Sitting Too Long? Time to Take a Snack!
- Christina (Chris) Miller, MD
- May 15
- 3 min read
We’ve all heard the warnings: “Sitting is the new smoking.” Over the past few years, multiple studies have shown that prolonged sitting raises the risk of chronic diseases—heart disease, diabetes, cognitive decline, worsening kidney disease, among others—even for people who exercise regularly.
But here's the challenge: many of us work long days at a desk or behind a screen, including myself. We can’t just go for a run in the middle of a Zoom meeting or leave the office every hour for a brisk walk.
So what can we do?
A growing body of research offers a simple, powerful answer: “exercise snacks.” These brief bouts of movement—just 30 seconds to a few minutes long—can dramatically improve your metabolic health (think blood glucose, lipids), muscle function, and even brain power. And the best part? You can do them anywhere. No gym. No equipment. No more excuses. ☺
I’ve been incorporating them for the past few months, and I can notice a significant difference. I love these because there’s no reason for me NOT to do them. And because they’re so brief, it’s easy to get them in.
Why Exercise Snacks Work
“Exercise snacks” refer to short, intense bursts of movement sprinkled throughout your day.
They’re quick, flexible, and surprisingly potent at reversing the negative effects of sitting.
Squats vs. Walking: Which Is More Effective? (Spoiler alert – both are beneficial!)
One landmark study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that performing 10
bodyweight squats every 45 minutes during an 8.5-hour sitting period improved muscle protein
synthesis and blood sugar regulation more effectively than a single 30-minute walk. [1]
Another study showed that both walking and squats—done intermittently throughout the
day—reduced post-meal insulin levels and improved metabolic markers. [2]
Even brain health benefits. One small study found that incorporating squats every 20 minutes
improved cognitive performance and reduced mental fatigue during prolonged sitting. [3]
What Makes Squats So Powerful?
🔥 Large Muscle Activation: Squats engage glutes, quads, and hamstrings—your largest muscle groups—boosting circulation and glucose uptake.
🧠 Brain Boost: The increased blood flow and neuromuscular activation from squatting supports better mental focus.
💪 Muscle Maintenance: Regular squat snacks may support lean muscle mass, especially in sedentary or aging individuals.
How to Snack on Exercise
Start small. Set a timer for 45-60s, and try a few times a day. Work up towards a snack every hour:
10–15 squats (or start slower with just a few. Just make sure you sit back and have proper form – gradually increase as you are able).
A brisk 1-minute walk
30 seconds of stair climbing
Calf raises
Jumping jacks
Running in place with high knees
Half-squats with slow calf raises (great for beginners or those with joint issues)
Lunges
Or any other variation that raises your heart rate and gets you moving for a brief period
You don’t need to sweat. You just need to move.
Call to Action: Stand Up, Right Now
If you’ve been reading this while sitting, here’s your chance to change your health in less than a minute. Stand up. Do 10 squats (or other activity as suggested above). Feel your body reawaken.
Then set a timer and do it again throughout the day.
Health doesn’t just happen in hour-long workouts—it’s built in the micro-moments throughout your day. Get up, get moving even when working, and enjoy the benefits!
Further Reading & Resources
1. Walking or Squats Improve Amino Acid Use During Sitting – Journal of Applied
Physiology (2022)
2. Interrupting Sitting with Movement Reduces Insulin – JAP (2021)
3. Review: Exercise Snacks and Fitness – ScienceDirect (2024) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666337624000283
4. Exercise snacks and physical fitness in sedentary populations, Sports Medicine and
Health Science, 2025. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39649791/
5. Exercise snacks: A Novel Strategy to Improve Cardiometabolic Health, Exerc Sport Sci
Rev, 2022. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34669625/
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