Want to seriously up your game? Start thinking about death–your death, and start thinking about how very soon it could arrive. That’s the finding of researchers at the University of Arizona, where a recent study showed that basketball-players scored more points after being presented with death-related prompts. A U of Arizona […]
Fitness
What Really Gets You To The Gym: Competition
If you think friendly encouragement is the best motivator to get you to exercise, think again. A new study from the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania found that competition is a far stronger motivation for exercise than friendly support. In fact, the study found that friendly support […]
How Much Do Heavy Running Shoes Slow You Down?
Yes, heavier running shoes do require more energy than lighter running shoes, but does that necessarily translate to slower running times? Researchers at the University of Colorado believe they have found the answer, and it is yes, but not much. Science Daily reports that the researchers put 18 runners on […]
Minimal Exercise May Control Post Menopausal Weight
It’s well known that menopause is often followed by weight gain. Now come researchers at the University of Missouri who claim that just a little exercise can stave off much of that weight gain. Could be true. A U of Missouri news release reports that the researchers compared how exercise […]
How To Maximize Those 10,000 Steps
Want to get the most out of those 10,000 steps that you attempt to walk each day? Walk faster. At least, walk faster for some of them. Science Daily reports on research conducted at the University of Oregon that analyzed data from 3,388 people, looking at minute-by-minute step data, relationships between step-defined […]
It’s October. Get Ready To Gain Weight
First the bad news. As the New York Times puts it, this is probably the least you will weigh all year. Then some more bad news. The pounds that you put on, which should peak around New Year’s Day, won’t come off for another five months. This cheery prediction comes […]
Exercise Spurs Fat-Burning Hormone
How, exactly, does exercise keep you thin? Researchers at the University of Florida have a pretty good idea. They have learned that Irisin, a hormone that surges when muscles are exerted, somehow tells the body to shed fat and hinders it from making more fat. A University of Florida news release reports […]
Exercise Brain Boost May Not Last
Faithful readers of New York Times health columnist Gretchen Reynolds probably know that she has several times extolled the brain benefits of exercise. Now comes Reynolds with some less than great news: those benefits may not last. Reynolds cites a new study from researchers at the University of Maryland that took […]
Even Baseball Players Are Getting Fat
Giving new meaning to the moniker “heavy hitters,” professional baseball players have been putting on the pounds. David E. Conroy, Penn State professor of kinesiology, looked at 145 years of data on professional baseball players’ body mass, and found that the athletes’ weight held steady for over 100 years, with the […]
No, Wearables Won’t Help Keep The Weight Off
If you’re counting on an activity tracker to help you keep the pounds off, it may be time for a recount. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh are convinced that wearables just don’t work that way. A U of Pittsburgh news release reports that after a 24-month trial, the researchers […]