Fitness and diet experts have spoken, and they bring good news! This new year will be full of positive and innovative trends in exercise and nutrition.

Why is this good news? Well, because some of these recommendations take into account how little time we have to exercise and how hard it is to keep up with a “strict diet”, in other words, these recommendations are based on realistic lifestyles and schedules (and of course, budgets).

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Every year, ACSM Health & Fitness Journal does a global survey to identify the trends that will rule the fitness and wellness industries in the upcoming 12 months. This major trend is one you need to consider for a healthier and happier life.

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And we shall call it: “Movement snacks”

Before you ask, no, this does not mean having a donut while you walk around the office, but rather, very short sessions of high-intensity training, or nano workouts.

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Let’s face it: just thinking about having to take an hour or more out of your day to try and squeeze in a never-ending workout session can make your motivation fly faster than TVs on Black Friday sales. This is why, for most people, it is a very challenging task to stay consistent with their fitness goals.

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The truth is that shorter habits are easier to fit into our schedules and allow us to take advantage of any dead time that arises during the day. So instead of having to plan our whole days around “a workout”, nano workouts allow us to fit them in whenever we have a short moment.

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The idea of high-intensity intermittent training is the inspiration behind nano workouts; the only difference is that the breaks between sessions are longer. Exercise sessions continue to be brief, but they are spread out throughout the day in sessions that are between one and four hours apart.

A  nano workout routine would involve, for example, an energetic morning stretch and five minute jog, another at mealtime, and a break in the middle of the day for between 30 and 60 seconds of planks, push ups, tuck jumps, squats, or abdominal exercises.

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But are the results of these sessions actually positive?

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Participants in a Canadian study were asked to climb three flights of stairs three different times throughout the day, an activity that took around 20 seconds each time. Participants' aerobic health had increased by 5% during the previous six weeks. So yeah, they’re pretty good!

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Although the outcome will not be immediate, over time you will be able to see how your body changes. It's a good strategy to lose weight and tone your body almost subconsciously, and it will be much easier to fit exercise into your daily life when you make it a habit. The main goal of nano workouts is to put an end to sedentarism and all of its terrible effects on your health.

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So just get up and do it! Yes, right now!