Published January 23, 2019 In need of exercise motivation for your New Year’s resolutions?! This year I committed to taking fitness a step further via personal training sessions, so my non-athletic self can learn a thing or two. However, I’m the type of person who needs to know the science behind why I’m doing something in order to feel passionate about getting it done. I recently went over two highly motivating exercise studies on my Instagram stories, and wanted to share them here so you always have something to read when you’re feeling uninspired. STUDY #1 Did you know that most of us overestimate the minimum effective does for exercise? Even if you have 10-15 minutes, you can still make incredible strength gains and feel amazing. WHO: The study looked at 33 older adults (14 male and 19 female) with a mean age of 55 years. WHAT: The participants underwent brief (<15 minutes per exercise session) and infrequent (only 2×/week) exercise sessions at a high intensity of effort (6-repetition maximum to exhaust the muscles) on just 5 standard resistance machines in the gym. RESULTS: After 12 weeks for the men and 19 weeks for the women, significant strength increases were identified for all exercises. For a total time commitment of just 30 minutes a week(!), the participants showed outstanding strength gains, as much as 55% more than when they started. STUDY #2 Every workout matters, and even one single workout can boost your metabolism for days. WHO: The study looked at specific neurons in mice (POMC) that are important for metabolism via regulating energy balance and blood glucose levels. WHAT: The researchers tested how much exercise was required to alter the activity of these neurons in a positive manner. RESULTS: They found that just a single bout of semi-intense exercise could boost POMC neurons for 2 full days, all while inhibiting counterpart neurons that have a negative effect on metabolism. One workout matters more than you think for fat burning and blood sugar control. Movement matters always, whether it’s 10 minutes or a full hour. I hope this motivated you to get your workout on (and most importantly, do what you can – when you can!) References: [1] https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jsm/2014/731890/ [2] https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/12/181204143854.htm
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