Brain + Mental Health

2 Mind-Blowing Exercise Studies That Will Motivate You To Get Moving!

Written By: melissa Portillo January 23, 2019

In need of exercise motivation for your New Year’s resolutions?! This year I committed to taking fitness a step further via personal training sessions, so my non-athletic self can learn a thing or two. However, I’m the type of person who needs to know the science behind why I’m doing something in order to feel passionate about getting it done. I recently went over two highly motivating exercise studies on my Instagram stories, and wanted to share them here so you always have something to read when you’re feeling uninspired.

STUDY #1

Did you know that most of us overestimate the minimum effective does for exercise? Even if you have 10-15 minutes, you can still make incredible strength gains and feel amazing.

WHO: The study looked at 33 older adults (14 male and 19 female) with a mean age of 55 years.⁣
WHAT: The participants underwent brief (<15 minutes per exercise session) and infrequent (only 2×/week) exercise sessions at a high intensity of effort (6-repetition maximum to exhaust the muscles) on just 5 standard resistance machines in the gym.⁣
RESULTS: After 12 weeks for the men and 19 weeks for the women, significant strength increases were identified for all exercises. For a total time commitment of just 30 minutes a week(!), the participants showed outstanding strength gains, as much as 55% more than when they started.

STUDY #2

Every workout matters, and even one single workout can boost your metabolism for days.⁣

WHO: The study looked at specific neurons in mice (POMC) that are important for metabolism via regulating energy balance and blood glucose levels.⁣
WHAT: The researchers tested how much exercise was required to alter the activity of these neurons in a positive manner.⁣
RESULTS: They found that just a single bout of semi-intense exercise could boost POMC neurons for 2 full days, all while inhibiting counterpart neurons that have a negative effect on metabolism.

One workout matters more than you think for fat burning and blood sugar control. Movement matters always, whether it’s 10 minutes or a full hour. I hope this motivated you to get your workout on (and most importantly, do what you can – when you can!)

References:
<1> https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jsm/2014/731890/
<2> https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/12/181204143854.htm

Summary

Many people underestimate just how little time it takes to make meaningful progress with fitness, which often leads to all-or-nothing thinking and skipped workouts. However, research shows that high-effort strength training performed for as little as 15 minutes twice a week can lead to remarkable gains in strength—even up to 55%—with just 30 minutes of total weekly exercise. Additionally, a single moderate workout has been shown to activate metabolism-regulating neurons (POMC) for up to 48 hours, which helps regulate blood sugar and energy balance. This means short, consistent efforts can significantly boost strength, metabolism, and overall wellness—proving that every bit of movement cou...