Brain storm: Physical fitness for mental motivation

Getting physical is no longer just about your butt – it's also about your brain. The most cutting edge studies confirm that physical activity has a huge affect on our neurochemistry, or how our brain works. If you needed any more reasons to move your booty, then here's the best: getting active can decrease stress and anxiety while easing depression and lifting self-esteem. You don't even need to pop any pills!

Getting there may be a challenge but here's something to inspire your journey.

I want the proof!

It might be easy to say "Pfft, it probably won't make a difference." Here's the proof so you can lay off the pudding:

A bit of exercise can help with:

Stimulation of brain monoamines;
Stimulation of neurotrophins;
Neurogenesis in the hippocampus;
Decrease in brain atrophy;
Increased brain plasticity;
Increased blood flow throughout the brain;
Reduced inflammation; and
Increased availability and production of neurotransmitters.

And if complicated words get you going North of the border, then let's talk about the hippocampus.

Exercise and the hippocampus

The hippocampus is the brain centre for learning and memory, and it is strongly activated during exercise. Add a bit of running to this and your hippocampus will produce something called brain-derived growth factor (BDGF), which protects neurons (brain cells) and promotes their growth. So yes, our hippocampuses can help us to not be hippopotamuses.

The first couple of workouts are always the hardest. That's why so few people really change their life. Don't give up after two or three times. On the fourth time, you may find inspiration taking over. We guarantee, after more than four times you can make exercise part of your routine.

Reading books is just not enough to keep your mind in top shape and health is not just about one aspect of feeling good. So keeping your brain active is the best reason to get your bum moving.

Getting involved in any sport will immediately lift your spirits. If you love a laugh with your exercise, get some mates together to start a team. Make your routine work for you. You can even read while you're on the exercise bike. The freedom is yours and the choice is obvious.

Exercise and cognition: The rain in Spain falls mainly on your brain

Research into various types of dementia has shown than exercising your body has incredibly positive effects on brain function. Getting a little sweaty can mean recognising your grandchildren in several years time. And that's more inspiring than many other reasons.

You don't even need that much; a relatively small amount of physical activity, equivalent to either 4 hours of light exercise or 1.3 hours of vigorous activity per week, is associated with a lower incidence of dementia risk.

Exercise and depression: Check out of the Blue Hotel

Exercise has long been associated with improvements in depressive disorders and has been indicated as a treatment when performed regularly at moderate intensity.

This really does work. A bit of exercise has been scientifically shown to help in depressive disorders. How and why it works is still a bit of a mystery, but all we really need to know is that it does. It's not just us oldies that need a bit of a work out, either – our kids benefit incredibly from a little exercise. For teenagers it can help relieve some of that moodiness, and for younger children it can stimulate positivity, forming great habits in mind and body for the teen years to come.

Moulding your amazing melon

With all the media mania and social pressures about exercise and diet, it can be very easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. Thinking of overhauling one's life is overwhelming, so we're certainly not asking you to live off lettuce and lentils alone. Our brains are often left out of the dialogue when it comes to talking about exercise, even though they control our ability to be inspired. So even if you changed nothing else, a little exercise like walking in the mornings is a way to get the most out of that fabulous machine up top.