[6'1 18M] My 100 lb weight loss journey

Progress pics: https://imgur.com/a/AO86VAq BMI: 40.3 (morbid obesity) -> 22.7 (normal)

Hey guys. I made one of these threads a few weeks ago, but today I finally hit the milestone that in the past I thought was absolutely unobtainable. Like actually impossible due to how lazy I thought I was. The fact that I'm making this thread is proof that you can do it too, because if this was possible for me, it is for you.

Almost my entire life I have been fat as hell. Maybe not when I was a little kid, but I started getting heavy around 6-7th grade. I love food and my mouth fucking vacuumed up ice cream, candy, chips, and other bullshit on a regular basis. I would rather eat an unhealthy option than a healthy one just off the basis that I assumed everything that wasn't junk food tasted like shit. My mom hated it and food/my weight became a pretty sensitive subject around the house. At a certain point in high school, I weighed 273 lbs, wore my dad's 42 waist khakis (which had to be hemmed to like a 42x30, because I hadn't grown yet, wtf), and had a BMI of 40.3. One year I had to go to my great grandfather's funeral wearing a pair of my dad's pastel pink chino pants because I literally couldn't even fit into one pair of khakis I had.

Last year, fast forward, I'm in my freshman year of college. I was still fat as hell the entire year, but ended up getting mononucleosis and missing close to a month of classes. Being sick caused me to lose 25 lbs, and despite my body being fucking ravaged by this virus, I noticed that I was receiving some compliments on my weight loss. I went through the rest of the year still eating like shit (pint of ice cream a night, etc) until I reached the summer, where on one morning I made the greatest decision of my life.

I woke up around 8 one morning this summer and woozily started watching some YouTube videos. Somehow, after a bit I ended up on the weight loss part of YouTube, and started watching the various transformations of people once morbidly obese. I looked at myself and realized, why the fuck can't I do this too? I went to the NYSC website, signed up for the monthly package, closed my laptop, and went to the gym.

Little did I know that would be the start to the greatest decision of my life. I developed a cardio routine at the gym, typically trying to burn 250-500 calories a day through treadmill and elliptical. Because I was working so hard at the gym, the last thing I wanted to do was completely waste my time by eating like shit. I became obsessed - never had I ever read the nutrition facts on a food in my life, tracked my calorie/carb intake, and even weighed myself at home (was too scared to see the number). I owe most of my progress to CICO - learning that all you need to do to lose weight is burn more that you intake made me realize that this didn't have to be so hard after all.

Today, as of November 14th, I weigh 172 lbs with a BMI of 22.7. I have lost 101 lbs and knocked almost 18 pts off my BMI, as well as went from a 42 inch waist to a 33 inch waist. I went from having to wear size XXL to being able to comfortably fit a Medium shirt size.

You can do this. It will be hard sometimes, but always know that no one can do this for you.

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A first on my weight loss journey

This week, I had to stay overnight in London for work. The hotel I was staying at had the most terrible room service menu (and I’m not brave enough to go out to eat alone) so I walked to a local supermarket and bought houmous, carrots, celery, olives, etc, and had hotel room tapas. Although it was the healthiest option I could find that didn’t need cooking or cutlery, it still took me over my CICO target. The next day, a colleague who is leaving invited me out to her farewell lunch at a pizza place. I stressed over the menu for ages before eventually just ordering a marguerita. I only ate half, but again, I went over my CICO limit for the day. I was so angry with myself for my lack of willpower, but then I thought about it some more and reminded myself that I’m in this for the long haul. I haven’t gone above my CICO target in three months; two days isn’t going to undo all my hard work. Life will always happen and it won’t always be possible to manage my calories as strictly as I’d like to. The important thing is that I chose relatively healthily and didn’t use it as an opportunity to binge eat. I just thought you guys would understand where I’m coming from.

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A noob question

Hello, first time poster. I started my weight loss journey just over a month ago and have lost just over 10 pounds. I am happy with my progress, but I’m noticing a lot of changes in my body and I’m wondering if it’s typical to notice so much change from just 10 pounds? For example, I notice I look slightly different and my clothes fit nicer but I also feel that my bones are more prominent if that makes sense? I can feel my ribcage again and my hips seem to be bonier as well as my wrists and calves. I’m not complaining by any means, just seems like a lot of change to notice for losing just 11% of my goal. (I have a 90 pound goal overall to lose). So basically what I’m wondering is if this is something other people experience as well or am I just over analyzing my body and noticing things I just haven’t before? Thank you for any personal experiences or insight you may provide, as I find this sub extremely informative and motivating :)

F/24/5’7 SW: 234 CW: 223 GW: 140

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Being lazy doesn't help me getting anywhere - and that annoys me

When I count my calories and plan healthy meals and push myself to be more active, I always lose some weight. When I'm just lazy and eat whatever I want, I gain all the weight back. WHY CAN'T IT BE THE OTHER WAY ROUND?!

No seriously, I have a huge problem with discipline and staying motivated. I always feel like my progress is too slow, no matter how hard I'm working on my weight loss, and I never had that "aahhh it finally paid off!" moment. I fall back into old habits way too easily.

What is your motivation? How did you overcome those annoying "I'll never see any progress, I might as well stay in bed" thoughts, if you had any?

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The ultimate resource on weight loss pills that actually work

As a health&fitness blog writer, I started trying to advertise some of my first pieces on some facebook groups because I thought everyone would read them and aw my gawd how lucky I'd be.

I joined a few of the most human-filled ones, and started checking what the people were talking about while also gloriously spamming them, and I honestly couldn't believe my eyes.

People were drinking and/or consuming countless "shortcut" products that were supposed to help them lose weight while intoxicating their bodies in the most idiotic and harmful ways. The one thing they wouldn't do was get out of bed, eat a salad, and maybe take a walk for 20 minutes a day.

They would prefer some sort of magically poisonous tea that was supposed to help them lose weight while doing nothing instead of actually altering some of the bad habits they built up over the years in order to lose weight.

One of those products was guava leaves tea. I never tried it, but the stories these people were telling - how they feel awful, are sweating the entire day, are vomiting and have diarrhea, but they're losing pounds so that's ok, touched me to the core.

I decided to research this topic of weight loss pills through (I'm not affiliated with them in any way) examine.com - if you haven't heard about this website, it's one of the most amazing websites I've had the honor to come across for anyone who takes supplements of any kind.

These guys compiled countless of studies into simple conclusions regarding one supplement or another - the ones that work and do a certain thing, and the ones that don't.

I decided to curate this website for the weight loss pills that actually worked and could help with weight loss while they're still healthy and worthy of consumption, and I realized one thing - most of the supplements that promise quick weight loss will harm your body in one way or another.

Supplements are supplements and should be seen as such - an extra mile for every 10 miles worth of dieting and (hopefully) exercise. A bonus that's aligned with the other efforts you're making towards weight loss, not the way towards it.

I found 35 weight loss pills studies have shown that are actually linked to weight loss using examine. There may be more than these, and what I'm writing isn't future-proof at all given the constantly-changing nature of science. But the evidence so far shows that these actually help in losing an extra pound or two per month while also keeping your body clean and bulletproof.

I won't go in-depth on each and every one of them, I'll just give the rate of increase in weight loss for those of which I could find it and a few words about them.

Here they are:

• Resveratrol: 3.2 extra pounds lost per month. Powerful anti-oxidant that shreds fat through an increase in thermogenesis.
• Capsaicin: The torturing element of hot peppers shows an 8% increase in weight loss, and it also works through thermogenesis. Best when taken 1 hour before exercise.
• Evodia Fruit: Effects are similar to Capsaicin, but it also reduces fat cell formation. The increase in weight loss rate is unknown, but there's one cool study about it - two groups of mice were given obesity-causing diets, and one of them was also supplemented with Evodia. The one with no supplementation had reached obesity, while the other lost 10% general mass and had 28% less perirenal fat (fat around the kidney)
• Garlic: Garlic is capable of softly increasing the secretion of noradrenaline while also being an overall wonder-supplement for body balance. You can find odorless softgels, which I find best for supplementation.
• Fish Oil: Isn't much of a weight loss pill per se, but it reduces stress and inflammation and therefore makes it easier to lose weight.
• Spirulina: 7% more weight loss was registered in the spirulina-supplementation group compared to the placebo group. Gym-goers should be aware of the fact that spirulina protein has shown better hypertrophy in some studies when compared to casein protein, so you might want to check into that.
• Yerba Mate: One Yerba Mate and one Placebo group were put onto a 12-week program, with the results of 150 cm³ shredded from the Yerba Mate group’s visceral fat while the Placebo group had an increase of 200 cm3
• Alpha-GPC: Most of the effects of Alpha-GPC are directed towards a better cognition and support a decent upgrade in performance. Although its great effects are not focused on fat burning, studies show it does promote fat burning 2 hours after consumption.
• Yohimbine: Works by increasing adrenaline levels in the body and lowering some regulation processes which usually suppress fat burning. 2% more fat was lost after 3 weeks.
• Eleutherococcus Senticosus: a.k.a Siberian Ginseng is an adaptogenic herb which has been shown to increase work capacity during physically intense activities by preserving your body's reserves. It also promotes fat oxidation.
• Ashwagandha: This one's called the "king of Ayurvedic medicine". Being an adaptogen, it will make it much easier for you to get going with your diet and stick to it. An "adaptogen" is what makes your body and mind adapt easier and with less stress to new things you get going in your life. 2% more weight was lost by the Ashwagandha group compared to placebo.
• 5-HTP: This one's also not specifically targeted towards fat loss, but it's the precursor to serotonin a.k.a the neurotransmitter involved in triggering positive emotions. Besides lowering appetite and therefore contributing to weight loss, the happy-state it brings also helps by making this path easier to go along.
• Black Cumin: Spice frequently used in traditional medicine. Although it doesn’t have strong effects, it has many beneficial ones which make it a good tool to spice your diet with. Among them, of course, it’s been proven to promote weight loss by reducing appetite.
• 7-Keto DHEA: 7-Keto DHEA was studied under a diet and exercise routine. The group taking 7-Keto DHEA lost 3 more 3kgs than those who didn't. Keep in mind that studies are not clear if this effect happens whether you diet and exercise or not. 2.88 extra kgs lost in comparison to the placebo group.
• Coleus Forskohlii: Herb traditionally used in Ayurvedic Medicine. It has shown promising effects as a fat burner and testosterone-booster. Its effects are most suited for men. 2.8% BMI reduction compared to placebo group.
• Eurycoma Longifolia Jack: Herb used as an aphrodisiac with pro-erectile and libido increasing effects. Although it’s mechanisms for fat loss are not completely known, progress has been noticed. It has also shown fantastic anti-estrogenic effects, putting itself forth as a top supplement for men.
• Grapefruit: is a tasty punch of active enzymes which promote fat burning by increasing metabolic rate. It has helped me throughout my weight loss journey and I must say, it’s a great supplement overall. Diet pills are usually called by its wonder compound name, Hesperidin. Over 2 weeks, 1.1kg more shredded through pills, 1.5kg through juice, 1.6kg through whole fruit.
• Gynostemma Pentaphyllum (Southern Ginseng): Works by raising the metabolic rate, making sure you destroy those calories (and hence, fat cells) faster than you normally would. Up to 8% more weight loss compared to placebo
• Pterostilbene: Kind of a better Resveratrol, with much better potency in most cases and better absorption. Having been only recently found, there are not many studies regarding it, yet the results look promising to say the least.
• Rose Hip: I cannot guarantee for this supplement, but it has some good benefits nonetheless, including an improvement in Skin Elasticity which helps if you have a lot of weight to shred and want to prevent loose skin. It's not thoroughly studied, but one study says that it'll increase weight loss with an extra kg per month.
• Caralluma Fimbriata: Its effects seem to appear only after around 1 month of supplementation. Although other benefits are unknown, it's a known-to-be great as an appetite suppressant.
• Caffeine: Some drink it out of love, some use it out of need. Nonetheless, this supplement has some great benefits to bring to the table, including thermogenesis (hence making you burn fat) and mental stimulation. Burns an extra 12-32 kcals/hour (So for 4 hours of an increased metabolism daily, that translates in 560 kcal per week), yet it only works if paired with a healthy diet and exercise program. 24 weeks of 200 mg supplementation brought no fat loss alone.
• Berberine: Seems to have anti-diabetic effects, while also promoting weight loss by reducing the development of fat cells and increasing their usage. Make sure you don't take these diet pills if you have diabetes, as they can mess up your blood sugar levels. 13% decrease in Body Mass Index
• L-Carnitine: It promotes usage of fat cells as an energy source, therefore being a great fat burn agent. ALCAR only works for those who have a deficiency in it.
• Green Tea Catechins: Specifically EGCG which is the most potent of the catechins. Amazing fat burner through thermogenesis and suppresses appetite as well. 5 more pounds lost in 90 days compared to placebo.
• Green Coffee Extract: Dr. Oz kinda exaggerated this one's effects, but it does provide a small increase in weight loss - 5 more pounds were lost over 12 weeks.
• Guarana: Has a higher content of caffeine than coffee beans and its properties are mainly derived from this. It has shown promising results as a fat loss agent, yet studies are still unclear if this is due to any special compounds or the caffeine itself.
• Yacon: Also known as the “diet potato” with the taste of a pear, is usually consumed as a syrup. Studies regarding it have shown some benefits towards intestinal health, with a slight appetite suppressing effect.
• Saffron: It seems to boost metabolism while also suppressing appetite. The downside is the way it plays with estrogen, potentially messing up both men and women. Wouldn't recommend you taking this supplement for long periods of time. Although estrogen is great for women, it seems to be linked to breast cancer when there's too much estrogen for too long. As always, play safely with every supplement you take.
• Melatonin: Supplementation is mainly used to improve the quality of sleep, but it brings great benefits including a slight reduction in BMI. This is most likely a side-effect caused by the better performance of the metabolism which is brought by a quality of sleep improvement. 0.2 BMI decrease compared to placebo.
• Cissus Quadrangularis: Cissus is mainly used by athletes for joint and bone health, but it's shown promise towards being a fat loss agent.
• Fucoxanthin: Promotes weight loss with a delay due to the need of a build-up inside the fat cells. Nonetheless, its results are quite promising and it might be a good supplement to add to your diet. 5 more kgs were lost over 16 weeks and an 11% decrease in liver fat was noted.
• Licorice: Chinese Medicine traditionally uses Licorice to treat digestive problems, while also increasing the quality of life. Supplementation has had great results towards weight loss, yet it does bring its downsides. Make sure you don't abuse this supplement, doing so has led to death. 10% reduction in body fat noted after 2 months.
• Leptin, Ghrelin, Adiponectin: Now, this is more of an honorable mention but it does deliver very well. I've had a leap of faith towards it and decided to buy this product and was quite amazed at the results. I usually pumped my leptin up through weekly cheat meals and while they did help, they would also damage my Calories In/Calories Out ratio, therefore one or two days of the week would end up unproductive. It's a product by Douglas laboratories I found on Amazon.
• Turmeric: In a nutshell, Turmeric is an anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant supplement that provides you with an nourishment to your body. It brings better body balance and therefore, fewer cravings and more of an easy journey towards fat loss.

And there you have it!

I'm not calling this "the ultimate resource on weight loss pills" because I'm a self-absorbed prick, I do so because I couldn't find any other resource that offers as much detail as I did in the 20 days I spent on the subject.

I tried to keep it as short and sweet as possible for each of the supplements, and I hopefully managed to. If you'd like to find out more about each of them, such as their other benefits, toxicity levels(although not many have them), how to take them and the products I would recommend, you can find the 8000-words post here: https://underloot.com/ultimate-resource-weight-loss-pills-that-actually-work/

Disclaimer: It contains affiliate links towards Amazon for each of the products.

Hope I could change a few minds on the matter. Wish you all the best on your journey, or congrats if you got there already!

​

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15 Healthy Side Dishes Perfect for Turkey Day

Holidays that are centered around food, such as Thanksgiving, can feel like a roadblock to your healthy lifestyle. But they don’t have to be! There are so many healthy Thanksgiving side dishes that are also incredibly delicious. You won’t even feel like you’re missing out in any way.

We recently shared a list of 21 Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes on The Leaf, but that’s not the end to the possibilities. Thanksgiving side dishes are a chance to showoff your creativity in enhancing an already delicious meal, and we’ve got you covered in ensuring those creative sides keep you on track with your weight loss!

Here are 15 more Thanksgiving side dishes that you can whip up and serve with your Turkey Day meal:

 1. Fall Spinach Salad with Apple Vinaigrette >

From crunchy apples, to crisp leaves of spinach and even creamy goat cheese, this healthy fall salad has so many delicious flavors it will fully satisfy you. Another great part about this salad? It’s also super healthy. With fiber-rich apples and vitamin-packed spinach, it’s full of good nutrition and perfect to add to your tasty turkey meal.

2. Roasted Rosemary Beets and Carrots >

Nothing makes veggies more delicious than roasting them in olive oil. In this recipe, which combines roasted beets and carrots with tangy red onion, fresh rosemary really ups the ante when it comes to flavor. And with this healthy side dish, you’ll get a big helping of vitamin C on top of all of that bursting flavor.

3. Farro Roasted Vegetable Salad >

In addition to carrots and beets, this salad adds two more superfoods to the lineup—brussels sprouts and kale, both of which are a great source of fiber and can help aid in digestion. Tossed with farro, an ancient whole grain, and drizzled with a healthy homemade vinaigrette, this vegetable salad makes a delicious Thanksgiving side.

4. Carrot Muffins with Raisins and Cinnamon >

 

Pass on the white rolls or biscuits and instead opt for these hearty carrot raisin muffins as your side of bread. Made with healthy ingredients like whole wheat flour, nonfat Greek yogurt, unsweetened applesauce, and of course, carrots and raisins, these muffins are a baked good you can feel good about!

5. Black Bean Quinoa Pumpkin Soup >

There’s nothing quite like a hearty bowl of soup to fill you up and leave you feeling satisfied—and this soup will not disappoint. With healthy and filling ingredients like pumpkin, carrots, quinoa, black beans and kale, this soup is a great choice to kick off your meal. And if you fill up on this healthy soup, you’ll be less inclined to reach for other less-healthy sides.

6. Cauliflower Sweet Potato Soup >

With sweet potatoes and cauliflower at the heart of this dish, you’re making a nutritious choice by starting your meal off with this fall soup. It’s packed with flavor without being packed with a ton of fat and calories. And because cauliflower and sweet potatoes provide high levels of vitamins and minerals, you can feel good that you’re getting lots of excellent nutritional benefits as well.

7. Italian Chicken and Fall Veggie Soup >

This soup combines yummy fall veggies with Italian seasonings and fresh chicken breast for a flavorful side dish that is a great way to kick off your Thanksgiving meal. With carrots, butternut squash, turnips, and kale, grab a hearty bowl of this soup and you’ll fill up on nutritional goodness before you even have the chance to eat anything else. And because it’s so flavorful and delicious, you won’t feel the least bit cheated by filling up on soup.

8. Air Fryer Apple Chips >

Besides pumpkins, nothing screams “fall” like apple dishes. Of course, many times apples are prepared in a way that their health benefits are overshadowed by so much added sugar. But not in this recipe! The only ingredients in this delicious side dish are apples, cinnamon and nutmeg. Once they are air fried and crisped, these chips taste like dessert—but without any guilt.

9. Roasted Balsamic Fig and Brussels Sprouts >

Figs, which are high in fiber and a good source of several essential minerals, haven’t always gotten the credit they deserve. Their honey-like taste is sweet and combines deliciously with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and Brussels sprouts in this tasty side. With Brussels sprouts being so rich in a variety of valuable nutrients, this dish is undoubtedly a nutritional powerhouse.

10. Pumpkin Cranberry Crackers >

Another excellent alternative to the traditional bread basket are these homemade crackers that are easy to bake and full of flavor. Using whole wheat flour, along with the flavors of pureed pumpkin and dried cranberries, these crisps make a great substitute to white dinner rolls or biscuits.

11. Mashed Potato Pancakes >

Traditional mashed potatoes are often a Thanksgiving staple. But when prepared with butter and whole milk—as they typically are—they’re not exactly a healthy side. Our mashed potato pancakes, however, are made using a package of Nutrisystem Loaded Potatoes and egg whites—as well as the added flavors of baby spinach, chives, garlic, and pepper. Even though they lack all of the extra calories and fat of traditional mashed potatoes, they don’t lack any flavor.

12. Simple Pumpkin Soup >

Pumpkin recipes are the quintessential choice of the Thanksgiving table, but many traditional dishes have a lot of unhealthy ingredients added in. That’s not the case for this simple soup which uses a healthy, low-calorie base of broth and non-fat milk and adds in delicious pumpkin puree and a variety of seasonings. It’s a cozy fall soup that will leave you feeling full and satisfied.

13. Cinnamon Streusel Muffins >

This soft and delicious muffin has ingredients like applesauce, cinnamon and rolled oats. It would make a nice healthy bread basket option. You might even choose to opt for one of these wholesome muffins in place of a slice of pie at dessert.

14. Savory Mediterranean Muffins >

If you’re looking for a filling side that is easy to make, look no further than these vegetable-stuffed muffins. Packed with baby spinach, sundried tomatoes, and onions, and flavored with Italian seasoning, these savory muffins deliver a ton of taste. They would make a filling side and a healthy addition to Turkey Day.

15. Crab Stuffed Cucumber Cups >

Looking to try something totally different for a Thanksgiving side? These crab-stuffed cucumber cups are incredibly easy to make and with 17 grams of protein and just 150 calories, they also won’t do any damage to your diet. These cups would make an excellent appetizer to kick off your Thanksgiving meal. And when you fill up on the healthy options, you leave less room for the diet traps.

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6 Reasons to Crank Up the Tunes Today

Whether we’re sweating to the oldies, hooked via earbuds to a favorite pop star, or coming down from a tough day with a dose of classical music or soft jazz, most of us are using music as therapy for all kinds of reasons. And in doing so, we’re being pretty smart. That’s right, as it turns out. music is good for your health. An increasing number of studies suggest that it can be the prescription for everything from depression to pain to sticking to an exercise program.

Many of those studies focus on music therapy, a research-based health discipline whose practitioners undergo more than 1000 hours of clinical training. Music therapists, for example, worked with Congresswoman Gabby Giffords to help her regain her ability to speak after she survived a bullet wound to her brain.

Other studies simply look at the effects of music—and certain genres of music—on physical response, such as heart rate, blood pressure and blood levels of stress hormones or immune system markers. Those suggest that for many people, music therapy can be very effective as a do-it-yourself practice.

Here are a few reasons you may want to strike up the band:

1. It improves your mood.
In one study with a group of older people in Singapore, those who listened to music of their own choosing for 30 minutes a week for eight weeks had lower levels of depression than those who didn’t listen to music. In fact, the music group’s depression fell steadily every week. What may be at work, say experts: Music can evoke an emotional response in parts of the brain that control feelings and sensations so it may help you find your “high notes” again.

How to Banish a Bad Mood

Read More

2. It may make you healthier.
Music producer-turned-neuroscientist Daniel Levitin, PhD, author of This is Your Brain on Music, and his colleagues at Canada’s McGill University looked at more than 400 studies on the effects of music on health. They found that listening to music boosts an immune system chemical that supports the cells that protect you against bacteria and viruses.

3. It helps reduce stress and anxiety.
When you’re stressed out, your body produces a hormone called cortisol which can be measured by a simple blood or saliva test. Those tests are what researchers used to find out whether music could lower stress levels in several recent studies. Some also looked at heart rate and blood pressure, which can soar when you’re stressed and anxious. For example, in one study of 60 people, listening to Mozart, Strauss or ABBA lowered cortisol levels equally, though only the Mozart and Strauss classical tunes lowered both heart rate and blood pressure. Another review of more than 30 studies conducted by Joke Bradt of Drexel University found patients with cancer who listened to music or worked with a music therapist reported less anxiety. (You may want to listen to stress-relieving music with your dog. A recent study found that dogs stressed out by being in an animal rescue kennel calmed down when listening to Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons.”)

4. It can give you pleasure.
In fact, a 2011 McGill University study found that listening to thrilling music releases the brain messenger dopamine, which is involved in the brain’s reward system. It’s the same chemical that’s triggered when you eat, take certain drugs, or have sex and experience feelings of intense pleasure.

7 Habits of Happy People

Read More

5. It may reduce pain.
The pleasurable feelings you experience when you’re listening to music may actually interfere in the transmission of pain signals, again because of the brain chemical dopamine. In one study, researchers asked participants to listen to excerpts of different music, some judged to be pleasant, some, unpleasant. The people who listed to the pleasant music—in this case, “The Blue Danube Waltz” by Strauss—reported less pain than people who listened to “unpleasant” music (in this instance, a modern classical piece called “Pendulum.” The more pleasant the participants rated the music, the less pain they felt. It’s also important to get lost in the music, found a study at the University of Utah’s Pain Research Center. People who were really engaged in listening to music—they were asked to pay attention for musical errors—felt less pain that people who were just passively listening, even though they were all receiving small electric shocks!

6. You’ll stick to your exercise program—and maybe even ramp it up.
Along with drugs, distance runners in championship races or ones that involve awards or money aren’t permitted to listen to music when they’re competing, says USA Track & Field, the governing body for distance runners. Why? Runners who listen to music have “a competitive edge,” they say. In fact, one researcher in the field says that music is a “type of legal, performance-enhancing drug.” Several studies, looking at a variety of exercise programs from walking to cycling, found that the faster the tempo (genre didn’t matter–one study even used polkas!), the more “oomph” people put into their workout. They were responding to synchronization—moving to the beat of the music. Other studies have found that people are more likely to keep moving through fatigue when they have some musical accompaniment. It seems that your brain can’t focus on music and the signs of exertion that say, “I need a break” at the same time.

The post 6 Reasons to Crank Up the Tunes Today appeared first on The Leaf.

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