Just Thinking You Got a Workout Will Make You Fit

For those trying to get in shape this new year, I have some good news to make getting healthier a bit easier. It all starts in the mind--not the gym.

If your mind perceives a certain activity as a workout, such a cleaning the house, then you'll reap healthy results. However, if you don't see it as exercise, you won't be any healthier for it.

This finding is based on a 2007 study that found when hotel housekeepers were informed that their work routine offered enough exercise to meet the requirements for a healthy, active lifestyle, they actually lost two pounds in four weeks and lowered their blood pressure by almost 10 percent. Additionally, they were healthier in terms of their body mass index, waist-to-hip ration and body-fat percentage.

On the other hand, the housekeepers not informed that they were getting a workout through their daily routine did not reap the same health benefits.

Study researchers concluded that the mind plays a significant role in enhancing health.

Source: Association for Psychological Science

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