fitbody CARDIO BUZZ Trade Energy Snack-Attacks
for a Daily Dose of Exercise by Debra Melani
E
nergy is a hot commod-
ity today, with online ads and storefront posters for so- called energy products shout- ing, “Feel the rush,” “Revital- ize your mind,” and “Re-think the way you
re-energize.” People are reaching for these artificial jolts in record numbers, but many buzz-seekers don’t realize they have free access to a much better energy shot: exercise.
Experts across the board agree that we would be wise to trade in our lattes and high-calorie power bars for a regular lunch-hour walk, because of the
many happier returns exer- cise provides. One in
four Ameri- cans experi- ences energy- sapping
fatigue at any given time, according to Tim Puetz, Ph.D., of the National
Institutes of Health, who has published studies on the exercise-energy link. Although it’s a difficult response to measure, more than a dozen studies from institutions such as Duke Univer- sity and The University of North Caro- lina have shown that regular physical activity can reduce fatigue by about 40 percent, says Puetz.
“If exercise were a pill, it would be like the magic pill of all time,” remarks James Hill, Ph.D., executive director of the University of Colorado’s Anschutz Health and Wellness Center. Research suggests that exercise enhances nearly every system in the body, he says. “But you have to walk on that treadmill; you can’t just sit on it.”
Exercise burns calories, while en- ergy drinks and snacks add them. Plus, unlike caffeine and other stimulants, exercise improves sleep (as long as it’s not too close to bedtime), points out Patrick O’Connor, Ph.D., co-director of the Exercise Psychology Laboratory at the University of Georgia, and Puetz’s research partner. Periodic exercise can prevent people, often fatigued because of insufficient sleep, from falling into a vicious cycle.
“When I roll out of bed in the morning, I’m not reaching for a cup of coffee,” Puetz says. “I’m reaching for my sneakers. I do a morning run every day and the days I don’t get it in, I can feel the difference.”
A workout can boost mood, relieve stress, improve cognitive function and generate new connections in the brain, all promoting a sense of energy, Hill notes. Researchers believe that changes in the brain are the most likely reason
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