Although science doesn’t necessarily support fitness microdosing as a substitute for a full hour in the gym, it certainly can be useful in building healthy habits, particularly for those living busy and/or sedentary lifestyles.Lorado/Getty Images
As someone who has never been fond of a full-fledged workout, much less going to the gym, I am always on the hunt for a shortcut. For instance, I love my long, gentle, daily walks. I also enjoy the odd, slow session on my exercise bike while watching The Real Housewives.
But, every time my list of responsibilities grows, the first thing to fall off is a sweat sesh. The perfect solution? Fitness microdosing, which is a fancy term for breaking up your usual exercise routine into smaller, more focused and manageable chunks (typically under 30 minutes) throughout the day or week. That means a leisurely walk won’t cut it; the way you exert your energy has to be intentional. It’s billed as the ideal option for folks who are busy, have a lot to juggle and are okay with seeing changes in the longer-term, instead of rapidly.
For several weeks, I experimented with fitness microdosing by clearing space in my apartment, setting my timer and doing 10 alternating, 30-second sets using my exercise bike and stretching. Each session left my heart racing, my body sweating and my brain reeling thanks to the sheer pace and intense focus. It wasn’t fun, sure, but I felt more accomplished than a day when I wouldn’t have bothered working out at all due to time. Still, I felt a little ashamed – could I really call this a workout?
Not long ago, this approach became an online punchline, with folks on Twitter joking, “Micro-dosing my fitness by doing one sit up per month” and “microdosing fitness by getting a wrap instead of a burger.” Hide me, please.
In its claims that it can be just as effective as longer workouts, fitness microdosing has been labelled a scam by some experts. Even though some studies have found that this type of exercise can improve aerobic fitness and overall lower an individual’s risk of dying, scientists have also found it doesn’t lead to major health improvements.
But, although science doesn’t necessarily support fitness microdosing as a substitute for a full hour in the gym, it certainly can be useful in building healthy habits, particularly for those living busy and/or sedentary lifestyles. It’s a misconception that you need to work out a certain amount of time to reap mental and physical benefits.
“The continuity and consistency each day with these smaller pieces has shown benefits,” explains David Frost, professor of kinesiology and physical education at the University of Toronto. “Smaller doses consistently over time are going to lead to better, more sustainable habits.”
It’s also about melding with a person’s lifestyle. For instance, if it makes you anxious to be in a fitness class or you’re stressed about how to fit it into your day, going to the gym may not be what’s best for you.
Tamara Jarrett, a Calgary-based personal trainer, explains, “Everything that we’re trying to do with our bodies – build muscle, lose weight, sleep better – has to do with our body’s recovery system. The only time we build muscle is when our body recovers, not when we’re doing exercise. So, if your stress level outside of the exercise is so high because you’re worried about getting to and being in class, are you actually getting the value you need?”
Your routine depends on your personal goals, she adds, but should fit seamlessly into your life. For me, that meant microdosing on my lunch break, which actually gave me much-needed energy to work in the afternoon.
It also looked like doing 30-second high-intensity intervals on my bike on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and stretches on Tuesdays and Thursdays. That mix made it surprisingly easier to jump into the next day’s workout; I wasn’t dreading the exertion of the bike, and enjoyed the calmness of the stretches. As simple as this routine seems, it did make my body feel good.
By the way, the intensity of these workouts doesn’t even need to be high. The World Health Organization’s physical activity guidelines recommend 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity per week, and that can be “anything,” says Frost, which is a relief because he also notes only 20 per cent of people actually meet that number.
“The way the fitness world is structured lends itself to the hour-long gym class, but it’s also the commitment that people are making,” adds Frost. “If they’re doing their exercise in the gym, the commitment includes travelling there, getting changed, going home. If you’re only there for 10 minutes, the commitment to do all those other things wouldn’t seem to merit the 10 minutes. It might be that people are trying to get out as much as they can. If I need to get my 150 minutes, I might split up the time and do an hour-and-a-half one day, and then again another day, because I’m only coming twice.”
In other words, the exercise itself isn’t the sole reason for today’s lengthier, more intense fitness routines as the standard. Fortunately, you don’t need to worry about those other factors if you’re opting to micro-dose at your home. In the end, it’s about changing perspective about what exercise looks like, and breaking the rules around how long or how hard it “should” be. There is no one-size-fits-all routine.
“People create this big picture – almost a façade – of what exercise has to be and it becomes too challenging to navigate,” says Frost. “There needs to be a wholesale change in how we look at exercise and activity if we want to have a long-term sustainable influence on public health. We need everyone to realize that, in many ways, any activity is good activity; it’s the small steps that will effectively give us a big change down the road.”
Three 10-minute workouts
Personal trainer Tamara Jarrett recommends these exercises to help you get started
1. Weightlifting
Whether you’re weightlifting on a plate-loaded machine at the gym or with dumbbells at home, opt for three to five sets, and between six to eight reps.
Reach for weights that feel like a challenge during that number of reps, which will stimulate muscle growth.
2. High-intensity using a treadmill or bike
Start at 30-second interval sprints and make sure your machine can measure distance. You want to push yourself flat out (not exceeding those 30 seconds!) and then rest as long as you need. Only do, at most, eight sets. Measuring distance and sticking to a set time can encourage you to raise these numbers with each progressive workout.
This exercise helps to stimulate muscle growth, and allows you to burn fat for longer after you’re done compared to a 30-minute or hour-long jog (where you’re only burning fat while you’re exercising).
3. Three simple stretches
First, try the kneeling hip flexor stretch. Begin by kneeling on one knee and bend your other leg in front of you, with your foot flat on the floor. Then, keep your back straight and lean your hips forward.
Then, try a modified or standing pigeon pose. If you can find a higher surface, place your leg up, and get into a 90-degree angle. It’s a great glute stretch.
Finally, do a simple lying hamstring stretch. Lie on your back and put your legs up on the wall, trying to keep your hips to the floor with your legs straight.