Workout Warning For Those Who Read While They Exercise.
Okay, time to ‘fess up.
Do you read while you exercise ?
Cause if you do, what you read while you’re walking the treadmill or riding the bike can have an impact on how you feel at the end of the exercise session.
According to new research, reading fitness magazines is not the best choice. Better to stick to National Geographic or House and Garden. Images of superfit people with sculpted arms and six-pack abs will only leave you feeling depressed, anxious, and in a lower mood after exercise that you were before starting.
Course, if you’re uncoordinated like me, this isn’t even an issue cause reading while exercising will only end up in disaster. The post-exercise mood won’t be the issue. Sprains and broken bones would be the more likely outcome…
(source)
If you haven’t done it yet, try some audiobooks or podcasts. A few hours a week may not sound like much but you can get through some great books like this and keeps me entertained and informed while running or working out. When I get into a really good book, I look for opportunities to work out just to find out what happens next and at the end of the run, I feel physically and mentally refreshed.
Great idea, Adrian. I also listen to inspirational audios.
How good of a cardio workout can you really get while reading??? Ive never been a fan of trying to read while working out. It just doesnt lend well to getting a great hardcore workout in…
-Justin
Hi Adrian, thanks for the tip. Audio books and podcasts are a great idea, as are televisions attached to the front of the treadmill. Much less dangerous than reading if you ask me.
Justin, another good point. You should focus on the task at hand – that is, exercise…
Reading while on an exercise bike can help you get over the high wall of boredom that you’re faced with when trying to ignore the fact that the seat is really uncomfortable… basically it’s an escape for people who really don’t want to be doing what they’re doing.
I tried reading a magazine while on an elliptical once, and when I got off, I felt like I was carsick. I did get a good work out (actually, I went far and away over my personal best that time), but I spent the next six hours being miserable. I don’t know if it had to do with the reading, or that I did more than I could handle, but I felt bad enough to deter me from reading in the future.
Plus I am a terrible klutz. I’m surprised I didn’t fall off.
Merry, so true. After all, who wants to focus on exercise… only problems is that if I don’t focus and try and read, I’m likely to end up falling off….
Fooled, sounds like reading and exercise definitely not a good combination for you. But at least you didn’t fall off…