching, focusing on my shoulders and back, which get very tight when I work from home. I used the yoga workout mode on my watch for this, and it was great to see my heart rate lower in real time as I relaxed.
12pm: Stair climbing
Despite the fact that the stairmaster has become one of the most popular workout machines, I often forget that simply going up and down the stairs is a great cardio and leg workout. Scrolling through the 100 workout modes (which includes stair climbing) on my Watch Fit 4 Pro reminded me of this fact. My watch informed me that my heart rate was consistently in the fat-burning zone and I burned 25 calories in four minutes.
1pm: Yoga
After lunch, I opted for more yoga, completing a five minute routine that stretched my hips.
2pm: HIIT
To try and ward off that afternoon energy slump, I did a short HIIT workout, selecting the HIIT option on my Watch Fit 4 Pro. Again, my heart rate shot up into zone four.
3pm: Stair climbing
More walking up and down my stairs, surely to the confusion of my neighbours but to my delight, as I managed to beat my earlier record by climbing nearly 18 metres and burning a couple of extra calories too.
4pm: Yoga
My usual back-pain was setting in at this point so I opted for some gentle yoga as my penultimate workout.
5pm: HIIT
For my final exercise snack, thought it was only right to shake off the working day with some high-intensity movement. I selected the HIIT option on my watch and free-styled my own five minute workout, doing burpees, star-jumps and high knees.
My verdict on exercise snacks
Completing five minutes of movement every hour felt like it took virtually no time out of my work day. However, it meant I’d completed 40 minutes of exercise by the end of the day, which is about the same amount of time I’d usually spend in the gym. It was great to see all the different types of movement I’d done during the day on the Huawei Health app, as it made me feel like I’d accomplished a lot without taking too much time out of my working day.
The high-intensity exercise had the best immediate effects: I noticed on my Watch Fit 4 Pro that it raised my heart rate quickly – which burns calories speedily and improves cardiovascular health – and it also provided me with an immediate energy boost. This helped me feel more positive and improved my concentration when I returned to work.
The low-impact stretching workout was also great: it provided relief for my stiff muscles, particularly in the shoulders and back, and I was more comfortable when I returned to my desk after completing this routine.
I alternated between high- and low-impact exercise snacks throughout the day, but you can tailor your movement to whatever your goals are. If you want to lose weight or improve your fitness, cardio exercise snacks are probably your best bet. Focusing on improving your flexibility and relieving muscle ache? Try stretching and mobility workouts.
Discover the Huawei Watch Fit 4 Pro for yourself at huawei.com
Alice Porter is a freelance journalist with a particular interest in the world of health and wellness. Whether she’s investigating new discoveries in women’s healthcare or putting a TikTok diet trend to the test, Alice is always keen to deep dive into the nooks and crannies of the topic she’s writing about and she’s constantly on the lookout for the anything that is genuinely going to make our bodies and minds feel really good. Speaking of, she has a knack for finding the best products that serve this exact purpose, and making sure you get the best deal on them, whether that’s during Black Friday or Prime Day. From the best sex toys to luxe activewear, as well as the latest innovations in beauty, Alice has plenty of experience trying and testing a wide range of products, so you can trust her recommendations. When she’s not tapping away at her keyboard, you’ll probably find Alice in the gym lifting weights, or getting really zen at her local yoga studio (because it’s all about balance, right?) Alongside Women’s Health, Alice writes for titles like Stylist, Cosmopolitan, Grazia and Glamour and you can find her on Instagram @aliceinwellnessland__.
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