For people who dislike the gym or struggle to find time for structured workouts, short bursts of physical activity woven into daily life may offer a practical path to better health, according to researchers.
The approach, often referred to as “exercise snacking,” focuses on adding brief moments of higher-effort movement into everyday routines rather than relying on long gym sessions. Researchers say even small amounts of intense activity can deliver meaningful health benefits.
Jo Blodgett, a senior research fellow at University College London’s Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health, said high-intensity exercise that raises the heart rate and breathing is important, but it does not need to happen in a gym or during long workouts.
Instead, she promotes what researchers call “vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity,” or VILPA, which involves briefly increasing effort during routine tasks.
Blodgett said simple actions such as climbing a few flights of stairs before taking a lift, walking briskly for part of a commute, or speeding up for short stretches during a regular walk can help improve heart health. For people who are mostly inactive, just three or four short bursts of intense movement lasting one or two minutes a day can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease and improve life expectancy, she said.
She also warned against relying solely on occasional gym visits. Even people who exercise once or twice a week can still face health risks if they spend most of the day sitting. Blodgett described many such individuals as “active couch potatoes.”
“Thirty minutes of exercise is only a small part of the day,” she said, stressing that long periods of sitting can undermine the benefits of workouts.
To counter this, she recommends standing up regularly during work, taking short walks during breaks and holding walking meetings where possible. Research suggests breaking up sitting time every 15 to 30 minutes is better for overall health.
Blodgett also encouraged people to focus less on meeting strict exercise targets and more on reducing total time spent inactive. Some countries, including Canada and Australia, now advise that at least half of waking hours should involve some form of movement.
Everyday activities such as household chores, carrying groceries or gardening also count, she said, helping to improve strength, balance and overall fitness.
While higher-intensity exercise still provides the greatest health gains, Blodgett said the key message is simple: move more, sit less and look for small opportunities throughout the day to be active.
With inputs from BBC