Aloha my friends!
9 out of every 10 chronic diseases are downstream consequences of poor metabolic health. How effectively we can build muscle and lose fat are also largely dependent on our metabolism. So it’s fair to say that metabolic health is almost synonymous with overall health and fitness.
And probably the biggest single factor that determines our metabolic health is how efficiently our bodies can pump glucose molecules from our blood (aka blood sugar) into our cells, so that they can be converted into energy.
For that you need insulin (a big topic in my upcoming YT video on anabolic hormone optimization)… but insulin is actually only half of the equation. You also need what are called GLUT4 transporters (the blue thing in the image below), which are basically gates that insulin opens up in the cell membrane so that glucose can get in.
Why am I giving you this lesson in biology?
Good question. Here’s why.
When you are at rest, these GLUT4 transporters are stuck INSIDE the cell — not on the membrane — so they can’t be used, even if glucose and insulin are present. MUSCLE CONTRACTION is what triggers the GLUT4 receptors to move out to the membrane! But they’re only there temporarily, then migrate back inside the cell.
So, if you’re someone who does all of your exercise or physical activity in a single dose / workout, and then are largely sedentary or sitting for the rest of the day… you’ll only be able to effectively process and metabolize glucose for a VERY short period of the day!
Many recent studies and meta-analyses like this one have shown that people who take that same amount of total time and split it up into roughly 1 minute of simply walking around every 30 minutes or so throughout the day will have, on average, between 30% – 50% better metabolic health, as measured by multiple glucose and insulin parameters!!
This is why under-desk treadmills are so effective. One study specifically measured the efficacy of this kind of intermittent use of under-desk treadmill walking (at just 1mph) for overweight participants, and found that they lose several pounds of fat and gained more than 2 pounds of muscle just doing that!
Now, of course there are also benefits to doing sustained workouts of 20 minutes or longer than you simply can’t get in 1 minute doses. But luckily, this isn’t a question of doing one or the other.
What I’m saying is that you should do both!
Most people reading this will already be doing consistent workouts. But if you’re sitting for most of the rest of the day, then start working in 1 minute periods of walking or some other physical activity (or even just standing if that’s all you can manage) and you will DRASTICALLY improve your metabolic and overall health!!
Application: Drastically improve your metabolic health by spreading as many 1-minute doses of light physical activity as you can throughout your day!
Relevant Previous FTF Tips (for All-Access Members):
1) Week 112 | Workout Timing: Is Morning or Evening Better??
Relevant Research Article(s):
2) The energy expenditure of using a “walk-and-work” desk for office workers with obesity
Relevant Dr. Gains YouTube Video(s):
1) Coming soon!
Relevant Dr. Gains Program(s):
1) Techniques, Principles & Theory section of All-Access Basic
Dr. Gains 
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