The benefits of bite-sized exercise

A quick workout may benefit your blood sugar more than a solid 30-minute one, reveals a new study in Diabetologia. Researchers say breaking exercise up into tiny snacks, where you work out at a high intensity for six one-minute bursts prior to each meal, helps better regulate and stabilize blood sugar. It’s essential to really push hard so you hit 90 percent of your maximum heart rate. Try jumping jacks, mountain climbers or climbing stairs. In the study, a group of people with early signs of diabetes experienced a greater drop in blood sugar (up to 17 percent) after the mini workout, and their blood sugar levels remained lower for at least 24 hours.