Why Working Out Makes You Smart
I can't even begin to convey to you how many of my good ideas have come to me on the stairmaster or the weightroom floor. Come to think of it, I thought of the concept of this article on the elliptical! I also can tell you that I know some amazing people in the sixty plus age range that look ten to twenty years younger than they actually are. One is a former client of mine, let's call her Ronia. She is sixty plus and looks like she has been out of her sorority about ten years! Another person is Bill. Bill is sixty and thinks that the fact that he is in amazing shape and looks forty is "no big deal".
We now know through heavily documented research that exercise not only helps you age gracefully in the looks department, but mentally as well. As if you didn't have enough downright compelling reasons to workout consistently. Just listen to what John R Ratey had to say to the Washington Post. Ratey is a Harvard University psychiatrist that wrote the book, "Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain". "Look, the studies are very clear, even if you're in middle age, and you begin to exercise three to four times a week, at fairly moderate rates... adding some weights in there.. you're going to push back cognitive decline by anywhere from ten to fifteen years". I have to say ten to fifteen years is nothing to sneeze at!
Here are some more intriguing facts about the cognitive benefits of exercising regularly.
- Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) releases during cardiovascular exercise and can even produce new neurons in the brain.
- These neurons can increase in number after just weeks of exercise! What's your preferred method to get smarter? Do you want to read Shakespeare, or do you want to simply get out there and do some cardio? I guess you could easily do both now that I think about it.
- Your new neuron friends also improve your ability to think on your feet, and improve your memory. This is especially useful for men. Exercise more and you can avoid the argument with your wife or girlfriend about buying the wrong eggs at the store. I guess if she's really upset it may not actually be about the eggs. I'm just saying.
- Exercise has also proven to alleviate depression and help curb anxiety. The trick is, you have to keep it up if you want to maintain those benefits.
- Your risk for developing dementia and Alzheimer's is dramatically reduced by regular exercise. This is a huge benefit.
So there you have it. This article is proof that exercise makes you smarter. So when you are working out, you are developing your brains and your beauty. If that's not a win-win I don't know what is. If you are young and not too interested in some of these benefits, just remember Ronia and Bill whom I mentioned at the top of this article. I know you want to stay smart and sexy in your sixties, seventies, eighties, and beyond!
Patrick Williams is the owner of Fuel Rx Fitness in highly renowned Sherman Oaks in the valley of Los Angeles. Fuel Rx Fitness is the home of "Metabolic Burst Training" which is known to help people shred bodyfat, build core strength, and move more efficiently. For more information about his programs, go to http://fuelrxfitness.com or just email him patrick@fuelrxfitness.com.
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