Welcome to the next video in this SNAP series, which this time is about ‘movement snacks’. This follows on in the series of SNAPS all about travel hacks. So far we’ve covered: getting nutrition on the go, slowing down and taking the scenic route, and how to make the most of travel time by creating ambience.
Movement snacks are something I’ve talked about before, so you may already be familiar with the term, and for those who are less familiar or haven’t heard this term before then let me explain.
What are movement snacks?
A movement snack is where you grab a little bit of movement wherever you can, in the same way you might reach for a snack from the fridge. They’re bite-sized pieces of movement to pepper through the day. Movement snacks aren’t structured workouts, or the exercise we might do as part of our regular routine. They’re about breaking up long periods of sitting with short, regular pockets of movement, even for as little as a minute at a time.
Here are a few examples of movement snacks you could try.
If you’re standing up on a train (or even sitting), you could try doing some torso twists. Engage your core and twist your upper body to one side, hold and then twist the other way. Choosing to stand on a shorter train journey is another way you can use your balance and core musculature to give them a mini workout and keep you stable.
If you’re driving, when you next pull up at a service station you could get out and do some air squats, some of the twists just mentioned, or some stretching (which will also give you a nice boost of endorphins).
Make it personal
It’s completely up to you what you do and what is possible movement-wise for you. We’re only talking about 60 seconds of movement every hour or two. You can choose what type of movement it is, and where and when you do it. Vary it up, try a few different things, and see what works best for you.
Benefits of regular movement
One of the main benefits of getting a little bit of movement into the body is that it gets blood flowing through the limbs and into the brain. This is great for sharpening you up before going into a meeting for example, after a long drive. If you are driving for a long time this can also help to keep you alert. When we’ve got blood going through to the brain, this can also can boost creativity, productivity and performance.
Above all, it’s not good for us to be in the same position without moving for any length of time, whether it’s on a journey or not. One of the main reasons for this is that when we sit for long periods, the large muscles in our bodies are not using glucose (the body’s main energy source). This can cause blood sugar levels to rise, triggering the release of insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar. Over time, this can cause the body to become less sensitive to insulin. That resistance to insulin promotes inflammation, a key contributor in the build-up of fatty plaque inside our arteries. Studies have also linked long periods of non-interrupted sitting to increased risk of heart disease and other health issues.
How can you incorporate movement snacks?
How can you make movement snacks part of your travel routine, particularly if limited for space in the car or on a busy train?
When driving: Use your stops for petrol or at a shop as an opportunity to do a few movement snacks. Or park further from the entrance than you need to so you have an opportunity to walk for a distance, getting the blood flowing and your limbs mobilised.
When sitting: Squeezing your abs or your glutes can be done wherever you are. Flex your stomach muscles, rest for a few seconds then repeat. Then squeeze your glutes and release.
When standing: Try calf raises – raise up and down on the balls of your feet. Or another fairly obvious one would be taking the stairs rather than the lift or escalator.
Do you have a favourite movement snack?
If you have any great movement snack ideas for when you’re travelling or any other travel hacks, please do share them or tag me on social media @leannespencerkeynote on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.
Here are 12 more movement snack ideas, why not give some of these a try and see what works best for you?
There will be one more travel hack coming soon in this series, so stay tuned.
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