Have you ever wished for something akin to an “exercise in a capsule” to accommodate your busy life when regular workouts are challenging? While it’s not a miraculous fix (and certainly not a substitute for the gold standard of ongoing exercise), incorporating brief activities throughout the day can enhance heart health, lower cancer risks, and contribute to longer, healthier lives. Sounds unbelievable? Keep reading.
Reconceptualizing Exercise?
In its 2020 global Guidelines on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour, the World Health Organization highlighted that “every bit of activity matters” and eliminated the requirement that exercise must occur in segments of ten minutes or more.
The term VILPA, which stands for vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity, denotes a perspective on movement that can encourage daily activity for those who don’t typically engage in structured exercise.
Choosing the stairs over the elevator, carrying groceries, vacuuming, washing floors, or engaging in playtime with children are all instances of VILPA. If you elevate your heart rate even slightly during these chores, they become effective forms of VILPA.
This approach proves beneficial for individuals strapped for time, those who lack motivation, or those transitioning from a sedentary lifestyle to a more active one. Regular practice of VILPA significantly affects chronic disease risks and overall mortality rates.
“VILPA is effective for the majority of adults, particularly beneficial for sedentary individuals who do not follow a structured workout routine,” remarks Jamie Hardy, a specialist in functional movement based in Kamloops.
Movement as a Pathway to Better Health
Historically, humans have stayed active primarily to ensure survival. However, today’s lifestyle often leads to hours spent sitting idly, ordering food at the touch of a button or via voice command. This shift towards a sedentary lifestyle negatively impacts our health.
Spending over ten hours sitting daily can lead to increased risks of dementia as well as heightened possibilities of obesity, hypertension, elevated sugar levels, and other metabolic issues.
For those caught in a cycle of inactivity, implementing VILPA can be beneficial. Hardy adds, “You can enhance the effectiveness by incorporating functional weight-bearing exercises whenever you can, such as carrying groceries up the stairs or performing squats.”
Long-Lasting Advantages
Engaging in up to five minutes of VILPA each day (like three sessions of one to two minutes spread throughout the day) can potentially decrease the risk of certain cancers (notably breast, endometrial, and colon cancer) by as much as 40 percent. Additionally, regular VILPA can reduce cardiovascular disease risk by nearly half.
This is particularly relevant as many Canadian adults over the age of 50 do not meet the recommended levels of weekly physical activity. The chances of developing chronic illnesses such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes increase with age.
Short episodes of exercise that don’t require dedicated time could be an effective solution, as long as they’re performed consistently. “VILPA can lead to improvements in cardiovascular fitness in just a few weeks, and the beauty is that it’s accessible to nearly everyone and can happen anyplace,” notes Hardy.
VILPA Compared to General Movement Guidelines
Although it may seem that a few minutes of intense physical activity could substitute for general weekly activity guidelines (which recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic activity along with two strength training sessions), this is not quite accurate.
“VILPA is less effective for meeting fitness benchmarks typically associated with a dedicated strength training regimen,” Hardy explains.
Nonetheless, given that a study from McMaster University showed improvements in cardio-respiratory fitness levels of sedentary women after just six weeks of short bursts of intermittent stair climbing, one must question: why not give it a try?
Understand the Context and Enjoy the Rewards
Consider VILPA as an auxiliary activity, not as a replacement, and as a means to enhance cardiovascular health while lowering the chance of early mortality for those with time constraints or reluctance to exercise for personal reasons.
“For individuals leading a more sedentary lifestyle, integrating any form of exercise into their daily routine is significantly advantageous and can serve as a stellar starting point for fitness, as well as an enjoyable way to challenge themselves,” states Hardy.
The best part? You can do this anytime and anywhere without the need for special equipment, gym memberships, or specific expertise: just engage in a few minutes of intensified, quick physical activity to bolster your health and longevity.
Take Sitting Breaks
If you find yourself sitting for extended periods, break that pattern every 30 minutes by doing some squats or half-squats. Alternatively, raise your arms in an “air angel” motion and then return them to the starting position. Aim to repeat this for at least 30 seconds, accelerating the pace as you become familiar with the movement.
Stay Active While Waiting
When you’re in line, try some heel raises: lift your heels and balance on your toes. Start with support if needed, and as your strength, mobility, and balance enhance, progress to doing this unassisted. Once balanced, attempt single-leg heel raises.
March in Place
Lift one leg at a time to a 90-degree position, alternating legs. Start with a 30-second duration, gradually increasing by ten seconds every few days. To increase the challenge, do it with your arms raised.
· Sedentary time has surged in the past twenty years for individuals above 50, much of which is spent using screens (averaging 2.6 hours for those aged 50 to 64 and up to 3.6 hours for those over 65).
· The amount of time spent reading, the only sedentary activity associated with cognitive maintenance, has seen a decline among those over 50 in recent decades (from 1986 to 2015).
· Casual screen time for Canadians has escalated five times from 1998 to 2010.
· The age group of 35 to 49 years shows the highest levels of passive commuting time, presumably due to work-related travel.
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This article first appeared in the April 2024 edition of Thewindowsclubs magazine.
