Basic Pursuits

Freyda Siegel, 100, shares 18 tips on how to live well.

18 tips for living a long life well

Evidence mounts that exercise has a lot to do with how your brain functions.

The latest theory is that it mildly stresses the brain and forces adaptive responses that ensure that the brain gets the energy that it needs. One of the responses is the release of growth factors.

Our friend Parth Shah posted this piece on how simple getting into shape really is. He argues that all you need is a run, push-ups, pull-ups and sit-ups. He offers up a very simple workout for you to get going with.

A routine incorporating these exercises will put you in better shape than 99 percent of the population in America.

Simple. But not necessarily easy.

Yet starting at a feel-good pace and building gradually, you might even find it easy.

This is a great video. Though it's entitled, "Why Has Obesity Gotten Worse Over The Years?" it's real value is suggesting simple ways to avoid obesity.

Every day I see articles like, "7 Tricks to Keep You Motivated to Exercise" or "Five Reasons You Should Exercise."
The tricks and the reasons are good, but articles like this fail to address a simple but powerful reason why long term exercisers are successful.
They have formed a habit and their habit makes them feel better. Exercise - feel better. Repeat until addicted.

My man, Gaines Adams, is a defensive lineman drafted in the first round by Tampa Bay last year. He had an ok first year, and knows he can do better. According to this article from the St. Pete Times, he's put better eating at the top of his ways-to-improve list.

In writing about motivation to exercise, John Wesley at PicktheBrain lists 10 reasons to work out that have nothing to do with a sexy bod. Good job.

All of his reasons are good, but I still insist on focusing on the biggest reason why people maintain a long term exercise habit. It's simple. They do it because it makes them feel better. Whether they have more testosterone, or sleep better, or gain self confidence, whatever, they feel better.

I'm always searching for ways to get the most out of exercise in the shortest period of time. Like many people I don't have an hour and a half to two hours to devote to working out.

One thing I've found that's very effective is interval training. Basically, interval training involves periods of high energy output interlaced with periods of rest. The Swedes who discovered this method of training call it fartlek, which means "speed play" in Swedish. Interval training these days is often referred to as HIIT, or "High Energy Interval Training."

Evidence continues to mount that exercise has enormous benefits on the brain. A while back we posted on research that showed that brain workouts like crossword puzzles, while effective, aren't nearly as effective as regular exercise for brain health. You're much better off taking a walk than sitting around doing a crossword puzzle.

Now, Britain's The Independent has just published an article that gives a general survey of the latest thinking on exercise and mental health.