Obesity Linked to Poor Math Skills in Children

We at Fit4Sale obviously believe in the importance of fitness, and that goes for all ages. Fitness not only impacts a person's physical well being, but it can affect mental capabilities as well. This can have particularly negative consequences for children still in school, which is why we were concerned with a recent research study from the University of Missouri.

A University of Missouri researcher reported that she found a link between childhood obesity and poor math skills. Sara Gable, an associate professor in the university's Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, followed more than 6,250 children from kindergarten through fifth grade. She found that children of both sexes who were considered obese in kindergarten performed poorly on math tests starting in first grade compared to their peers. Fewer gaps were seen in children who became obese at an older age. She concluded that poor math performance was partly connected to feelings of sadness, loneliness and other shortcoming in social skills. Sara Gable collaborated with researchers from the University of Vermont and the University of California, Los Angeles, and the study was published in the journal Child Development.

Most obese children have obese parents. The eating and exercise habits of parents are a strong influence on the behavior of young children from a very early age. By stetting up a home gym with with new or used fitness equipment, parents can help instill positive fitness habits that can keep them smart and healthy for the rest of their lives. It doesn't always matter what particular machine a family has in their home. Ellipticals, exercise bikes, rowing machines and treadmills all encourage healthy physical activity.

Using Music for Workout Motivation

Whether you work out on an elliptical, treadmill or rowing machine, things can get boring during the course of your 30 minute plus exercise routine. When things get boring we tend to quit, and when we quit we start to fail the fitness goals we've worked so hard to try and accomplish. The only thing more frustrating than toughing out a boring workout is knowing how good it would have felt if we actually finished it. There is really no need for a workout to be boring or frustrating, so we should use as many tools as possible to help us get through it.

Most corporate gyms now have televisions mounted above the cardio workout area so that patrons can watch television or movies while they workout in order to stem the boredom. This is great if you have a gym membership, but if you've decided to purchase a new or used exercise machine for your home, mounting a TV in the right position may not be a viable option. Thankfully, portable devices have become so cheap that listening to music or even watching a television show on small portable electronics is easy and affordable.

Choosing the right kind of music for a workout can be essential to staying motivated. Make a playlist of artists and songs that make you feel good and full of energy. Sad or atmospheric music works for some, but not everyone. Some people even like to fill their playlist with comedy or podcasts, even audio books. What you pick doesn't really matter as long as it keeps your legs pumping on the exercise bike.