Game Day Fitness: How to Sneak in ‘Exercise Snacks’ While Watching Sports

Game days often mean big gatherings with friends, indulgent snacks, and hours of sitting on the couch. Whether you’re at a tailgate or watching from home, it’s easy to fall into unhealthy habits. But for those solo game days when you’re on the couch, there’s a great opportunity to turn downtime into an easy fitness routine. Enter “exercise snacks”—short, simple bursts of activity that can add up to impressive health benefits.

What Are Exercise Snacks?

Exercise snacks are small, high-intensity bursts of movement lasting just a few minutes, designed to fit into your day seamlessly. They may be small, but they can add up to big results!

In one study, participants climbed 60 stairs (approximately three flights) three times daily, with each climbing session separated by several hours. This meant they exercised for only a few minutes at a time.

The results: After six weeks, with sessions three times per week, the participants experienced significant gains in leg strength and overall fitness improvement.

With a football game lasting over three hours, but featuring only around 18 minutes of actual action, there’s plenty of time for exercise snacks. Take advantage of commercial breaks and halftime to get moving, and you’ll rack up health-boosting minutes of exercise without even leaving your living room.

How to Squeeze in Exercise During the Game

Transform your game-watching routine with these simple moves during commercial breaks and halftime. You’ll keep your muscles active, your heart rate up, and get closer to that 30 minutes of daily exercise recommended by experts at Nutrisystem.

1. Turn Commercial Breaks Into Interval Training

Until the big game, commercials are a snooze. This means they are the perfect opportunity for short bursts of exercise! Instead of scrolling on your phone, pop out of your chair and use commercials as a timer for each workout.

Try this interval training routine during each commercial break: During the first commercial, perform one exercise. Rest during the next, and repeat throughout the break. This type of exercise is called interval training, and it allows you to work at higher intensities (and get bigger results) than you could during a long, continuous bout of work.

Here are some easy-to-follow exercises you can do in your living room during commercial breaks, with one commercial for work, and the next for rest:

• Step-ups: Go up and down on the first or second step of a staircase, alternating legs.
• High Knee March: Stand tall and bring your knees up to waist height.
• Air squats or squats to a chair: Lower yourself slowly into the chair, then stand back up.
• Wall pushups or incline pushups: Maintain a straight body line from head to heels. Use a wall or the arm of your couch to elevate your arms. These are easier than regular pushups.
• Arm curls: If you have dumbbells or other weights in your house, perform arm curls for the length of the commercial.

2. Halftime: Make It a Full-Body Workout

Most football halftimes last around 13 minutes, which is plenty of time for a quick workout. If you use five minutes to use the restroom and refill your drink, you’ve got eight minutes to make the intermission into a mission for more fitness.

Try this: Do eight repetitions of each of these six exercises, then move to the next one. If you get through all of them, take a one-minute rest, then start again. Continue until halftime ends.

The exercises:

1. Stepup: Do eight on each leg.
2. Wall pushup
3. Sideways shuffle: Go four steps to the right, then four steps to the left. Do this twice to count as eight total.
4. Jumping Jacks
5. Forearm plank on knees: Keep a straight body line from your head to your waist, and try to brace your stomach like you’re about to take a punch. Hold this for a count of 8.
6. High Knee March: Do 8 on each leg.

Why Exercise Snacks Work

These small bursts of activity help keep your metabolism active and your muscles engaged. Even just a few minutes of movement during a long period of sitting can boost your heart health, improve fitness and help with weight management. With these simple exercise snacks, you can stay fit and active, even while enjoying the game from your couch.

Turn game day into fitness day with these easy moves. The next time you’re enjoying a match, don’t just sit—snack on exercise!