It’s no secret that our society has shifted to a sedentary lifestyle where most of s spend our days sitting – working on computers, watching TV, and driving.  This lack of physical activity robs the brain of optimal function and is linked to obesity, higher rates of depression, a greater risk for cognitive impairment and worse… death!
A wealth of scientific evidence shows that exercise encourages the growth of new brain cells, boosts cognitive abilities in people of all ages, alleviates anxiety and depression, eases ADD symptoms, and helps prevent or delay dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
If you want to get happier, smarter, and thinner, you have to get moving!  Keep reading and get inspired – you’re about to learn all of the ways that exercise will change your life!
Most exercises are great for all brain types, while certain types benefit specific brain types more than others.  Discover which types of exercise are best for your brain by visiting the Workout Planner tab within Train My Body. I’d like to make the disclaimer that you need to check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program. J

The Wonderful Brain Boosting Benefits of Exercise

…if any of these reasons inspire you to get up, get out, and move… be sure to add them to your list of Motivations!
Get Happier:  Did you know that exercise can activate the same pathways in the brain as morphine? Or that it stimulates the activity of our feel-good neurotransmitters: norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin?  Physical activity is one of the most important things you can do to improve your mood, enhance your brain function, and of course, lose weight.

• In a head to head study for depression, exercise was equally effective to antidepressant medication after 12 weeks, and after 10 months it was more effective, without any side effects.
• Research also shows that physical activity of any kind can soothe anxiety, and that intense exercise can reduce the frequency of panic attacks.

If you ask me, exercise is the closest thing to a happiness pill that you will ever find!  Make exercise a lifelong habit — like brushing your teeth — to help you stick with your brain healthy lifestyle for the rest of your (very long) life.
Grow New Brain Cells:  Exercise increases great stuff in your body called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is like an anti-aging wonder drug that is involved with the growth of new brain cells. Think of BDNF as a sort of Miracle-Gro for your brain – it promotes learning and memory and makes your brain stronger. Specifically, exercise generates new brain cells in the temporal lobes (involved in memory) and the prefrontal cortex (involved in planning and judgment).
The increased production of BDNF you get from exercise is only temporary. The new brain cells survive for about 4 weeks then die off unless they are stimulated with mental exercise or social interaction. This means you have to exercise on a regular basis in order to benefit from a continual supply of new brain cells. It also explains why people who work out at the gym and then go to the library are smarter than people who only work out at the gym.
Turn Off the Obesity Gene:  Haven’t heard of the obesity gene? Scientists have identified a gene variant hat predisposes people to obesity. A person can have no copies, one copy, or two copies of the gene variant, and your likelihood of obesity (higher BMI, body fat, and waist size) increases with the number of copies you have. Exciting new research out of Sweden shows that exercise can deactivate this “obesity gene.”
What is so exciting about this study, which analyzed data from 752 European adolescents, is that those who had the gene variant but got at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity daily were no more likely to be overweight than those who had no copies. So even if you are genetically loaded to have a weight problem, you can blunt the effects of your genetic makeup. Your genes are NOT your destiny.  How great is that?
Handle Stress Better:  Working out helps you manage stress by immediately lowering stress hormones, and it makes you more resistant to stress over time.  Stress causes the adrenal glands to produce excessive amounts of the hormone cortisol, which has been found to kill cells in the hippocampus and impair memory. In fact, people with Alzheimer’s disease, have higher cortisol levels than normal aging people.
Raising your heart rate through exercise also makes you a better stress handler because it raises beta-endorphins, the brain’s own natural morphine.  Increasing your ability to manage stress through exercise can keep you from polishing off a whole bag of chips, drinking or smoking when under pressure.
Ward off Memory Loss and Dementia:  Exercise helps prevent, delay, and reduce the cognitive impairment that comes with aging, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease.
In 2010 alone, more than a dozen studies reported that physical exercise results in a reduction in cognitive dysfunction in older people.
Balance Blood sugar:  Exercise increases your brain’s ability to regulate insulin and sugar, which is critical for maintaining a healthy weight and the ability to focus and make good decisions.
Research from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston shows that just 10 minutes of vigorous exercise can spark metabolic changes that promote fat burning, calorie burning, and better blood sugar control for at least an hour!
Overcome Addictions and Reduce Cravings:  Exercise is very helpful in the prevention and treatment of addiction, including food addiction. Physical activity actually reduces cravings for addictive foods like sugary sweets and high-calorie, high-fat fare. When you eliminate your cravings, it can cut out hundreds or even thousands of calories from your daily diet. Plus, exercise helps to increase the release of endorphins, our natural feel-good neurotransmitters!
Make Better Decisions:  Exercise, and especially the type that you love, helps increase blood flow and dopamine to specific parts of your brain that help you focus, concentrate, exercise impulse control, and make the types of decisions that will keep you on track with your goals.
Eat Healthier Foods:  A 2008 study found that being physically active makes you more inclined to choose foods that are good for you, seek out more social support, and manage stress more effectively.

The Best Brain Boosting Exercises

Intense Cardio boosts blood flow, supports concentration and focus, enhances energy, helps you feel happy, curbs cravings, helps you get “unstuck” from repetitive thoughts, and burns tons of calories.  There are many different types of exercises that fall within this category, yet our favorites include “walking like you are late” for 45 minutes, dancing, swimming, and bike riding.
If you get bored easily, choose 3 activities that you love and then vary them throughout the week.
Strength Training, otherwise known as resistance training, helps prevent cognitive decline and builds muscle, which revvs your metabolism and helps you burn more calories throughout the day… even while driving or resting!  There is no need to join a gym to get these benefits – we have 4 step-by-step workouts for you to use right here in Brain Fit Life.
Calming exercises such as yoga and tai chi are great for relaxation.  These types of mindful exercises help to reduce anxiety and depression while increasing focus and self-control.
Social + Coordination activities like dancing, Zumba, tennis, and team sports are perfect for lifting mood and building new brain cells.  The intense aerobic activity boosts blood flow and multiple neurotransmitters in the brain while helping to span new brain cells.  Coordination activities require new learning, such as remembering steps, moves, or plays, which helps to strengthen those connections between your new brain cells and supports thinking, learning, and remembering.  The social element encourages bonding with others, which helps to calm overactivity in the deep limbic system and lift your mood.