How Little You Can Work Out And Still Survive
This week, science tells us that your body is basically a really demanding houseplant that needs regular wiggling to thrive. From boosting brain power to taming blood pressure and skipping out on drinks, here's what the lab coats have discovered about our need to move:
Exercise: Your New Drinking Buddy (But Make It Healthy)
Exercise isn't just good for your Instagram story—it's actually helping people manage alcohol use disorder (AUD). After studying nearly 2,000 participants across 17 trials, researchers found that everything from jogging to yoga was making a difference. Finally, a healthy relationship with exercise that doesn't start with hangover guilt.
The findings were pretty straightforward: people drank less (turns out burpees are more effective than willpower), physical fitness improved (surprise, surprise), and mental health got better (because endorphins are nature's happy hour). Maybe those morning-after workouts weren't punishment after all—they were your body's way of saying "let's work this out.
Blood Pressure's Secret Nemesis: Actually Moving
The ProPASS consortium strapped accelerometers to 14,000 thighs (for science) and discovered that your blood pressure really, really wants you to get up occasionally.
Just 5 minutes of vigorous activity lowers blood pressure more than your aunt's essential oils, and trading 20-27 minutes of couch time for movement showed meaningful improvements. Standing desks might help you in other ways, but your cardiovascular system isn't impressed. Think of your blood pressure like a demanding pet—it needs regular walks, and no, walking to the fridge doesn't count.
Weekend Warriors: Vindication for the Time-Crunched
Good news for the "I'll do it all Saturday" crowd: cramming your exercise into weekend sessions might be just as good as spreading it out. A study of 10,000 people found that weekend warriors were keeping their brains as sharp as the daily exercisers.
Both groups showed lower rates of mild dementia (14% vs 26% in couch enthusiasts), with weekend warriors actually showing a bigger risk reduction than regular exercisers (25% vs 11%).
Apparently, your brain doesn't care when you exercise, as long as you do it. Your procrastination has been validated by science—those epic weekend sessions are actually working, so embrace your time-management skills (or lack thereof).
Move It or Lose It (But No Pressure)
This week's research confirms what we've suspected: movement is medicine, and unlike actual medicine, it's free and doesn't require a prescription. Whether you're a daily devotee or a weekend warrior, your body's just happy you showed up.
Not sure where to start? The bar is surprisingly low—just higher than your couch. Begin with small changes that fit your life, like taking the stairs instead of the elevator (unless you're above floor 10, we're not martyrs here). Your best buddy to show you where to start is going to be the ones who know most! Our certified personal trainers. But you knew I was going to say that, didn't you. 😉
We love to see you wiggle,
Your West Coast Fitness Family
PS: Thanksgiving hours are from 5am to Noon. Work up an appetite with us!
PPS: Check out the Candlelight Breathwork and Sound Healing Meditation classes Saturdays at 6:30 in the Hot Studio! Now through Dec 14!
