What the heck is a movement snack?!
I’m so glad you asked. A Movement Snack is a short and simple movement break that nourishes your body and mind. Snacks last 3 to 5 minutes. I would be thrilled if you tried to fit 5-7 snacks into your day.
They are an amazing tool to help explore your body’s capabilities and resilience in a non-threatening way.
The idea behind a movement snack is it’s not a full meal! Little breaks during your day dedicated to exploring movement and rewiring that sensitive nervous system we keep talking about.
Most of us think we need to sweat it out at the gym or go for a long run to be active and if we miss those opportunities due to our busy lives, we beat ourselves up.
There are a lot of ‘should’s’ going on – I should exercise, I should go to the gym. It’s these ‘shoulds’ that can set us up to fail, over and over again. Sound familiar?
I’d like you to challenge the notion of what being active is and change how we view exercise.
How many times have you heard me say, “find something you enjoy, not something you ‘should’ be doing.” The research is showing that if you enjoy your choice of activity, you are more likely to stick with it in the long term.
A great way to rewire your brain!
The benefits of movement snacks
- Feel a burst of good feelings and energy
- Small movement efforts have a bigger effect than we think.
- Improve your focus and problem-solving ability
- Be resilient against stiffness and discomfort
- Start and finish quickly!
Choosing movement snacks
The key to choosing the right movement snacks for you is choosing things you enjoy. Movements should be self-pacing. Start and end when is best for you. You work them into your schedule.
The purpose of movement snacks is to kickstart your new journey of movement. To grab some wins and get you feeling more confident. Reminding your brain you are safe to move. Teaching your nervous system new patterns.
Movement snacks are intended to leave you feeling confident and should not increase your pain.
Snacks can include breath work, nervous system resets, mobility, balance, and strength. Movement Snacks gives you the tools to unwind the stiffness and rigidity developed from hours upon hours of sitting in chairs, cars, seats, couches, and meetings.
Ideas for snacks
The cumulative effect of squeezing in 5 to 10-minute movement “snacks” can serve as well as full movement “meals” without the large time commitment. They make it easier to pace and allow you to slowly build up your tolerance to various movements. So what should you do during your snack time? I’m glad you asked! Here are some ideas for you:
Snack #1 – complete as many rounds as possible in 5 minutes
- glute bridges x10
- squats x10
- pushups ( Wall pushups count too!) x10
Snack #2
- hip hinges x10
- step-ups x10
- wall angels x10
Snack #3
- walk in place for 3 minutes
- 10 trunk twists
- 10-second plank
Snack #4
- 5 minutes of a breathing activity like these
Snack #5
Stretch your hamstrings for 1 minute on each leg
Stretch your piriformis for 1 minute on each leg
jump or hop in place 4x 15 seconds
It’s ok to want movement meals too!
Of course, if you love your gym classes or your swims, keep doing it. I love to swim because it makes me feel good, but if you are someone who doesn’t like it, don’t do it. Choose something you actually enjoy and want to do!
I love this snacking approach to how we think about physical activity because it allows those who think they are not active to discover they either are or they can be.
It’s a small commitment to exploring movement, and the resilience of your body and allows you to be curious without the pressures of the gym or group classes.
Think about what Movement Snacks can be incorporated into your daily life and make them count.
I would LOVE to know what you do for movement snacks. Join my Facebook support group and share your snack ideas with us!!
More snack ideas:
