By: Stacey Mann, Cancer Exercise Specialist and 2Unstoppable’s Program Creator and Fitness Director
At a recent follow-up appointment, Sue’s doctor gave her a piece of advice: “Try to exercise every day.” While the advice seemed simple, Sue struggled with what exercising daily really meant. She wanted to feel stronger but the idea of building a consistent routine felt overwhelming – especially as she was just starting to return to her normal activities.
This is a common challenge for many survivors and thrivers: how to find the time and energy to exercise when your body and daily rhythm feel unfamiliar.
When Sue and I sat down to talk about her goal, she envisioned long gym sessions, early mornings or delaying dinner with her family to meet the American Cancer Society’s recommendation of 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous activity. I had good news for her -long workouts aren’t the only way to get stronger or meet those guidelines. Building strength and energy starts with small, consistent steps—what I like to call, Exercise Snacks.
These short bursts of movement can fit easily into daily routines, helping rebuild confidence, boost energy, reduce fatigue and even combat brain fog. Over time, these mini-moments of movement add up- turning exercise from a challenge into a simple, life-long habit that helps you feel stronger every day.
We need a hunger cue to make us reach for a food snack, and the same concept applies to an Exercise Snack. The first step is to pair small bouts of exercise with existing habits and daily cues. For instance, if you start each morning by brewing coffee, let the smell of coffee become your cue to move – do 10 squats and march in place while you wait for that first cup.
Sue’s goal was to exercise for 150 minutes per week at a moderate pace, but she didn’t feel ready 30 solid minutes five days per week. So we broke it down into six five-minute sessions each day using a combination of Exercise Snacks. With a short list of no-equipment exercises, Sue could easily combine different moves into five-minute bursts, getting a total-body workout that fit into her existing habits.
Exercise Snacks:
Pick any combination of exercises and move for five minutes. Try to pair this movement with daily habits to help remind you to move.
• Squats or Sit-to-Stands: 5 to 10 repetitions. For Sit-to-Stands, sit into a chair and stand up again, pressing through your heels. For Squats, body weight should be in your heels.
• Single Leg Balance: Shift your weight onto one leg and lift the other slightly off the ground. Hold for 20 seconds, per side, using a sturdy chair for support if needed.
• Bicep Curls: Using light weights or clenched fists, curl your hands towards your shoulders, then return to start. Repeat 5-10 times.
• Marching or Jogging in Place: Move for at least one minute at a brisk pace.
• Jumping Jacks or Heel Jacks: Perform for at least one minute. (For Heel Jacks, tap one heel forward at a time while moving your arms like jumping jacks.)
• Standing Bicycle Crunches: Stand with both feet under the hips and hands raised over head or at shoulder height. Draw the left leg up, along the midline of the body and bring the right elbow towards the left thigh. Alternate sides for at least 10 “crunches” on both sides.
• Side Shuffle or Side-Steps: Step or shuffle side-to-side for one minute, reversing direction halfway through.
Adopting the Exercise Snack approach changed everything for Sue. Instead of waiting for the perfect time to exercise, she began with just five minutes of gentle stretching after her morning coffee. As the day went on, she added five-minute bouts of exercise between appointments and while making dinner. It didn’t take long for Sue to notice she wanted to move more. These brief bursts of activity lifted her mood, reduced joint stiffness and helped clear her mind from chemo induced brain fog.
Sue’s story is a reminder that building a healthy habit doesn’t have to be hard and small changes can make a big difference. Research shows that when movement is repeated in the same context – like after your morning coffee or before dinner – it becomes more automatic over time. Studies have also found that linking activity to positive feelings, such as better energy or mood, helps those small actions become lasting habits.
Start today – pick one cue, one move and one movement – and let those small actions build your path to feeling strong every day.