The Snacks That Make You Weak — And The Ones That Make You Strong

Yes, You Should Snack More — But Not on Food

A cookie is genius.

Tiny. Sweet. Instant. Zero effort. One of the main villains in the snack squad.

The damage depends on its size: For a mini-cookie, you might get away with 50–70 calories, but the bigger bakery version can tenfold the calorie burden.

Ouch.

The formula is simple: One bite → sugar hit → dopamine spike → repeat.

It’s the perfect little fix for your brain — eaten fast, forgotten faster, energy spiking, then crashing hard.

Burning through 500 calories?

Can be done in under an hour — but who has an hour to exercise? Most people do, but claim they don’t.

But even if they don’t, why not start with half — or even less — of the time invested?

One of the problems with that is the wrong assumption that getting in shape requires a part-time job.

People, especially beginners, would be better off if they indulged in Movement Snacks - smaller bouts of exercise distributed over the day.

It’s one of the biggest misinterpretations in fitness: it has to be long, it has to be intense, it has to involve lots of equipment.

No, no, and no.

Movement Snacks are the perfect solution for any high performer stuck at a desk for prolonged hours.

So if you can always find 2 minutes for a cookie… why can’t you find 5 minutes for your health?

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This is Energy OS, a weekly publication that helps busy professionals like you get a high-performing body and stress-resilient mind.

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What are Movement Snacks?

Let’s imagine you’ve been working for 4 hours straight. Your back is feeling tight. Your focus keeps drifting away.

The temptation is there to write more emails, but you feel sluggish and need an instant energy kick. Coffee? Not an option — you already had two.

So what’s left to do?

You get out of your office chair and start with push-ups, followed by lunges, then rows with a Theraband.

Complicated? No. Anybody can do that.

This is why they work so well:

👉 Short bursts of activity — 2, 5, 7, or 10 minutes
👉 Easy to do anywhere
👉 Stacked into your real day
👉 No change of clothes, no gym bag, no commute

But do they actually work?

"But are short workouts even worth it?"

Yes — here’s what we know:

Research shows that short, repeated bursts of activity can match — or even beat — one long workout for things like:

• Improving blood pressure

• Lowering stress

• Boosting mood and energy

• Increasing daily calorie burn

I’m still surprised there are people who haven’t heard it yet: sitting is the new smoking. It’s true. While exercise is great for overall health and fitness, it’s not enough to fully compensate for the damage of prolonged sitting.

The best part of movement snacks? The low entry barrier. You’re more likely to stick to them — because they don’t rely on perfect conditions.

One big perfect workout skipped brings zero results.
But three imperfect 5-minute snacks done = they build momentum, habit, and open the doors for real change.

The Travel Trap

You might be able to stick to your plan at home — but the moment you start traveling, it’s gone. Hotel rooms, client dinners — they can break any health routine.

My suggestion: never travel without a resistance band — but don’t stop there.

Keep it on your desk. Anytime you have 5 extra minutes or you’re on a call with the camera turned off — reach for it.

Stretching, light strengthening exercises, mobilization: All of these can be done with a single piece of equipment.

Your rubber band makes Movement Snacks idiot-proof:

• Light. Fits in a bag

• Gives your muscles sufficient resistance

• Turns your living room, hotel room, backyard, or office into a portable gym

The following are Movement Snacks, ranging between 5 and 10 minutes — each with a band.

5-Minute Desk Break
When you’d usually reach for a cookie — do this instead:

1 min — Theraband Pull-Aparts
Fix your posture, fire up your back.

1 min — Theraband Rows
Anchor the band at your feet or desk leg. Pull back. Breathe.

1 min — Band Squats
Stand on the band, handles at shoulders, squat deep, stand tall.

1 min — Shoulder External Rotations
Elbows at sides, rotate out. Shoulder health locked in.

1 min — Standing Band Deadlifts
Stand on the band, hinge hips back, squeeze glutes. Strong backside.

7-Minute Morning Wake-Up
Trade snooze for strength:

2 min — Standing Band Chest Press
Anchor band behind you, press forward — push-ups, standing up.

2 min — Band Lat Pulldowns
Hold band overhead, pull elbows down, feel your lats wake up.

2 min — Band Lunges
Front foot on band, handles at shoulders, step and switch.

1 min — Standing Band Side Leg Raises
Tie band at ankles, lift side to side. Hip stability bonus.

10-Minute Full-Body Snack
Your no-excuses travel gym routine:

2 min — Band Squats
Slow, deep, stay controlled.

2 min — Standing Band Good Mornings
Band behind neck or shoulders, hinge hips back, squeeze up.

2 min — Band Rows
Anchor low. Pull strong.

2 min — Band Pull-Aparts
Open chest, fix posture.

2 min — Plank Hold or Shoulder Taps
No band needed. Core tight. Finish strong.

Bottom line

A cookie is harmless — until you go overboard.
So is skipping your workouts — until that becomes a habit too.

Flip the script.
Make your fitness as easy and automatic as that cookie jar.
Learn a few exercises with your resistance band and you will never run out of a great workout.

Movement Snacks are your tiny wins — stacked daily, they build the energy, focus, and results that fit your demanding life.