Best aerobics books according to redditors

We found 267 Reddit comments discussing the best aerobics books. We ranked the 20 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.

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Top Reddit comments about Aerobics:

u/savemejebus0 · 110 pointsr/AdviceAnimals

I can tell you from being an addict who was inches from death, your food addiction a in the same part of the brain as my drinking and I can tell you that I know exactly how you feel. Here is the hardest part for you to accept, and believe me, people around you will argue against it, most of how you got here was out of your control.

You most likely have issues in your brain. Because our "free will" and "you" exists in the brain, people like to conflate the two and associate malfunctions in the reward system to a lack of will power or personal responsibility. The very thing you make your choices with, your brain, is compromised.

I know something that has helped me, no wait, saved my life, and I just recently stumbled upon a book about it, exercise. Before you dismiss it and categorize yourself as someone who doesn't, or can't, exercise, read this book cover to cover. Get the audio book, listen to it on your down time.

If it is not the solution to your problems, I can guarantee you, it is the start to them. Do you want evidence? Read the book. Do you want research? Read the book. Do you want hope? Read the book.

You have to understand that you are fighting against the reward system in your brain. It will tell you things you have to ignore. I recommend exercise not because you mentioned overeating, but because you mentioned depression. The transformation in your body will just be an added bonus.

Of course, we don't all have the means, but therapy is #1. They will help you stay on course. When that malfunctioning part of your brain tells you one thing, your therapist will convinces you that it is a ruse fabricated by an imbalance of neurotransmitters. If you cannot afford one, it is up to you.

Every day. Commit to intense exercise every day. Zero excuse to miss. Not for your weight, for your brain. It is not the magic cure, but it is close. Good luck.

u/workingclassfinesser · 45 pointsr/college

Yeah studies have shown exercise improves learning ability and retention. On my phone right now but just google it, it’s a big thing now.

edit: https://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113514

u/Nasorean · 26 pointsr/Nootropics

Spark, by John Ratey provides similar evidence of the power of exercise on the brain. It aids our learning, memory, executive functioning, and reduces depression and anxiety. Since I read it, I've been cycling at least 30 minutes a day, 6 days a week. I notice improvements.

​

(Note: I read the book, but I am not advertising it, nor suggesting you should purchase it)

u/Intra_Galactic · 22 pointsr/longevity
  • Exercise. “In SPARK, John J. Ratey, M.D., embarks upon a fascinating and entertaining journey through the mind-body connection, presenting startling research to prove that exercise is truly our best defense against everything from depression to ADD to addiction to aggression to menopause to Alzheimer's. Filled with amazing case studies (such as the revolutionary fitness program in Naperville, Illinois, which has put this school district of 19,000 kids first in the world of science test scores), SPARK is the first book to explore comprehensively the connection between exercise and the brain. It will change forever the way you think about your morning run---or, for that matter, simply the way you think“. Source: https://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113514/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1522973939&sr=1-1&keywords=Spark%2C+The+Revolutionary+New+Science+of+Exercise+and+the+Brain

  • Eat a healthy diet and follow some of the practices taken from Blue Zones, which are populations that have an unusually high number of centenarians. Some key take-aways from studies blue zones (Source: https://www.amazon.com/product-reviews/1426216556/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_cmps_btm?ie=UTF8&reviewerType=all_reviews):

  • Long-lived people live on a high-carb, low-fat, plant-based diet;
  • Long-lived people eat a lot of vegetables, including greens;
  • Whenever they can get it, long-lived populations eat a lot of fruit;
  • When animal products are consumed, it’s occasionally and in small amounts only;
  • Long-lived people had periods in their life when a lot less food was available and they had to survive on a very
    sparse, limited diet;
  • Long-lived people live in a sunny, warm climate;
  • Long-lived people consume beans in some form or another;
  • Nuts appear to be good for health;
  • The typical diet is very simple and many essentially eat the same simple foods every day
  • Quality food over variety is more important;
  • They had an active lifestyle and moved a lot
  • Many of them got 5 to 6 hours of moderate exercise per day;
  • Many of them loved to work and had a sense of purpose in life;
  • Many had large families;
  • None of them smoked or ate massive amounts of food.

  • Be a super-ager – “Which activities, if any, will increase your chances of remaining mentally sharp into old age? We’re still studying this question, but our best answer at the moment is: work hard at something. Many labs have observed that these critical brain regions increase in activity when people perform difficult tasks, whether the effort is physical or mental. You can therefore help keep these regions thick and healthy through vigorous exercise and bouts of strenuous mental effort.” Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/31/opinion/sunday/how-to-become-a-superager.html

  • Boost your microbiome by eating a diverse diet. “Diet is perhaps the biggest factor in shaping the composition of the microbiome,” he says. A study by University College Cork researchers published in Nature in 2012 followed 200 elderly people over the course of two years, as they transitioned into different environments such as nursing homes. The researchers found that their subjects’ health – frailty, cognition, and immune system – all correlated with their microbiome. From bacterial population alone, researchers could tell if a patient was a long-stay patient in a nursing home, or short-stay, or living in the general community. These changes were a direct reflection of their diet in these different environments. “A diverse diet gives you a diverse microbiome that gives you a better health outcome,” says Cryan. Source: http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20140221-can-gut-bugs-make-you-smarter

  • Have a healthy mind-set – don't ever succumb to the stereotypical mind set that getting older = decline. “To Langer, this was evidence that the biomedical model of the day — that the mind and the body are on separate tracks — was wrongheaded. The belief was that “the only way to get sick is through the introduction of a pathogen, and the only way to get well is to get rid of it,” she said, when we met at her office in Cambridge in December. She came to think that what people needed to heal themselves was a psychological “prime” — something that triggered the body to take curative measures all by itself. Gathering the older men together in New Hampshire, for what she would later refer to as a counterclockwise study, would be a way to test this premise. The men in the experimental group were told not merely to reminisce about this earlier era, but to inhabit it — to “make a psychological attempt to be the person they were 22 years ago,” she told me. “We have good reason to believe that if you are successful at this,” Langer told the men, “you will feel as you did in 1959.” From the time they walked through the doors, they were treated as if they were younger. The men were told that they would have to take their belongings upstairs themselves, even if they had to do it one shirt at a time. At the end of their stay, the men were tested again. On several measures, they outperformed a control group that came earlier to the monastery but didn’t imagine themselves back into the skin of their younger selves, though they were encouraged to reminisce. They were suppler, showed greater manual dexterity and sat taller — just as Langer had guessed. Perhaps most improbable, their sight improved. Independent judges said they looked younger. The experimental subjects, Langer told me, had “put their mind in an earlier time,” and their bodies went along for the ride.” Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/26/magazine/what-if-age-is-nothing-but-a-mind-set.html

  • Live a life that has meaning – or, in other words, have a personal mission statement in life. Strive to accomplish something or to help others. “It is the pursuit of meaning is what makes human beings uniquely human. By putting aside our selfish interests to serve someone or something larger than ourselves -- by devoting our lives to "giving" rather than "taking" -- we are not only expressing our fundamental humanity, but are also acknowledging that that there is more to the good life than the pursuit of simple happiness.” Source: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/01/theres-more-to-life-than-being-happy/266805/

  • Volunteer and help others. “Volunteering probably reduces mortality by a year and a half or possibly up to two years for people who are in their senior years,” says Stephen G. Post, a professor of preventive medicine at Stony Brook University School of Medicine and the author of The Hidden Gifts of Helping and Why Good Things Happen to Good People. “If you could put the benefits of helping others into a bottle and sell it, you could be a millionaire in a minute.” Source: https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Why+do+we+hesitate+to+help%3F-a0352848707

  • Do strength training – there is an association between muscular strength and mortality in men (2008). Source: https://www.bmj.com/content/2/4225/927.4

  • Have 1-2 drinks per day. Source: https://health.spectator.co.uk/the-great-alcohol-cover-up-how-public-health-bodies-hid-the-truth-about-drinking/
u/Berkamin · 20 pointsr/productivity

Understand the reason why you procrastinate. It is not about self control. This article breaks open the one of the biggest underlying reasons why people procrastinate:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/25/smarter-living/why-you-procrastinate-it-has-nothing-to-do-with-self-control.html

People procrastinate as a way of regulating their mood. Something about their condition or about the task they are procrastinating is causing them discomfort that they might not even be able to articulate, and procrastinating is a way of dealing with that discomfort in the moment.

One possible way to deal with this (not this specific thing you're procrastinating on, but the big picture) is that you may need counseling or to do other things to help your health to overcome depression or whatever hidden discomfort is causing you to procrastinate. I myself found that when I did not sleep well, I was chronically tired and depressed, but I didn't recognize it, because I masked it with caffeine. Caffeine doesn't give you the missing motivation back. It just keeps you wide awake and not wanting to do the things you need motivation to do. In a lot of cases, insufficient sleep is a major contributor to depression and anxiety.

I fixed my sleep problem to a large extent, using a weighted blanket, sensory deprivation (ear plugs and eye mask when I sleep), black-out curtains, blue-blocker glasses in the evenings, "dark room mode" of Flux (a screen dimming app for MacOS), and red LED light bulbs to light my room at night so I would actually get sleepy. (Now I just need to fix the schedule of my sleep; it's a work in progress.) That really helped.

Exercise also helps address depression, way more than I understood. See the book titled "Spark: the revolutionary new science of exercise and the brain".

When I reduced my depressive symptoms and improved my sleep, I felt a lot less prone to procrastinating.

Another great book on how to improve yourself and overcome things like procrastination is "Atomic Habits". This is a fantastic book. It explains that self transformation and improvement is not about revolutionary changes, but about establishing habits that get you a little bit of improvement but keeps you on a consistent trajectory of improvement. There's a lot of great stuff in there about procrastination.

If you can't seem to read books all the way through (a problem I had), try listening to the audio book while commuting. This has made a huge difference in my life. I actually finish books that I start now that I use audio books.

EDIT—

Of the various things that motivate people, fear only goes so far. After a while, concern over possibly ruining your life won't motivate you. I know this first hand, because I've procrastinated to the point of harming myself, and knowing that harm would come didn't motivate me to act. There is a much more potent set of motivators, and this won't be easy, but you need to find these and figure out how to view your work through these.

The most potent motivators are purpose, passion, and joy. In the grand scheme of your life, you need to find your purpose, develop a passion, and cultivate joy. There's an old parable about three men laying bricks who are asked what they are doing. The first one says "I'm laying bricks". The second says "I'm building a church". The third says "I'm building the house of God." Of these three, who do you think will do his best work and persist when the going gets tough?—The one who sees a grand, transcendant purpose in every brick he lays.

If you can't find a purpose in the task you are doing, step back. Some folks do boring work that is not rewarding in and of itself, but their "why" is their family. That is their purpose, and to provide for their family, they keep on keeping on. If you don't have a family, make a promise to your future self, and make bettering yourself your purpose. And if that won't do, seriously search for other work to do that you can get a sense of purpose from. I've heard of people who weren't responsible, but who got a dog or some other pet that then gave them a purpose, because that pet gave them joy, and they wanted a good life for this pet they loved so much. These are the stories where someone rescues a dog, but really, the dog rescued them just as much as they rescued it. Love makes all the difference here.

Think of something you take delight in, something that brings you joy, and if what you are doing can be thought of in terms of serving and pursuing this thing that brings you joy, the motivation from your delight may be able to help you overcome that heavy unspoken weight of apathy that causes you to procrastinate.

u/cleti · 18 pointsr/Fitness

I've read so many books that I honestly cannot say that any particular one is the most important. However, here's a list of really good ones:

  • Starting Strength. Mark Rippetoe. I've read all three editions. The books have greatly influenced the way I lift, especially in the obvious sense of proper form for barbell lifts.

  • Practical Programming For Strength Training. Mark Rippetoe and Lon Kilgore. Simple explanations of a lot of things related to training even nutrition.

  • Beyond Bodybuilding. Pavel Tsatsouline. Amazing book filled with numerous lifts with the goal of using strength training to develop mass.
  • Relax Into Stretch and Super Joints by Pavel as well. If you have issues with mobility or flexibility, these books are awesome.
  • 5 3 1. Jim Wendler. I'm fairly certain the majority of people know what this is, but if you haven't read it, I encourage reading both editions and the one for powerlifting, especially if you're running 5/3/1 right now. All three books are a huge resource for determining how to program assistance and conditioning.
  • Easy Strength. Pavel and Dan John This was a great read. It was filled with tons of things from articles written by Dan John as well as just a massive look at how to appropriately program strength training for people at numerous levels.
  • 4 Hour Body. Tim Ferriss. This was an amazing read. It, like Pavel's Power to the People, was a great read on complete minimalism of training towards a goal.

    I've read so many more books than that. Since these are the only ones that I can think of off the top of my head, I'd say that they are the ones that have made the biggest impression from reading them.
u/dancingmanatee · 14 pointsr/writing

>Besides, some of the best writers only write well when either largely unhappy or severely inebriated.

This is horseshit. Here is what Stephen King, who struggled with massive drug and alcohol addictions, wrote in his book on that bullshit:

>The idea that the creative endeavor and mind-altering substances are entwined is one of the great pop-intellectual myths of our time. . . . Substance abusing writers are just substance abusers--common garden variety drunks and druggies, in other words. Any claims that the drugs and alcohol are necessary to dull a finer sensibility are just the usual self-serving bullshit. I've heard alcoholic snowplow drivers make the same claim, that they drink to still the demons.

A famous writer and homeless junkie look no different when passed out on the floor covered in vomit.

OP, check out /r/depression. Go talk to a doctor. I struggled with severe depression years ago and found that activity was key. Exercise has been vital for preventing my depression from coming back. Exercise is pretty much the best thing you could do for your brain ever.

u/[deleted] · 14 pointsr/funny
u/PZon · 14 pointsr/rocketbeans
u/biciklanto · 13 pointsr/bicycling

You may be interested in reading John Ratey's Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain. He's clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard and I really enjoyed his book, which covers, among other things, the enormous impact exercise has on both mental health and creativity / academic potential.

Definitely worth a read.

u/MarauderShields618 · 13 pointsr/ADHD

Here are some resources that have been incredibly helpful for me. :)

Books:

u/acforbes · 13 pointsr/running

I started in triathlon in 2010 and did a handful to 2012 before taking a few years off. Over the holidays in 2015, I decided to sign up for a 70.3 in 2016, so I was all in! I have seen big improvements each year since then, including my third year at USA Triathlon Age Group Nationals this year and just qualifying for 70.3 World Championships in my second 70.3 this August. Needless to say, I got a bit hooked! It is tough to balance family and social life with it beyond my regular day job. Many workouts are on the bike trainer after kids bedtime, and I'll often run during lunch at work or incorporate the kids into the run.

Start easy on the swim in a local pool. Build up distance like you would for running, and work on some drills every time as a part of your warmup. 80/20 Triathlon has some good drill work in it. Also check out the 8020 Endurance website. And, of course, join /r/triathlon!

u/Hotblack_Desiato_ · 12 pointsr/xxfitness

It's simple physiology. The muscles aren't physically short, it's just that we have a thing called the stretch reflex that freaks out when we move our muscles outside a certain range of motion, and causes the muscle to contract in order to stop the motion.

When a doctor whacks our knee with a hammer, they're testing the stretch reflex. The hammer impact causes a small and momentary lengthening of the quads, and the stretch reflex counteracts it by contracting the.

What stretching does is create a "new normal" in terms of RoM for the muscle. It is a retraining of the nervous system, not the muscle tissue, and for this reason, frequency is key.

If you want to read more about it, Glorious Socialist Athletics authors Pavel Tsatsouline and Thomas Kurz have written excellent books about it.

u/incster · 11 pointsr/running

I have been a vegetarian for over 20 years. In my experience, you can eat a healthy diet with or without meat. You can also eat an unhealthy diet with or without meat. If you do decide to try a vegetarian diet, there are some good resources at No Meat Athlete.

The best book covering nutrition for endurance athletes that I have read is Matt Fitzgerald's New Rules of Marathon and Half Marathon Nutrition. It gives some straightforward advice on what you need eat in order to run well, regardless of whether you choose to go vegetarian or not.

u/41K4N4R10N · 10 pointsr/rocketbeans

Der hat kein Zeit Bücher zu schreiben er muss Bücher schreiben...

https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/3840375622

u/sabat · 8 pointsr/Anxiety

There's a lot of scientific evidence for it—I did a quick google and found some stuff, although there are probably better explanations than what I found in a few seconds.

There was a study done in the past five years—at Yale IIRC—that indicated that exercise is equivalent to anti-depressant medication in treating depression.

Here is a psychologist being interviewed about what exercise does to the exerciser's mind.

Here, the American Psychological Association (APA) explains that exercise improves the brain's ability to handle stress, which in turn should reduce anxiety.

There's no cure-all; the one thing you need to do is actually a lot of things that will work together in a perfect storm to reduce and possibly eliminate your anxiety.

About exercise:

  • don't worry about whether you feel a "runner's high"—it usually does come, but after at least several weeks of training

  • what you are after is not only an endorphin rush; exercise is being shown to actually change the structure of the brain in positive ways, not the least of which is to be more resilient and less prone to anxiety

  • if your pulse seems too high, slow it down. Remember, you're not out there to prove you're Superman/Superwoman. Speed and endurance will come; think of your mind/body as an engine that you're working on. You need to build it up before it's ready to race.

  • Exercise is not punishment. Too many people get the idea that running/exercise is a way to do penance for bad behavior. You're out there to do good to yourself because you deserve it.

    I got a lot out of this layman's book about the effects of exercise on the brain (based science from the past 10-20 years); you may want to look at it.

    PS: I found this interesting article in The Atlantic about exercise and depression as well; looks pretty good, and it's from last year.

    edit: grammar
u/CBFTAKACWIATMUP · 8 pointsr/running

Whether or not you hit the wall not only is a matter of training but also having and carrying out a solid in-race nutrition plan. The wall hits people because their lower bodies run out of glycogen, and they haven't sufficiently re-fueled those stores with carbohydrate during the race.

Matt Fitzgerald and the Hanson brothers are among the few experienced running writers who seriously get into fueling during races, and they may be worth a read for finer points.

But in general you need to work on fueling during long runs. Thankfully, Chicago's drink stations use Gatorade (which contains carbs; low-cal drinks like Ultima do not), and if you prefer to fuel that way you can practice hitting the Gatorade every 1.3 miles during training runs. You could also practice with gels or gummy-style fuel like Shot Bloks, but that gets a lot more pricey than Gatorade, and Gatorade has the added benefit of also rehydrating you.

Again, others get into the finer points of marathon fueling much better than I just did, but that's a place to start if you want to avoid the wall.

u/redgrimm · 8 pointsr/Fitness

You have two options here:

  • The long one: Stretch everyday, 10 to 20 minutes. Hold every position for about 30 seconds. Do NOT bounce; bouncing is known as ballistic stretching and it as stupid as stretching can get.

  • The somewhat shorter way: Isometric stretching(a.k.a. PNF), 3 times a week in addition to normal stretching the rest of the week. To give you a general idea, isometric stretching is pretty much stretching as far as you can comfortably go, contracting the muscles for somewhere between 5 to 30 seconds, depending on how hard you contract, and then letting go and try to push the stretch a little further. Hold for 30 seconds, repeat up to 5 times. It's hard, and quite uncomfortable, but it works. Relax into stretch and Stretching scientifically are the best books I know on the subject.

    Also, dynamic stretching is to be done at the beginning of your workout, and passive at the end.
u/WebDevigner · 7 pointsr/pics

I agree, I should have cited my sources. I myself have severe inattentive ADHD and my information comes from the following sources...

u/ShaolinGoldenPalm · 7 pointsr/aspergers

Sorry- that day got quite out of hand. (Not) incidentally, I have moderate-severe ADHD, with all the attendant issues with focus and follow-up. Though I don't have A.S., my husband does, so I've got a multi-faceted perspective on this issue.

I am learning to overcome the ADHD with a system I've designed for myself, from a few different things:

  1. The Pomodoro technique. Basically, you set a timer for 25 minutes, and begin executing a task / objective. When the time goes off, you stop- even if you're not done- and re-set the timer for 5 minutes. You take a 5-minute break. When the timer goes off again, you resume your task, or take stock to make sure that's what you should really be doing. Here's the website, or download a cheat sheet.


  2. Getting Things Done technique; I use the inbox / task flow / ToDo List methods. Combined with the Pomodoro Technique, it's a fail-proof system for ensuring I execute tasks in the order of highest priority, whether I want to do them or not. This system ensures I'm never wasting valuable time on inessential tasks, while elegantly preventing procrastination.

  3. I keep a journal of what I'm doing whenever the Pomodoro timer goes off, below by daily ToDo list. It helps me see when I'm getting off track. The most valuable skill I've learned over the few months I've been doing this is the habit of thinking, "what am I doing right now, and how does it help me achieve my objectives?"

  4. Also, an "Energy management journal:" I track my intake of food, sleep, water, and exercise. Though I don't do anything like graph the data, the act of writing it down holds me accountable, and increases the likelihood that I'll make wise choices. If I'm having an unproductive day/week, I can usually trace it to a preceding disturbance in one of the above habits, so I've learned to take care of myself, if I want to perform well.


    I recommend looking into whether any of the above could help with the challenges you're facing. My husband now swears by the Pomodoro technique; it helps him get started on larger projects, and also stops him every 25 minutes, so he's never hyperfocusing so long that he forgets to eat/sleep, etc.


    Speaking of body maintenance, the most important thing you can do for your overall well-being is exercise. Strength training is preferable, supplemented by cardio, but no matter what you're thinking right now, check out this book. Sticking to a regular weightlifting routine has improved my productivity far more than anything else ever did (even my Adderall prescription). When you feel physically better, far more things are possible. For further reference, check out these books, too.


    Tl,dr; Learn to manage your time & energy; you'll be better equipped to improve your own focus and follow-up. Meanwhile, your former therapist has no excuse.
u/mike_d85 · 7 pointsr/running

I read a great book called Spark that goes into the details of this.

​

Exercise regulates the mood hormones and has been effectively used as a treatment for depression. IIRC he devotes an entire chapter to depression in the book (though it might have been a shared chapter on mood disorders). Super interesting stuff and there's also a lot of info on Alzheimer, anxiety, and a bunch of other neurological conditions affected by exercise.

u/jesses_girl · 7 pointsr/running

I have no firsthand experience but I just read this book called Spark: https://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113514

In it the author argues strongly that 1) exercise is essential and 2) it changes your brain chemistry and form and 3) it helps many mental illnesses.

It's genuinely a fascinating book and I highly recommend it!

u/Closet_Geek_ · 7 pointsr/fatlogic

I recommend the Galloway Method and this book to everyone. I've been doing run/walk for virtually my entire ten years of running. I use the app RunMeter because the premium version (for a whopping $5/year) allows you set run/walk intervals. I listen to podcasts for most of my runs, and fortunately we've got great trails for running where I live. You can also check out Jeff Galloway's website, and several of his training plans are on there for free. It's quite possible your library will have his book as well.

I do have to say, the less you weigh the faster your times will be. It's the simple physics of it takes more energy to move more mass. But more than anything, be consistent. Work up your distances slowly, but be consistent.

u/arera · 6 pointsr/portugal

Eu acho que o programa de educação física devia ser alterado. Exercício fisico é absolutamente crucial para um estudante. Li recentemente o livro "Spark" (http://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113514/ref=sr_1_3/177-6089882-2280667?ie=UTF8&qid=1420361932&sr=8-3&keywords=spark) e tenho também estado atento aos vários estudos que provam que praticar exercício físico é das melhores coisas que alguem pode fazer.

Dito isto, o plano actual de educação física baseia-se em dança e vários desportos. Acho que todos ganhavamos se em educação fisica se aprendesse fitness e apresentasse vários estudos do efeito do fitness em transtornos tipo OCD, ansiedade, depressão e também os seus efeitos na concetração, circulação sanguinea e em doenças mais específicas.

Exercício Físico é a chave para uma população mais saudável.

u/Barnaby_McFoo · 6 pointsr/artc

Not a big fan of Matt Fitzgerald, but The New Rules of Marathon and Half-Marathon Nutrition has some good information in it.

u/AndyDufresne2 · 6 pointsr/AdvancedRunning

I pretty heavily disagree with the other advice proffered. Yes, you can adapt your body to burn more fat and fewer carbohydrates in the marathon, but you will go slower by doing so. Carbohydrates are just going to give you more energy, flat out, and energy = speed at this distance.

Most ~faster~ marathoners will be taking in at least 400-500 calories during the race, and they are completing it in the low 2 hour timeframe. It's not unrealistic for someone in the 3 hour timeframe to take in 700 calories.

This book by Matt Fitzgerald is a great resource, he summarizes the point in a lot of articles online if you just search for "Matt Fitzgerald Marathon Nutrition"

u/dr-perkele · 5 pointsr/askscience

According to this book, yes:

Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain

Program website

Authors homepage

They tried it out in a school and it went from being below average to above average.

u/betaray · 5 pointsr/Nootropics

The book "Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain" includes a lot of research that describes benefits to morning exercise.

u/ArticSun · 5 pointsr/changemyview

>Of course, there is a delayed reward from books and TV- the book is in my mind forever, has given me new insight in the world, entertained me and made me think about things (if it's good).

Sorry, I don't think I explained myself well. When I mean delayed reward I mean that I can stay up all night watching It's always sunny, reading wealth poverty and politics, or playing Xbox. Because it isn't difficult I am always 100% enjoying, with working out you face a large lack of motivation to get to or stay at the gym and while you could play Xbox for 4 hours you wouldn't be able or want to be doing hill sprints for that long. Only once you finish your workout do you feel good about it. Same thing with a job or grades, working and studying suck but that promotion or A is awesome.

>There is no delayed reward from exercise- as soon as you stop doing it, you lose the benefits.

As for future benefits yeah tv shows books and documentaries are great for culture, conversation, and insight. As for working out, I mean there are countless studies about how working out benefits you in the long-run physically and mentally. Here is a book that goes into it

>But your "dedication, drive, passion" is for something that only benefits you, and you do for selfish reasons. Same as my leisure time activities.

Yes, I love to see progress in my body for sure this is a strong feedback mechanism, the same after you read a book and introduce new information to a friend. But, it doesn't just benefit me, it benefits everyone I interact with their is a noticeable change in personality between before and after I exercise or if I took a day or two off. It benefits me SO in regards to the physical relationship. I also feel a responsibility if society will absorb any health insurance costs.

u/anankastic · 5 pointsr/science

There's an entire book on this topic of exercise and the way it affects our brain: http://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113514/

It seems like we have a lot of pedantic individuals in this thread who like to trash-talk studies without even considering the possibility that they may have some merit.

u/august4th2026 · 5 pointsr/Anxiety

This is based on the information you have been cleared by a doctor that your heart function is normal. Exercise and anxiety have the same physical symptoms in terms of how your heart responds. That is why it scares you. Exercise feels like anxiety in your body but it isn't. In fact, exercise is the anti-anxiety. Reference a book by a neurologist who shows how exercise rewires your brain https://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113514

I have had GAD since I was 15. Years of cycling has taught me how my body feels under physical stress and it actually relives mental stress. I ride 8,000 miles a year, no panic attacks and no meds. I'm not saying exercise will eliminate all your anxiety but it won't hurt. Mindfulness meditation also helped me.

If you are healthy and according to your doctor you are, try exercising and when your panic hits, intellectually override your feelings and push onwards - you will find out nothing will happen and you will teach yourself how your body feels and feelings are not scary. Wear yourself out. Your anxiety will lessen when your exhaust yourself.

Research what exercise can do for anxiety and depression. The results are backed by numerous scientific studies.

u/spartandudehsld · 5 pointsr/todayilearned

Read Spark (here on Amazon). It really breaks down the awesome benefits of exercise on a vast array of mental benefits. It does discuss depression and it is more dependant on the person, but exercise and medication is a powerful combination which he works toward getting the patients to just exercise.

u/dgiz · 5 pointsr/running

Strongly agree.

It’s called New Rules of Marathon and Half Marathon Nutrition. https://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Marathon-Half-Marathon-Nutrition/dp/0738216453/ref=nodl_

Must read IMO.

u/zorkmids · 5 pointsr/running

In my opinion, the key is to focus on long, slow runs and to avoid overeating. Running at an easy pace allows your body to use fat for energy, whereas you rely more on glycogen stores (carbs) at higher intensities. The goal is to burn fat and not replace it, which is why it's important not to overeat. When you consume more calories than you need to recharge your glycogen stores, your body stores the excess as fat.

I highly recommend Fitzgerald's New Rules of Marathon Nutrition. He recommends eating high quality, satiating foods. Also, cut back on foods that have high caloric density, like fried food and sweets, since it's easy to consume too many calories when you eat these foods. Focus on "whole" carbs, like veggies, fruits, whole grains, and starches, and cut back on refined carbs like white flour, white rice, and sugars.

u/Debonaire_Death · 5 pointsr/Nootropics

While your brain is developing, at least until 23, I would recommend that you only use nutritional and aerobic supplementation to boost your own natural brain development. Phospholipids, cholinergics, omega-3's, ALCAR and other "memory enhancing" supplements are just giving your brain more of what it needs to make cell membranes and neurotransmitters to strengthen and propagate your neural connections, which makes for a smarter brain with more robust, plastic circuitry.

I got into nootropics when I was 23, but I had also been an alcoholic and taken ADHD drugs since I was in kindergarten, both of which interfere with brain development. I think this has made me a particularly high responder for someone my age (now 26) and I don't think I had much to lose from starting when I did. If you haven't experienced a neurally traumatizing event, however, I would recommend exercising every day (there's a great book that just came out about smarts and exercise) and eating everything your brain needs to make it the best it can be.

That's just common sense based off of what is known about all of this stuff. A lot of people can mess themselves up or waste a lot of money getting into and out of nootropics. We don't really know what it does to developing human minds, however.

I'm surprised studies haven't been done on this at some point, at least on a group of students aged 18 who could legally consent to such a study. I understand the ethical ramifications of giving this to children... but college students are going to do this stuff anyway. It would be great to get some data out of it and see if we should be saying "no no don't" instead of "we don't know."

u/peterb518 · 4 pointsr/education

Except for a correlation IS a relationship. Though I understand your need for research. I would recommend Spark by Dr. John Ratey and Brain Rules by John Medina. Here's a little web-based snippet of the Exercise chapter from Brain Rules.

u/Sherlockian_Holmes · 4 pointsr/Nootropics

I've just ordered the book Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain hoping to get some answers to exactly that question.

What exercise, how much and what benefits are shown? I was rather surprised the other day, when I saw that a meta-analysis about prescription stimulants and cognitive performance compared the enhancement from said stimulants (effect size: small) with exercise, and quoted this meta-analysis.

>e.g., physical exercise, the cognitive effects of which have been found to be similarly small; see Chang, Labban, Gapin, & Etnier, 2012, for a meta-analysis.

Full reference >[Chang, Y. K., Labban, J. D., Gapin, J. I., & Etnier, J. L. (2012). The effects of acute exercise on cognitive performance: A meta-analysis. Brain Research, 1453, 87–101]


I haven't had time to look it up and investigate it yet - but, I must say, it's rather disheartening if the effect size is "similarly small" for exercise. I honestly thought it had quite drastic effects on cognitive performance.

We'll see how (if it does) the book differs in contention.

----------

EDIT:

I grabbed some interesting meta-analyses' for you that may be of your interest:

> Roig, M., et al. (2013). "The effects of cardiovascular exercise on human memory: A review with meta-analysis." Neurosci Biobehav Rev 37(8): 1645-1666.

EXCERPT: "Data from 29 and 21 studies including acute and long-term cardiovascular interventions were retrieved. Meta-analyses revealed that acute exercise had moderate (SMD=0.26; 95% CI=0.03, 0.49; p=0.03; N=22) whereas long-term had small (SMD=0.15; 95% CI=0.02, 0.27; p=0.02; N=37) effects on short-term memory. In contrast, acute exercise showed moderate to large (SMD=0.52; 95% CI=0.28, 0.75; p<0.0001; N=20) whereas long-term exercise had insignificant effects (SMD=0.07; 95% CI=-0.13, 0.26; p=0.51; N=22) on long-term memory.... Strategically combined, acute and long-term interventions could maximize the benefits of cardiovascular exercise on memory."


>Verburgh, L., et al. (2013). "Physical exercise and executive functions in preadolescent children, adolescents and young adults: a meta-analysis." Br J Sports Med.

EXCERPT: "Results suggest that acute physical exercise enhances executive functioning. The number of studies on chronic physical exercise is limited and it should be investigated whether chronic physical exercise shows effects on executive functions comparable to acute physical exercise. This is highly relevant in preadolescent children and adolescents, given the importance of well-developed executive functions for daily life functioning and the current increase in sedentary behaviour in these age groups."

----------

A review article that may also be interesting to read called Reviewing on physical exercise and the cognitive function.

I haven't looked for a comparative study re: exercise vs. nutraceuticals/meditation - but that would definitely be interesting to see, so do tell if you find something relevant and share it!

u/slacksonslacks · 4 pointsr/running

Check out The New Rules for Marathon and Half Marathon Nutrition. It's a good source on dieting for people who don't need to diet. Basically, eat good foods (whole grains, brown rice, non-processed "real foods") and lots of carbs. Good luck!

u/visionquester · 4 pointsr/running

Here are some nutrition advice books that I copied from a post that /u/slacksonslacks posted a year ago.

u/Washie- · 4 pointsr/MMA

You forgot to plug her new and first ever book

u/abuaf · 4 pointsr/cringe
u/passwordisMAPS · 3 pointsr/AskReddit

It's not exactly fright-or-flight when you're sad.

I've learned that when we become sad it's really just our bodies trying to save as many resources as possible and waste little energy. You can imagine how sadness during hard times became an evolutionary advantage to our ancestors. Depression is a prolonged state of sadness. When people say to do various interesting activities and exercise to deal with sadness and depression, you can see them as good ways to jumpstart our brain out of the "resource saving" mode.

I'm not very good at explaining things so forgive me, I just read books. "Spark" would be a good read for things like this

u/sports__fan · 3 pointsr/AskReddit

> I think pretty much everyone underestimates what basic cardio does for your mind.

At least everyone who hasn't read this book

u/seasmucker · 3 pointsr/AskReddit

The same guy who wrote Driven to Distraction just wrote another book called Spark which is all about using exercise to control all sorts of mental issues, including ADD.


I like exercise for ADD myself. I think it helps a lot. I hated stimulant medications, and no longer take them. I also changed my life so that I no longer had to do too many things I didn't find interesting. I know that's hard to do, but I can use my hyperfocus to my benefit now.

u/XOmniverse · 3 pointsr/Fitness

Spark is a really good book on the health benefits of exercise for those who want to know more than the video offers.

u/ChinchillaxDOTcom · 3 pointsr/MyLittleSupportGroup

Just take it one day at a time. I know living away from home for the first time can be scary, but you've made it this far and you can do this!

It's natural to wonder if you've made the correct choice, but try to take comfort in following the choices you have made so far. Just follow through with those choices. Going to school is almost always the correct decision to do, and since you left to go to school you're on the right path.

Just focus on your education and learn as much as you can in your classes. Get help from the professors or Teaching Assistants. Your college may even have free therapists if you want to get specific help. Be aware of all the perks you get as a college student.

Over the next few weeks you'll be establishing new routines and habits as you adapt to this new environment. It's going to be new and uncomfortable at first, but you will get used to it. I recommend exercise as a habit because it can be as effective as medication for keeping stress under control.

I'd also suggest trying to make friends. It took me a long time in college before I finally found a friend or two I felt I could trust and be myself around, so I feel a little hypocritical giving this piece of advice. But having someone to talk to can be very helpful. Check out what clubs your school has, you're bound to find something that interests you. And if you go to any nerdy clubs (Sci-fi clubs, writing groups, anime clubs, video game clubs) you might be able to ask around and see if there are other Bronies around if those are the kinds of people you are looking for for friends.
You can also always call your parents, I'm sure they'd love to hear from you too as they are also dealing without having you around.

But don't sweat it, you can do this!

u/cayneabel · 3 pointsr/getdisciplined

Exercise. Helped my depression and anxiety better than anything else.

And not just a couple of miles a week. I mean intense exercise. (I prefer barbell training.)

Try taking up a martial art. The best type of physical activity for improving cognitive function is that which is both physically and mentally challenging.

I recommend skimming through this book:
http://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113514

u/mdgd · 3 pointsr/ADHD

Another parallel story here – law school, smart, lack of progress, etc.

Diagnosed with depression at 35. Once treatment had me somewhat stabilized, I started reading up on depression and mental health. (lifelong habit: must learn all the things. right now. unless required by school or job.)

Anyway, that eventually had me reading Spark by John Ratey (co-author of Driven to Distraction). I was reading for the chapter on depression, and found I related to it quite well. But then I skimmed through the rest, and got to the chapter on ADHD...and was stunned. It was so clearly me. Then started reading all the things on ADHD to make sure I wasn't out to lunch, and made an appointment to see my doc.

Doc talked to me for about 20 minutes, asked a whole bunch of questions, then sent me home with a questionnaire to complete and send back to him. Did that and went back for a follow-up, which was more questions. Ended with confirmation of what I'd known since the day I hit that chapter in Spark.

Now I'd say I'm doing okay – awareness and Adderall are both helping, but it's a long road. I'm confident my career (in particular) would have had a different trajectory if I'd been diagnosed years ago, but I'm still in an okay spot. I've also been able to see how my ADHD has affected me as a spouse and parent – and I'm trying to find ways to be better at both.

u/skacey · 3 pointsr/Ethics

Yes, very much so. Exercise has many many benefits for both your body and mind. There is an excellent book on these benefits called Spark that delves into some of the brain benefits and mood elevating effects of exercise.

Anecdotally I have found that many adventure sports enthusiasts believe in helping their fellow athletes as an ethical imperative. Many races emphasize this as a key aspect of the event.

  • The Tough Mudder Oath emphasizes teamwork over competitiveness, encouraging participants to put the needs of others over their own accomplishments.

  • The Ragnar Relay challenges teams of 12 to work together to run 200 miles. Far more than most amateur athletes can do on their own.

  • The GoRuck Challenge emphasizes that "It's not about you", forcing teams to work together towards a common goal.

    Each of these events are wildly popular and attract people from varying backgrounds.
u/thetheologicaleffect · 3 pointsr/ADHD

The two most common tips that I regularly see are Exercise and Meditation.

John Ratey says in Spark that 30 minutes of moderate exercise is best for women with ADHD (he recommends 15 minutes of intense exercise for men)

Meditation can help build up practices to help you build good practices. Dan Harris's new book would probably be a good start. I listened to 10% Happier and found it to be good. You can also listen to him on the 10% Happier Podcast.

That's at least for starters.

Give it some time for the medication to start working before trying much else. I use a couple of supplements through the advice I found on examine.com but I would recommend giving yourself a few months before speaking to your doctor before looking into supplements.

From there it depends on what you struggle with. There are a lot of things to try but just try a few at a time. I've tried doing everything at once and had it all crash down in front of me.

u/monkeybeast55 · 3 pointsr/stopsmoking

Science-wise, smoking is clearly damaging to the brain, and causes problems in the long run, whatever your self perception.

But it is both a stimulant, and a depressant... a form of medication. You have to learn to get the same effect without it. I recommend listening to music from India with headphones, and good English black tea, not over-steeped. And make sure you're developing your cardiovascular abilities... more oxygen to the brain.

https://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113514

u/cgull · 3 pointsr/running

If you feel you're running out of energy it might be just that, and you need to get your nutrition in check. A few people here have alluded to it, but are you fueling correctly for your long runs/in general? A healthy dose of carbs is important the day or two before a run longer than 2 hours (if you're regularly eating a normal amount of carbs your body generally stores enough to get through 2 hours of exercise...). During your runs are you taking gels or other supplements? For 2+ hour runs I take a gel 15 minutes before I go out, then every 45 minutes into the run.

Check out this book -- lots of things to try, particularly the fat load. I did this before my first marathon and the last 10k of the race for me were my fastest mile splits.... And beet juice.

edit* don't try anything new for the first time on race day as you have no idea how it will affect you. always try on a training run first

u/imgurfree · 3 pointsr/AdvancedRunning

Thanks for the reply. I actually already subscribe to that podcast but didn't see they covered IF, i'll give it a listen.

As far as the study goes, I wouldn't expect a huge direct benefit to racing. Matt Fitzgerald covers this a bit in his book and suggests that training fasted or on a high fat diet can improve your ability to access and burn fat on race day, but there is also a benefit to taking in carbs before running, giving you the energy to perform best during that workout. He suggests doing some fasted long runs, and some non-fasted long runs.

All that said, I think the benefits of IF are indirect coming from the weight loss on race day, not necessarily any potential peripheral benefits to running fasted.

u/scubadev · 3 pointsr/running

You're right, sorry for the missing citation!

It is from The New Rules of Marathon and Half-Marathon Nutrition: A Cutting-Edge Plan to Fuel Your Body Beyond "the Wall" by Matt Fitzgerald.

u/iogurt · 3 pointsr/GetMotivated

Good on you! I'm also starting again. Yesterday I started reading this book: https://www.amazon.ca/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain-ebook/dp/B000SFD21Q

I can only recommend it, the first few pages have already completely pulled me in.

u/D1rtrunn3r · 3 pointsr/AdvancedRunning

I started My Marathon and have a little bit of First Ladies of Running left. Haven't started Running with the Buffaloes yet - but that's high on the list to pick up once I finish those two.

My 'wish list' highlights right now include Duel in the Sun, Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, The Barefoot Sisters Appalacian Trail books Southbound and Walking Home, Swimming to Antartica, and Physiology really fascinates me even though I only understand a fraction of it so I kind of want to check out Running: Biomechanics and Exercise Physiology in Practice, 1e

I also have a couple of business related books (But those are boring. I just feel like I have to read them to stay relevant in some conversations.) I need to get through, as well as some good fiction reading in just to detox the brain. Haha. Archer has been taking precedence over that before bed lately though.

u/iraems · 2 pointsr/BrainTraining

Not exactly on brain training but "Spark" by John Ratey is interesting study on effects of exercise on the brain.

u/leoboiko · 2 pointsr/GetMotivated

Not just a matter of beauty. Physical well-being results in improved mental functions as well!

You don’t have to buy into sports or competitive gym culture to feed your brain some good hormones; there are plenty of enjoyable physical things for intellectual types to do, from hiking and backpacking to dance to traditional martial arts. Or just plain running like Murakami.

u/HoboViking · 2 pointsr/ADD

Consistent, scheduled exercise helps a lot.

Check out a book called "Spark":

http://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113506

u/DebentureThyme · 2 pointsr/science

I'm treated for anxiety, depression and ADHD. I've long noticed that the best periods of my life are directly correlated to being far more active.

I recently read a great book on the subject called Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain. I'd highly recommend it.

u/DiscordDuck · 2 pointsr/stopdrinking

Thanks for this post.

I just bought a treadmill this summer to help get back into regular exercise.

I read a book called Spark a couple of years ago which has some really cool info about what exercise does for the brain.

u/jankerator · 2 pointsr/ADHD

Ha! I was just about to do a very similar post.

Here's a list of things I've figured out over the years (I'm 43), in no particular order, natch. They're not all exactly steps or how to's, some are more things to regularly consider (actions eminate from thoughts).

  1. Make lists: I still do paper lists, but using things like evernote, onenote, and keep, are invaluable for capturing ideas and staying organized. Sometimes I don't even need the lists I make, just the act of writing it down or capturing it helps me chill out and refreshes what I need to get done. Or get at the store (crap, forgot catfood again).

  2. Calendar: Having a smartphone is such a huge help, put everything in there, appointments, birthdays, reminders. Practice remembering, and you won't always need it, but it's there if you do. I mean, garbage day is always friday for me, but why don't you guess how many times my phone has gone off Thursday night and I'm like, "oh yea".

  3. Take it easy on yourself: Beating yourself up about forgetting things or spacing out is waste of time, damaging, and flat-out holding you back. I'm not saying be all laissez-faire about it, but don't make your situation worse with a bunch of negativity. I mean, if it worked there wouldn't be any issues, would there? I don't know how many times I've torn myself apart for forgetting something, yet again. It took me a long time to realize that that emotional nonsense was actually making it harder to accomplish what I was trying to do. Be nice to yourself.

  4. Refocus: Every so often bring yourself back to the Here and Now, check the time, clear your mind, ask yourself "what am I thinking about" "what am I doing". This is one of the most useful things I've ever figured out how to do. Inner space is infinite and not always pleasant, if you'e got an active and vivid imagination it's not too hard to end up more than a couple dimensions over from reality. Developing the ability to slip out of the flow is a huge help for course corrections. It's not easy, but it's awesome. The benifits of mindfulness meditation are legion. Like while writing this post, I've snapped myself out of revery several times and gotten back to my paying job. See #3 above!

  5. Double, Triple check: When you hear or read something, ask yourself, did that stick? It might feel like the info landed, but did it? Repeat your understanding back to the person your talking to, or ask yourself what it was you just read. I do this all the time at work, after a conversation or meeting I'll quickly go over my understanding to make sure it's clear (often with the aid of notes). "So RTM has slipped another 2 weeks which puts it behind the hotfix. We need to drop our current pass and spin up hotfix testing." Or "Wait a sec, before I go all the way to the lab, do I remember what rack that was in?"

  6. Exercise: The benefits from 20 minutes of cardio every day are redonkulous. Check out Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain for the details, science, and some inspirational stories. It was written by phsychiatrist John J. Ratey, one of the authors of "Driven to Distraction'. Seriously, getting a run in for me is such good medicine, it clears the head, and destresses me. If I get off my ass and get a workout in first thing, I am on for the day.

  7. Nutrition: We all know this one. What you put in your body affects your chemistry. Not just what, but when as well. There's a lot of ADHD management programs out there that focus on nutrition, avoiding certian foods, increasing others, taking supplements. Stack the deck in your favor. If I don't keep myself fed and get too hungry (anyone else forget to eat?), I get pretty useless and cranky until I gnosh.

  8. Watch your manners: I don't know what else to say about this. "It's 11pm, should I really call my buddy?" "Oooh, I saw the movie they're talking about, should I go over what I thought of it?" "Why is this guy taking so long to get to his point, I get it. Should I tell him where he's going?" "I really really want to ask her a question, should I ask now?" Paying attention to manners can avoid and relive SOOO many issues. I've found asking and apologizing works very well. "Excuse me, sorry to bug you, but..." "I'm sorry to intrude, I had some questions, is this a good time?" "I'm sorry, I didn't catch what you just said." I've found that even if you are spacing out or barging in, if you own that fact and mention it, people really appreciate it. Like after I hear my name for the 3rd? time, "Yes! Sorry, I was really into that. Whats up?" Just imagine someone doing what you do, to you. Good god, it's worth it.

  9. Organize, Routine, schedule, Habit (structure): It's much easier to find things if there's a known place for them, and it's much easier to go about the day if it's already more or less planned out. Study at a certian time, do laundry on a certian day, keep the tools in a toolbox in a certian place. (Shower, pills, breakfast, shower, pills, breakfast, shower pills, breakfast) Build up useful habits, if you make things a habit, you don't need to remember. Put your keys in the same place everytime (my wallet and keys never leave my pocket, my phones in only a couple places). It's a bitch to get started, but don't give up and it'll stick. My wife is always losing her keys, coat, purse, glasses, and I'm like, "just put them in the same place", and she's like, "I'm not like you!" ORLY? :P "Maybe your not as bad but it just works for everyone". Try something, anything, because if you don't, it WILL just be chaos.

  10. Follow through: If you start something, finish it. If you say it, do it. Making myself follow through on projects I've started, but have lost interest in, has really tempered my tendancy to just jump in, and there's an extra sense of accomplishment when it's just done. I grew up in a very flakey family, my step-dad would leave me stranded for hours after basketball practice (this was in the late 80's noone had cell phones), or make grandiose, exciting plans only to completely flake or make excuses. So for me, being on time or meeting a commitment I made to someone comes pretty easily.
u/GlobbyDoodle · 2 pointsr/ADHD

Read Spark by John Ratey. He outlines exactly the issues that you are talking about.

It's true that it is harder to concentrate the day after exercising vigorously. Your body is tired! Try exercising more consistently, but less vigorously.

u/leaderxyz · 2 pointsr/Entrepreneur

Great health is definitely vital to performing well with your job. If you’re mentally and physically in great shape then high performance naturally follows. Look to perfect these foundations: Sleep, Diet, Exercise, Mental health and Productivity.

For sleep, make sure you’re getting around 8 hours of ideally uninterrupted sleep a day.

For diet, there are many great ones around, the ketogenic diet is very healthy and good for energy.

For exercise, read this book (it’s not mine). Perfect for enhancing performance through exercise: https://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113514/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1485969714&sr=8-2&keywords=spark

For mental health, a nutritious diet goes a long way. Mindful meditation for 20 minutes a day is life changing for a lot of people (research it if you don’t believe me). Also, personal improvement blogs and books have helped me a lot to cultivate a successful mindset, Steve Pavlina has a great blog.

For productivity, the reason I mention this is due to the fact we have limited energy and time each day. By maximizing our productivity we can most effectively use our limited daily resources. Shorter work days may actually lead to more work being done in the long run for example, 7 hours a day 5 days a week is my sweet spot but you may differ so do your research. Working long hours is admirable but in the long-term it can hurt your health and work, working smart is what you should aim for.

Hopefully this helps you out.

u/5http · 2 pointsr/ADHD

This book touches on some of the points mentioned in other comments, and illustrates the connection between morning exercise and better emotional and cognitive function. It's worth a read or listen if you do audio books!

u/odbjd6 · 2 pointsr/ADHD

I've always thought this was the best way to curb my ADD along with medicine and if anyone is interested there is an amazing book written by a physician about this subject! Helped me understand a lot: https://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113514

u/whatsahobby · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

I agree that of course you should do the type of exercise that you really enjoy. But in case you want more than that, the research that exists in this area and supports that idea that exercise can be a helpful treatment is mostly about aerobic exercise like walking/running/cycling. But that could just mean researchers haven't looked into strength training as much, not necessarily that it isn't as good.
Maybe more helpful is that research indicates that high levels of exercise (defined in the study as burning around 8 calories per pound over the course of multiple exercise sessions in a week) creates the largest decrease in depression symptoms. So I would say do whatever exercise you enjoy and mets your goals that gets you to that level.

Source is the book Spark: Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain
http://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113514

u/Melete777 · 2 pointsr/depressionregimens

Muscle tissue actually generates a lot of chemicals on its own, and a bunch of those chemicals are important for mood and sleep.

Great book on the subject:

https://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113514/ref=nodl_

u/JohnnyZampano · 2 pointsr/Meditation

I don't know of any books that combine the two, I kind of doubt there is.

The closet thing that comes to mind is: http://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113514/ref=sr_1_31?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1375234209&sr=1-31

I mean there are tons of books on meditation, and tons of books on yoga, but not about the two.

Yoga and insight meditation are pretty diverse activities. One trains the mind, the other the body and somewhat the mind. You can use meditation to strengthen your yoga practice by training your mind to be in the moment and focus more on the body. Yoga makes you more limber to be able to sit longer and perhaps focus more on the body in meditation.

I'll be interested to read any such books if someone does post them.

u/Blahblahblah2063 · 2 pointsr/todayilearned

Sounds like it induces psychosis.

Exercise has a number of positive effects on the brain and psychological health, would definitely recommend it after an experience like that.

Fx see spark

u/i_am_nk · 2 pointsr/Fitness

Exercise is a great tool to help in your battle against depression. I would ask that you read Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain as it will change the way you look at your own depression and treatments that you control, its $3.41 right now. With pills you get sort of a helpless feeling, that is, these pills will make me feel better it's out of my control. With exercise you are in control. You decide when you want to exercise and puts you back in the drivers seat. Along with the exercise comes better long term habits, from sleeping habits to nutritional habits.

u/subtextual · 2 pointsr/Neuropsychology

How about John Ratey's Spark?

u/MtnLsr · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

I've probably been in better-than-average shape for most of my adult life with just a few periods of falling off the wagon. My starting template was the lovely little book "Triathaloning for Ordinary Mortals" that I discovered while going to college back in the Pleistocene. If you ignore the 'triathlon' part (I had to quit running at 20yo, my knees kept blowing up) it's a pretty nifty set of simple guidelines: work out 3-6 days a week for at least 20 min at a time for a minimum total of 3-5 hours/week, don't take more than 2 days off in a row unless you're sick or injured or something, keep your heart rate up while you're doing it, mix up what you're doing and the intensity through the week/weeks, and keep building more time as you get time especially on your 'long day' (unless you're OK where you're at of course, then you can kinda cruise at that level). Everything is just tracked by time so any given week you can bike, run, hike, skate, ski, go to the gym, paddle a boat, do a workout video, shovel snow, whatever. It all counts so long as your heart rate is up.

If you take those guidelines + bolt in some resistance training at least 2x/week & sprinkle in some yoga when you get the chance, you've got a flexible system that can run for the rest of your life without getting bored. If you decide to get into a sport you can use the majority of your time to specialize with that, and if the seasons or your interest changes you can just float over to other activities. Recently I've decided to increase my weekly volume to 8+ hours/week to see where that will take me, but if I get tired of that or run into scheduling issues I can always ratchet it back down without quitting entirely.

This time of year the type of exercise I'm doing often depends on the weather. I'm aiming for a bunch of mountain bike hours primarily, but if the ol' man and I spy a prime opportunity to nab a hike or backpacking trip (often involving pack rafts & fishing because you can't ever combine The Dirtbag Arts too much), imma be on it in a hot second. :)

u/-Seattle- · 2 pointsr/running

I had the same question a while ago and searched this subreddit. I saw a recommendation for this book: The New Rules of Marathon and Half-Marathon Nutrition: A Cutting-Edge Plan to Fuel Your Body Beyond ""the Wall"". I highly recommend it. It really helps.

Having said that, here is what I do:

  • If I run under 60 minutes in the morning, I don't eat anything before it
  • If I run over 60 minutes, I eat a banana and a toast with any topping I feel like (honey, cream cheese, etc...) one hour before the run

    I also drink a double espresso first thing in the morning.
u/jon5isalive · 2 pointsr/running

Exactly. Eat the right foods and you'll both lose weight and make running gains. I recommend this book for diet plans. By Matt Fitzgerald.

In the book he describes a really simple way to choose your diet. Categorize foods in groups in this order: 1. Vegetables 2. Fruits 3. Nuts/seeds 4. Fish & Lean meats 5. Whole grains 6. Dairy 7. Refined grain 8. Fatty meats 9. Sweets 10. Fried Foods.

Basically all you need to do is eat more veggies than fruits, fruits than nuts/seeds, nuts/seeds than fish & lean meats and so on. Bias your diet toward the food groups on the top of the list and you'll be good to go.

u/Lizzymaree · 2 pointsr/firstmarathon

I don't know if there's an article version of it on the web. I used this book which is a pretty easy read. I bought it and feel like it's well worth the $10, but a quick google search shows that he's written a few articles that are available online. Here is a sort of quick-and-dirty version of what he recommends for the last 48 hours before a race.

u/The_Silent_F · 2 pointsr/running

Yup -- no problem. Here's an excerpt about it from a book about marathon nutrition (great read either way if you want to get into the nutrition aspect of running -- here's the amazon link).

It goes into the science and idea behind it a little bit... there's also a lot of stuff about it if you google. Anecdotally, when I ran my first full I did a 10 day fat load followed by 3 day carb load, and the last 10k split of my race was actually my fastest 10k split and I did not hit the wall at all, and I beat my goal time. (could totally have been a placebo, but a placebo is still powerful)

u/Simsim7 · 2 pointsr/AdvancedRunning

These books are very helpful: Racing Weight: How to Get Lean for Peak Performance and The New Rules of Marathon and Half-Marathon Nutrition.

From a personal point of view: Last year I dropped my weight from 96 kg (212 lbs) to 72 kg (159 lbs). This happened from mid January to the end of June. At this point I was training for my upcoming marathon in September.

I think it's best to lose weight in the early phases of a training program. Another thing to consider is when to eat. Personally I found that I could do most of my easy runs without eating beforehand. When I came back I would just eat what I had planned to eat before, instead of eating before + after. Also, I tracked everything religiously in MyFitnessPal for 8 months. I continued a bit after I reached my goal to be sure I knew what to eat to maintain my weight.

You can see my progress here.

I'm currently a bit heavier after being injured, not able to run, and still eating all the christmas food and cookies! But I started tracking in MyFitnessPal again this Monday. My plan is to be lighter than ever in about 2 months. My goal is around 68 kg (150 lbs). As of this morning, my weight is 76,5 kg (168,5 lbs). For reference, my height is 184 cm (6 feet 7⁄16 inch).

Last time I did this I had no problem with my quality workouts. But maybe I did them too slow compared to what I could have done. I'll have to be a bit more careful this time around, since I know my speed / what I am capable of now.

u/tylerthehun · 2 pointsr/IWantToLearn

Check out this guy. He has an interesting philosophy on stretching that seems to work pretty well. There are also some videos of his on Youtube you can watch for free where he explains a lot of his ideas and exercises.

u/enhanceyourdojo · 2 pointsr/martialarts
u/kmillns · 2 pointsr/triathlon

I like both of these:

http://phraktured.net/starting-stretching.html

http://www.amazon.com/Relax-into-Stretch-Flexibility-Mastering/dp/0938045288

along with band hamstring stretches, couch stretch, and squat to stand.

u/trgdr090 · 2 pointsr/cringe

Her book has garnered some stellar reviews on Amazon.

u/allergictoapples · 2 pointsr/Wishlist
u/caffeineTX · 2 pointsr/Fencing

You should talk to your coach about any conditioning work and my coach use to send us to an athletic trainer that knew what areas we needed to focus on for fencing and can determine where you need to concentrate on and give you a guide you in the right path.

There are some things your coach might not want you to work on building muscle on, my coach didn't want me to work on my arms as much because I had a heavy arm (not that he didn't want me to do workouts for it, he just didn't want me to build more muscle that would make my arm heavier). Same thing with my quads/hamstring they were huge so he wanted me to build more of my lower legs instead.

When I trained by myself I use to focus on lower body for explosiveness with footwork, hand strengthening to help prevent cramping, and core muscles for helping with form for building and other than that my conditioning was mostly concentrating on explosiveness and stamina.

I think there is a book out written by an athletic trainer that recommends workout regimens for fencers, I can't tell you if it is any good or not.

edit: here it is, it seems to not be very good and more of a general weight training introduction. maybe some coaches/fencers on here can comment on it.

u/amazon-converter-bot · 2 pointsr/FreeEBOOKS

Here are all the local Amazon links I could find:


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Beep bloop. I'm a bot to convert Amazon ebook links to local Amazon sites.
I currently look here: amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca, amazon.com.au, amazon.in, amazon.com.mx, amazon.de, amazon.it, amazon.es, amazon.com.br, amazon.nl, amazon.co.jp, amazon.fr, if you would like your local version of Amazon adding please contact my creator.

u/andordracon · 2 pointsr/running

You can find a lot of articels on runnersconnect or runnersworld. But the main argument is that all running (yes even 1 mile sprints) are mainly aerobic workouts. I think Matt Fritzgerals taks in his Book about I think 80 to 95 %. So thats means running relies on mostly carbs to full the muscles. After thats comes the protein for healing, recovery and building muscles. That amounts to rougly 60 % carbs, 20 % fat and 20 % protein for me. But you fat adept the body to a certain degree so it relies more on gat than carbs and that naturally shift the whole balance.

u/bigleslie · 1 pointr/pics
u/gasbrake · 1 pointr/AskReddit

Read this book (or download the audiobook off Audible), it explains in really interesting terms how exercise strengthens the reward center of the brain. In a nutshell, exercise, at first you might hate it (like your first beer) but eventually you "get it" and you realise how happy building your fitness level can make you.

http://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113506

u/afelgent · 1 pointr/science

For the science behind this, refer to Ratey's book, Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain

http://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113506/ref=sr_1_7/102-8445145-6505732?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1190180072&sr=1-7

u/phatPanda · 1 pointr/AskReddit

If you have a little down time, I seriously recommend that you (and everyone) reads a book called Spark by John Ratey. It's an excellent read about the neurobiology of exercise from a psychiatrist who largely looks at exercise and ADHD but extrapolates some of his theories with support from other researchers. Some very cool experiments, and definite food for thought.

u/johnptg · 1 pointr/INTP

No one can balance you out except you. All the answers you are looking for you have to find in yourself before you will be able to find them in someone else.

If you aren't already exercising, start there. I usually make this recommendation because it works for me. Read Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain if you need motivation.

I like to lift weights, swim, and run. I have done Martial Arts in the past but that is typically expensive and not a particularly good workout (unless it includes sparing). If you do these things regularly you will feel good. You will gain confidence. You will meet people.

If you really want to meet people join a team sport. Most of my closest friends I met through sports.

I think exercise and sports are some of the best ways to get myself out of my head and outside in the sunshine.

u/anomoly · 1 pointr/GetMotivated

I recently made the same decision. For ongoing motivation is highly recommend cecking out this book. Just listening to the audio version makes me want to lace up my shoes and head out

u/SAMSON_AITE · 1 pointr/loseit

You need to read this.

u/-Chinchillax- · 1 pointr/books

Stasiland: Stories from Behind the Berlin Wall tells the really interesting stories of people who lived in Communist East Berlin.

Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain is the greatest book about Mental Health ever. It tells how exercise is one of the key factors in effecting mental health.

u/minerva330 · 1 pointr/Fitness

This book provides a lot of information on the cognitive benefits of exercise. It is written by a science journalist who actually interviewed many of the scientist that conducted the studies he describes, it also very well cited. It covers a lot off different aspects but it should give you plenty to start.

You also might be interested in physiological response to imagined motor imagery.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15375347

u/pastanomics · 1 pointr/books

Free your tastes from the cage of other people's opinions and pretensions. Try young adult fiction like Harry Potter and trashy romance novels. Try anything by E.L. Doctorow. Or try some nonfiction. Anything by Carl Sagan, Richard Dawkins, Stephen Pinker...

http://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Fast-Slow-Daniel-Kahneman/dp/0374533555/ref=sr_1_12?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1394322770&sr=1-12&keywords=blink
http://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113514/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1394322814&sr=1-1&keywords=spark

u/XiaoShanA · 1 pointr/xxfitness

Hell to the Y to the E to the S. If past me had the opportunity to understand how I feel today and instantly transform my mind and body into what it is now by paying cash money, I would have shoveled my dollars over with a bulldozer.

I won't get into my issues, but they include a lifelong struggle with depression. Even though I am not on medication now, 90% of my days I wake up feeling pretty good. It used to be only 10% of my days I would feel better than "meh".

Biggest things for me were cutting out sugar and exercising. All that I have done has also come very cheaply. I started just cutting out sugary foods and cooking more. Eventually I ate keto. My fitness started with walking - just around my apartment at first, eventually around the neighborhood. Just from that, I lost a little over 10% of my weight, finally was able to have a regular sleep schedule, erased a lot of anxiety, and practically cured some nagging health conditions.

I think there is a lot of hype in the fitness, diet, and health industries that try to convince you that you need to spend a lot of money to be well, but so much can be done by yourself, at home. Just start small and keep adding good habits, and eventually you'll have a new lifestyle and a new mindset. And also, I think if you're not doing well physically or mentally, its can be better to add to your mindset and health than to add to your savings. If you're still able to at least save for the 401k, I think fixing your mental and physical health would be considered a good investment.

In the end, only you can decide what is best for you, but from my personal experience and what I've read on reddit of peoples' health transformations, I say hell yes to exercise.

I also recommend the book "Spark". It is in interesting examination of the science of exercise and mental health.

u/LocalAmazonBot · 1 pointr/Fitness

Here are some links for the product in the above comment for different countries:

Amazon Smile Link: Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain


|Country|Link|
|:-----------|:------------|
|UK|amazon.co.uk|
|Spain|amazon.es|
|France|amazon.fr|
|Germany|amazon.de|
|Japan|amazon.co.jp|
|Canada|amazon.ca|
|Italy|amazon.it|
|China|amazon.cn|




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u/duffstoic · 1 pointr/streamentry

I actually do have a recommendation. The method that worked the best for me in resolving my own anxiety and depression was something called Core Transformation (see the book by Connirae Andreas. (Full disclosure: I work for the author.) I found that practicing this method a few hundred times completely resolved my anxiety, and 90% resolved my depression, which is more than any method I tried previously. It's a very experiential method, not so much cognitive, and aligned with meditation practices. I consider CT to be metta on steroids.

If you prefer a more cognitive method, Feeling Good by David Burns is the classic text. I definitely recommend that one too, as it will give you insight into how you are participating in creating your anxiety and depression by how you think about things. Learned Optimism by Seligman is another good choice for cognitive work.

Regular exercise can also be useful. See Spark for the science of how that works.

u/lapropriu · 1 pointr/Fitness

Yes. There's an entire chapter on it in Spark: the revolutionary new science of exercise and the brain.

Anecdotally, individual experiences vary. There have been a few threads on this over at /r/xxfitness.

u/handsoffpenis · 1 pointr/NoFap

The running thing you are talking is real science

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0316113514/ref=cm_sw_su_dp

u/temporary_robot · 1 pointr/JordanPeterson

Exercise can cure the bad health caused by your drug and alcohol habit. It will give you a better sleep wake pattern. It will help you with self discipline and give you the resolve and energy to say no to drugs. Tired and sick-feeling people often have no self control. Exercise will alleviate most of your other health problems. Also, exercise literally makes you happy. it will make you smarter. This is well documented. If you want a book on the myriad benefits of exercise, check this out: https://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113514

Exercise is about a lot more than just your specific health problem. It will help you look and feel more attractive and help you to stand up straight with your shoulders back. As someone with scoliosis, I know standing up straight with your shoulders back is nontrivial. Notably, it’s very hard to do if your muscles are deforming you. You need a strong core to be able to look your best. And you don‘t get a strong core without exercise.

If you can join a gym you can meet people. When you have more confidence people want to be around you and you can have friends. And when people want to be around you some of them want to be around you. Sexually. You‘re at rock bottom. Working on even one of the six things will help you with all others.

You‘re looking for excuses. It’s good you know you don‘t have these six things. Now it‘s time to do something. If you do nothing it won’t fall on your lap. Not good health. Not friends. Not a meaningful hobby. Not a good job. Not romance. Nothing. And in ten years you’ll be making the same post and maybe then your parents will be dead or incapacitated and can no longer give you your stipend, so you’ll have less than you do now. You’ll be ten years older. With none of the potential you have now. People will not be as forgiving of your empty resume in 10 years.

You’ll be more cynical and nihilistic and depressed. You’ll look worse (sorry aging tends to do that. Especially if you don’t exercise. There’s a saying in my culture: In youth, beauty is a gift from god. In old age, beauty is a lifetime of discipline and wisdom.) and less attractive. The unhappiness of your life will be etched on your face. Ever wonder why some old people just look ANGRY? It’s not because they are in the moment. It’s because their face got stuck that way after a lifetime of frowning and scowling. Young children will run away from you. And your body will hurt more. Nothing will get better if you don’t act. It all gets worse.

And what would be the point of that? To make a post complaining then letting 10 years go by? You don‘t have to join a gym. You can work on any of these things, though I think it‘s the easiest thing to do right now. Everything flows from good looks, good health and a happy countenance.

u/josh2415 · 1 pointr/ADHD

The first thing I would recommend is watching all of these videos. They're dry..but necessary information.(Dr Russell A Barkley ADHD-The 30 Essential Ideas everyone needs to know) https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzBixSjmbc8eFl6UX5_wWGP8i0mAs-cvY


If you haven't already, learn to separate the science of actual ADHD and the general perceptions that are out there and won't die. The reality of it is, ADHD is purely a wiring/brain issues based in the genes. Medicine is the only established treatment that works (there should be things that supplement the meds, organizational stuff, support structures, diet and exercise). The videos talk about all of them. My Dr is an adhd specialist, everything he's told me falls right in line with this. The internet, and unfortunately a lot of general MD's that don't specialize give a lot of the bad information that is constantly out there. Another interesting book in regards to excercise is: http://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113514
The author cowrote a best selling ADHD book.

For the record, I'm not saying it's impossible to manage adhd without meds. Plenty of people do. However, I'm under the impression it has to be "light" adhd and the people have to be disciplined. Most genuine ADHD cases need the meds as a starting point.

u/MihalyOnLife · 1 pointr/bjj

agg get oot bnow while u stil can

[dontt ende upo like me halp] (https://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113514)

u/roland00 · 1 pointr/ADHD

You know there are two authors that cowrite the driven to distraction book series, a series that has been out since the early 1990s, and are they best selling ADHD books of all time and one of the things that made the general public take ADHD seriously. The two authors are Dr. Ned Hallowell and Dr. John Ratey, well Dr. John Ratey is a doctor who teaches as Harvard Medical School wrote a book in 2008 about a similar subject

  • Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain

  • https://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113514

    There are 10 chapters overall, an introduction and a conclusion and he focuses on 8 subjects in the Spark Exercise book. Learning, Stress, Anxiety, Depression, ADHD ^(Chapter 6 so the 5th subject out of 8), Addiction, Hormonal Changes and Balancing, Aging
u/PervertedStingrays · 1 pointr/NoFap

Do you take care of yourself, other than doing nofap.

Here is some tips, that have helped me.

  1. Eat a healthy diet. "Perfect health diet" is a good one. Also start looking into minerals and vitamins, they can have great combined with good nutrition.
    Socialanxietysupport.com has some good forumposts about vitamins/minerals that might be helpful:

    http://www.socialanxietysupport.com/forum/f11/is-manganese-the-solution-70691/#/topics/70691

    http://www.socialanxietysupport.com/forum/f11/selenium-implications-in-sas-97817/#/topics/97817

    Also look into iodine, magnesium and b vitamins...


  2. clean your room, make your bed every morning.
    https://youtu.be/jHIkjJV8DdM

    https://youtu.be/KgzLzbd-zT4

  3. walk, run, lift weight, HIIT workout. Read the book "Spark" , if want to know more about the way exercise helps depression, anxiety, stress, memory,willpower and more.
    https://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113514


  4. meditate, bioenergetics, yoga

    https://youtu.be/Pafdo1Pln5I


    There is alot of other things that will help you, but this is a good start.

    Good luck dude
u/tofu_cannibal · 1 pointr/running

OP, if you want to read about the link between running (well, exercising) and mental health there's a book called Spark by Harvard psychiatrist John Ratey that's actually pretty good, definitely motivates you to get up and start working out.

u/PotaToss · 1 pointr/Cubers

There's research that supports this:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316113514/

u/maineia · 1 pointr/AdvancedRunning

I would recommend trying everything - make sure you experiment with pre-run food and nutrition/hydration during your run. It's all very personal and you will need to find out what works best for you.

Personally - it takes a lot for my stomach to "practice" using gu. I like gu the best (right now) because I cannot chew shot blocks or gummys when I run. I try to eat a half a gu every 30-40 minutes while running (about every 4 miles). I need to drink water when I eat the gu but on most hot summer long runs I will train with a group that puts out water/gatorade every 3-4 miles for up to 20 mile runs. I had previously had problems stomaching gu during races so during my last training cycle I would force myself to "over" gu during training runs to try and get my stomach used to it. So basically if I was feeling good during a training run I'd just try to eat as much gu as I could possibly stomach. I also use training runs to get over my fear of pudding and gelatin-like snacks (the first few times of the season include some dry heaving)

If you want to go into some more detail I would recommend this book: http://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Marathon-Half-Marathon-Nutrition/dp/0738216453

u/Dont_Call_it_Dirt · 1 pointr/running

Your training will almost certainly improve with the addition of more carbs to your diet. The research shows that carb deficient runners are slower but don't feel slower. Check out the book: The New Rules of Marathon and Half-Marathon Nutrition: A Cutting-Edge Plan to Fuel Your Body Beyond ""the Wall"

This only matters if your goal is to race as fast as possible. If you're happy with your diet, stick with it.

u/dqontherun · 1 pointr/running

IMO, nutrition is just as important to "train" as your actual fitness. Eating four hours before the race is fine, but you may have to adjust and eat much more if you're going to leave that much time before the race before consuming more CHO.

I wouldn't worry as much about the electrolyte capsules, the bonk was from inadequate CHO during the race. You have to aim for a minimum of 30g/hour, but ideally 60-90g/hour if your stomach can handle it.

For gels I would try the new Maurten "gels" or carb drink. The gels are like nothing I've ever had before. The consistency is like Jell-O and they have a very neutral flavor. They are so much easier to consume than any other gel on the market since they all have the consistency of glue. The drink is also good if you normally carry fluids with you.

Anyway, I'm rambling, if you are serious about getting your nutrition straight, you should look into Matt Fitzgerald's book. It really helped me set a base of knowledge and then I tested out what worked best for me.

u/jperras · 1 pointr/Fitness

You gave absolutely no context, other than "was actually considered healthy" (with no indication by whom, as well). As a result, my comment was made with the context available to me.

Additionally, according to The New Rules of Marathon and Half Marathon Nutrition, ideal racing weight is the low end of the "healthy" range, which is 18.5 to 24.9. Now while this is clearly not a hard and fast rule, a BMI of 14.1 is significantly less than the lower bound offered in that text, and this is written for people who will put in a lot more than the ~1000km/year that you've indicated you run.

u/Forgetwhatitoldyou · 1 pointr/AdvancedRunning

I've heard of fat-loading for 3-10 days, followed by carb loading, for a race. Never heard of low-carb as a long-term training strategy. I use this book as my nutrition bible for running, and have not bonked since in a marathon, while improving my times by over 15 minutes.

u/CuedUp · 1 pointr/IWantToLearn

I really love Pavel Tsatsouline's Relax Into Stretch. Very effective.

u/blw121 · 1 pointr/Fitness
u/RahultheWaffle · 1 pointr/weightroom

I've been seeing a ton of EMG data cited from this book in other research, and I was wondering if anyone had seen an english translation of this book:

https://www.amazon.com/Fitness-Krafttraining-%C3%9Cbungen-Methoden-Gesundheit/dp/3499194813

Thanks!

u/2029 · 1 pointr/fitness30plus

Please read the book SPARK by John J. Ratey, MD. Specifically chapters 3-5, but the whole book is an excellent read. It will help you understand how exercise will help you with bouts of stress, anxiety and depression.

It might offer you some valuable insight as to what is going on in your brain. Good luck and keep with it!

u/random-answer · 1 pointr/IWantToLearn

Look into sites like Lynda or Udemy. You pay between 10 or 40 euro's depending on the quality of the course & it's worth it. Making a website with php, sql databases (+html & css) are relatively easy. Aps for mobile devices are i think more difficult you either need Java or C# for that. Those are powerfull object oriented languages that will provide you with a whole universe of possibility's for creativity once you have mastered them, the websites i mentioned have courses for that as wel. You probably will get frustrated along the way, i found it to be challenging stuff- just keep at it. You could also consider investigating things like (zen) meditation in order to become calmer and improve your patience and also figure out which foods are good for the health of your brain, and exercise. those all help. https://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain-ebook/dp/B000SFD21Q

After getting the courses it's all about the strength of your own motivation in order to grind through those courses in order to learn the skills.

Good luck !

u/taste_the_equation · 1 pointr/Documentaries

As difficult as it is to start, exercise can be an effective treatment for depression. Some studies have found that it is just as effective as medication in certain cases.

Give this a read sometime:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000SFD21Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_2nVNzbQW4K70R

u/chimpsky · 1 pointr/Drugs

All I do is be a magnificent student and human being. This book has helped me so much. Cuz I love STIMS. FUCK! I never knew drugs could be so awesome till I met stims.

Spark

It might seem like an advertisement but this book legitimately changed my perspective on a lot of things. Mostly stimulants, though. Yeah. Cuz stim addiction or stim..wanting?-- is a lot like ADHD.

Oh, shit, and uh, I realize my last post prolly didn't make it clear. I last took Adderall two weeks ago. Sometimes it's 6 months. Sometimes it's 2 months. Sometimes it's less... like, yeah, two weeks. I love adderall. My point was that I felt equal to what I felt on Addy or Vyvanse after 1.5 months of consistent exercise. Like, I legitimately felt as good as I felt on adderall 1 hour after exercising for the entire day... but the time that I felt that good on adderall was, like, 4 hours or something. I mean, I felt better than that for 1 hour, but then I felt worse than that for 2 hours (coming down).

u/unwinagainstable · 1 pointr/lonely

There are a lot of different directions you could go. Getting your drivers license I think would be a good place to start if that's something you want. It would help open up more opportunities for you. Have you ever tried to learn to drive? You could practice in an open parking lot with your mom.

Exercise is great for me when I get stuck in a rut. If you can do it first thing in the morning it really helps to get your day started out well. There are a lot of things you can do right in your room. Anything to elevate my heart rate is a big help for me. I like working out with kettlebells. You can also do jump rope or body weight exercises with minimal space/equipment. There's a great book called Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain that shows how beneficial exercise can be for you mentally.

As far as education there's the GED and for work everyone starts with no experience and gets a first job sometime. There are a lot of jobs you can do that don't require much social interaction. I worked fast food for a couple years and didn't work on the cash registers at all or interact with customers in any way.

You have a bunch of different options and opportunities. Pick one to start with and post again to let us know how you're doing or if you run into any difficulties so that we can help.

u/Conroy91 · 1 pointr/WTF

At first I was thinking this may be a joke, but upon further investigation there's an Entire Book on the subject. Also: Awkward Camel Toe.

u/elblanco · 1 pointr/cringe
u/FoxJitter · 0 pointsr/Fitness

I just finished Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John J. Ratey, MD. I thoroughly enjoyed it and learned quite a bit.

u/Nick315 · 0 pointsr/relationship_advice

And you could appeal to his sense of science or self improvement with this e-book, "Spark". "...beat stress, lift your mood, fight memory loss, sharpen your intellect, and function better than ever simply by elevating your heart rate and breaking a sweat? The evidence is incontrovertible: aerobic exercise physically remodels our brains for peak performance."
http://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113514

u/Apostrophe · 0 pointsr/JoeRogan

I think John Ratey would make a superb guest.

Rogan often encourages exercise and talks about the mental health benefits, but he struggles to articulate the actual scientific argument for the phenomenon. This man, Ratey, has written popular science books on the subject of exercise's effect on the brain and mental health - thus he would be a very good guest!

Everyone here should also be aware of his excellent book on the matter: Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain

u/whiteSkar · 0 pointsr/bodyweightfitness

Relax into Stretch

Stretching Scientifically


If I were to buy one book about stretching, which one do you recommend and for what reason? Main one I would like to look at is the isometric stretching for side splits.

u/Ceiwyn89 · 0 pointsr/de

Ich kopiere mich mal selbst:

Ich kann den Hype um diese Diät (Intervallfasten) auch nicht nachvollziehen. Gibt da wohl ein paar Studien zu, aber so richtig was über einen langen Zeitraum an Menschen findet sich wohl wenig. Gehört für mich in diesselbe Kategorie wie Low Carb, Low Fat, High Fat und so weiter.

Als jemand, der stark übergewichtig war und sich zurückgekämpft hat, braucht man eigentlich nur drei Dinge:

  1. Gesunde, ausgewogene Ernährung ohne Fertigfraß. Heißt: Regelmäßig frisch kochen, mind. 5x pro Woche sowie der Verzicht auf Kuchen, Schokolade, Chips und sonstigen Müll. Getrunken wird nur Wasser oder ungesüßter Tee.
  2. Regelmäßig Sport treiben. Manche schwören auf Cardio, andere wie ich auf Muskelaufbau. Im Schnitt mindestens 4x pro Woche. Und vergisst Fitnessstudios. Liegestütze, Klimmzüge und Kniebeugen sind viel effzienter und günstiger.
  3. Ein gemäßigtes tägliches Kaloriendefizit von 200-300 kcal, bei stark übergewichtigen Menschen bis zu 500.

    ​

    Und noch ein Tipp: Kauf dir diesen Buch und setze alles darin um und du WIRST Erfolg haben. War bei mir auch so. Du wirst zum Thema Abnehmen und Sport nichts besseres finden. Natürlich kannst du auch ohne Sport abnehmen, wird aber deutlich zäher und kniffliger. Aber klar: Die Workouts in dem Buch haben es in sich, auch auf Anfängerniveau.