30 Fast Fitness Facts

In our desperate search for toilet paper this week, who has time to read a blog? So here are some fast fitness facts that are for real, and free of hype.

A lack of exercise now causes as many deaths as smoking.
Reading a book can lower your stress and reduce the body’s cortisol production and other unhealthy stress hormones by 67%.
People who have strong relationships with family and friends are more likely to live longer.
Although bodies stop growing, noses and ears do not.
Listening to music while exercising can improve performance by 15%.
Writing things out by hand will help you remember them.
Moderate exercise for 3 hours or more a week can reduce your risk of heart disease by up to 65%.
Even at rest, muscle is three times more efficient at burning calories than fat.
Smelling rosemary may increase alertness and improve memory, so take a whiff before a test or important meeting.
Exercising increases the production of cells that are responsible for learning and memory.
BBQ sauce contains more sugar per 100g than chocolate sauce.
25% of the bones in your body are located in your feet! Each foot contains 26 bones, 33 joints, and over 100 muscles, ligaments and tendons.
Anticipation of things to come, such as a holiday, is great for your mental health. So always have something to look forward to.
Spending time outside in green space can reduce negative thoughts and boost self-esteem.
People who exercise weekly do not get sick as often as the average population.
Your skin is the largest organ in the body. It defends against disease and infection, regulates your temperature and aids in vitamin production.
Drinking alcohol can encourage your body to store fat. Alcohol is burned first as a fuel source before your body uses anything else, resulting in excess energy sources to be stored as fat.
The eye muscles are the most active in the body, moving more than 100,000 times a day.
The ‘core’ includes any muscles that attach to your ribs, spine and pelvis.
You can’t spot reduce weight - sit-ups alone won’t produce a six-pack!
Numerous studies find no evidence for Vitamin C (or other cold supplements) reducing/preventing colds and flu.
Your muscles and joints require water in order to stay energized, lubricated and healthy.
If you don’t exercise, muscle mass diminishes at the rate of 1% a year after the age of around 35.
Brushing teeth too soon after eating or drinking can soften the tooth enamel, especially if you’ve just been eating or drinking acidic foods.
Parents who exercise regularly are more likely to have children who exercise.
A human can sneeze at 160kms an hour!
Your gluteus maximus (bottom) is the largest muscle in your body – so keep it strong!
The average moderately active person walks approximately 7,500 steps a day, which is the lifetime equivalent of walking around the Earth five times.
When you lose weight, stored fat is broken down in your body and expelled through your lungs, sweat and urine.
People who train with a partner or group are more likely to achieve their fitness goals.