If you’re not a big fan of scheduled exercise, there’s some good news. Growing evidence suggests that introducing low-intensity movement over longer periods of time can be more beneficial than short bursts of high-intensity activity.
Known as “zone zero”, this approach involves staying semi-active for most of the day, but without a formal focus on exercise. Think of activities like gardening, cleaning, or walking – anything that gets you up and stops you from sitting for extended periods.
Read on to find out more about how zone zero can help you become healthier and happier, without having to put in too much conscious effort.
Zone zero focuses on increased movement and reduced sitting
Essentially, “zone” training operates on heart rate, measured as a percentage of your maximum. Lower “zones” mean a slower heart rate.
This puts zone zero just above inactivity, with your heart rate never rising above 50% of its maximum. This makes it much easier to monitor than most zone training, mainly because you don’t need to.
Unlike many forms of exercise, you don’t need to set time aside, wear specific clothing, or make any particular plans. All you have to do is keep moving, as slowly as you like.
This makes the zone zero approach easy to integrate into your everyday life. If you’re going to the shops, you could park further away and walk the rest of the way, or try putting in headphones and walking while you’re on a work call.
The science behind zone zero is based on the way your body fuels itself. When you eat, your body breaks down carbohydrates and releases them into your bloodstream in the form of glucose.
Moving around, or even just standing up, encourages your muscles to use some of this glucose as fuel. CNN cites research showing that intermittent standing breaks throughout the day reduced glucose levels by 9.51% while light intermittent movement lowered them by 17.01%, compared to prolonged sitting.
Getting started with zone zero doesn’t take too much effort. The chances are you’re already adopting at least some of its approaches. However, depending on your current levels of activity, you might need to gradually adjust your mindset.
Becoming semi-active throughout the day can improve your physical and mental health
If you spend a lot of time sitting, you could start to shift towards more time spent on gentle activity, without turning this into a “workout”.
Some good ideas to get you started are:
- Small stretches while the kettle is boiling
- Getting up during advert breaks
- Standing on one leg while you’re brushing your teeth
- Gentle cleaning
- Working at a standing desk
- Walking the dog.
The physical and mental health benefits of exercise are well established, and the gentle regularity of zone zero can provide many of them. The Independent states that even very light activity can:
- Improve circulation
- Regulate blood sugar
- Boost your mood
- Improve your sleep
- Lower your risk of chronic illness.
Studies by Mind have found that over a third of UK adults don’t exercise because they can’t find the time – one of the great advantages of zone zero. You don’t need to allocate specific time to it or spend time travelling to a gym or a class.
Mind also highlights the mental health benefits, reporting that regular physical activity can reduce your risk of depression by up to 30%.
Consistency also plays a big role. For many people, a strict exercise regimen can simply become too time-consuming, difficult, or even boring to sustain. Zone zero activities are much easier to maintain and to build on, as you gently progress into longer and longer periods of activity each day.
It’s important to note that this type of exercise won’t take you from couch potato to elite athlete. But it will give you some positive health habits, and if you want to up the ante, it’s a great platform to help you along.
So, there’s no need to count steps, time yourself, or separate your day into active and inactive periods. You should still be able to talk easily while exercising in zone zero, and you won’t even break out into a sweat. Move a little more, sit a little less, and you’ve cracked it.
Get in touch
We can’t arrange your zone zero plan for you, but we can make sure your finances are in great shape. If you’d like to talk to us about any aspect of your financial planning, please get in touch by emailing hello@fingerprintfp.co.uk or calling 03452 100 100.
Please note
This article is for general information only and does not constitute advice. The information is aimed at retail clients only.
All information is correct at the time of writing and is subject to change in the future.