You know sitting all day isn’t the move—and now science is backing that up. Turns out, taking quick movement breaks throughout the day can seriously help keep your blood sugar in check, especially if you’re sitting around most of the day. A new study from The Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports (2024) says even short breaks with easy moves like walking or squats can make a big difference in your health. Here’s how it goes down.
Too much sitting has a domino effect: it can lead to weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and mess with your overall health, especially if you’re not getting up and moving. When you’re just sitting, your muscles are pretty much inactive and can’t do their job to help regulate blood sugar. So, you end up with those dreaded blood sugar spikes that aren’t doing you any favors.
Blood sugar (aka glucose) is what gives your body energy, especially from carbs. Insulin helps move that sugar into your cells, where it’s stored or used as energy. If you’re constantly in that cycle of highs and lows, needing more insulin to manage the sugar, it can eventually lead to insulin resistance, which opens the door to problems like type 2 diabetes.
Here’s the deal: the more you use your muscles, the better they are at handling glucose, which keeps those blood sugar highs under control.
In this study, researchers wanted to see if taking breaks from sitting could improve blood sugar levels, especially after eating (aka post-meal blood sugar). They tested it out with a group of people who sat for over eight hours without much movement, simulating your average desk day. Every 45 minutes, some participants got up for three-minute breaks, doing either a walk or squats.
The results? Those who took quick movement breaks lowered their post-meal blood sugar levels by up to 21%. And it didn’t take anything extreme—simple moves like standing, walking, or even just a few squats did the trick.
Using your muscles is the secret sauce. When you move, you activate big muscle groups in your legs and glutes (think quads and glutes), which helps lower blood sugar levels. Squats, especially, work those glutes hard, making it one of the best moves for dropping blood sugar levels fast.
Here’s the best part: you don’t need a gym or any fancy routine to get these benefits. Just keep it simple. Take three-minute breaks every 45 minutes to walk around or knock out a few squats. These little moves will keep your blood sugar in check and give you a shot of energy to get through your day.
Checklist for Better Health:
This new research proves it doesn’t take a total lifestyle overhaul to start feeling better. Small moves throughout your day can make a huge difference, especially if you’re at risk of health issues from too much sitting. Just adding a few minutes of movement here and there is a major step toward better health.
And if you want to make sure your squat form is on point for those three-minute breaks, hit me up for our "The Perfect Squat" checklist. It’ll keep your form sharp so you can maximize muscle activation and keep your joints safe.
LEGGO
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