We Can Challenge Our Brains Or Our Bodies, But Not Both, Says Study

A recent article reports an experiment where subjects who were exposed to a challenging mental task were less motivated to exercise than colleagues who had not undertaken the stroop test.

This resonated with me and my ‘hotel lifestyle’; like many freelance business trainers, I’m often away from home for 2 or 3 nights at a time working on clients premises. A typical pattern is:

• arrive early to set up
• work hard during the day to ensure that every learner is engaged and challenged
• continue conversations during breaks and lunch
• break down room once everyone has left
• get back to hotel and face choice between, pool/gym or bar

This report suggests that one reason for my lack of enthusiasm for the gym could be the mental effort expended during the day.

I love it when the research confirms my preconceptions and justifies decisions I feel guilty about

You can read more about the research here: We Can Challenge Our Brains Or Our Bodies, But Not Both

cross-trainer image by sirwiseowl

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