Fitness Gurus

Hi, all!Spring term is officially here!  With consistent sunshine and rising temperatures, swimsuit season is drawing even closer.  If you need more incentive to eat right and work out, read on!In mid-January, an article was published in the New York Times regarding the effects of inactivity on the body.  Scientists at the Wayne State University of Medicine performed a series of tests on lab rats, splitting the rats into two groups: one of which exercised frequently and the other of which did not.  At the end of three months, the scientists injected each rat with a dye that marked neurons in the brain, and found that the neurons of the sedentary rats had changed drastically from the start of the experiment; they had become more likely to overstimulate the nervous system, in turn leading to a potential increase in blood pressure and a higher likelihood for heart disease.  Although such a study may not correlate perfectly to human test subjects, it goes to show that exercise doesn’t only affect your body, but also your mind.Another, perhaps more relatable study, was also written up in the New York Times–this one focusing on the effects of exercise on memory.  After a study done at Dartmouth College, it was found that people who exercised for a month, as well as on the day of a memory exam, performed far better than those who had not exercised at all, or even had just skipped the workout on the morning of the exam.  So, the moral here is that regular exercise keeps the neurons in your brain fully functioning and healthy, and can even help you ace your chem test.Even simply going to the gym for thirty minutes or going on a long walk on a nice day is more helpful than sitting inside.  Just get out and get active!  You will feel so great.The motivational quote this week comes from a speech Eric Thomas, former professional American football player, gave to college students: “When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, that’s when you’ll be successful.” To watch this video, which we highly recommend, search “secret to success”. Till next time,Stajz and Emily