Meditation May Increase Gray Matter

Mind & Meditation

Meditation BrainPush-ups, crunches, gyms, personal trainers — people have many strategies for building bigger muscles and stronger bones.

But what can one do to build a bigger brain?

That’s the finding from a group of researchers at UCLA who used high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to scan the brains of people who meditate. In a study published in the journal NeuroImage and currently available online (by subscription), the researchers report that certain regions in the brains of long-term meditators were larger than in a similar control group.

Specifically, meditators showed significantly larger volumes of the hippocampus and areas within the orbito-frontal cortex, the thalamus and the inferior temporal gyrus — all regions known for regulating emotions.

“We know that people who consistently meditate have a singular ability to cultivate positive emotions, retain emotional stability and engage in mindful behavior,” said Eileen Luders, lead author and a postdoctoral research fellow at the UCLA Laboratory of Neuro Imaging. “The observed differences in brain anatomy might give us a clue why meditators have these exceptional abilities.” Read more…

Why You’re Not Lean Yet

Food & Nutrition | Motivation | Weight Loss

A couple years back, I released a rapid fat loss program – called the Get Shredded Diet.

Now, I’ve always made it clear who this type of diet is for. It’s for folks who area pretty lean already. So, if you’re closer to 20 or 30% body fat, it’s not for you at all. If you’re in this range,  your fat loss approach should start with The Precision Nutrition System.

Now, while the GSD is expressly for those already lean folks who want to get REALLY lean, the lessons learned from doing something like the GSD are absolutely universal. That’s why today’s update comes from Precision Nutrition Member, Canada K.

Canada K is a 37 year old guy, who, by day, is a chemical engineer and father of 3 boys. By night, however, he paints his face and turns into a bonified gym warrior. Read more…

Postworkout Vitamins: Help or Hindrance?

Food & Nutrition

Postworkout VitaminsWe all know exercise is good for you. If you have type II diabetes, exercise helps with insulin resistance — so much so that exercise seems to be better than metformin (the most used anti-diabetic drug).

But I have a question – why is exercise good for you?

Stress can be good for you

Most people forget that exercise is stress. I’m sure all of you who exercise regularly are well aware that exercise is stressful — at least it should be if you‘re doing it right.

I’m not talking about “you’ve been stuck in traffic for the last 3 hours on the way home from work” stressful or “watching your savings disappear in the stock market” stressful. (Sorry if I’m stressing you out by mentioning it.)

No, I’m talking about the type of stress that makes you feel better afterward — it could take a while but eventually, you feel better. Read more…

“Active” Recovery, a Good Opportunity for Mindfulness

Rest & Healing | Strength Training

After a hard workout, you might be dreading the soreness which will inevitably ensue over the next 24-48 hours. Your instinct could be to take the next day off from exercising altogether. Not so fast!

Active recovery allows you to keep the momentum in terms of your fitness AND can potentially decrease the lactic acid build-up that’s partially to blame for muscle soreness.

Instead of taking the day off, try following your high intensity training day with a low intensity workout. For example, if you did sprints on Saturday, you might just want to do an easy jog on Sunday.

In addition to the physical benefits, active recovery workouts are always a good opportunity for mindfulness practice. Jogging or cycling at an easy pace can often be a formula for distraction.  Rather than watching TV to pass the time on a cardio machine, why not venture outside and have a moment alone with nature?

When you are out on a trail run, you can focus on your breathing and your body awareness instead of just trying to get your workout over with. Be there for each step and feel your toes hitting the ground as you transition into your next stride.  It may be challenging at first to be alone with your thoughts, but over time you might find it’s much more rewarding. Read more…

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The Mindful Method: Meditation, Yoga, and Mindful Strength Training

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