“Lots of people hit the gym to shed unwanted pounds, but they don’t always see results on the scale. This week, we tackle the power of exercise and why you should bother. We speak with obesity expert Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, psychiatrist Dr. Gary Cooney, neuroscientist Prof. Wendy Suzuki and urologist Dr. Stacey Kenfield.”
This half hour podcast is the perfect way to pique your interest in the world of movement, by focusing simply on exercise. It’s something that almost everyone does, typically for one (very societally-based) reason: to lose weight. Host and producer Wendy Zukerman interviews various experts in the field of exercise and (spoiler alert) comes to the conclusion that it really isn’t all that effective when it comes to shedding pounds. But that doesn’t mean it’s a waste of our time. Exercise has tons of benefits off the scale that can make a significant difference in our health, our happiness, and even our life span.
One major section of the podcast focuses on exercise’s interaction with depression. The host talks to a psychologist who looked at a special type of really strong research review called a Cochrane review that examined six different studies. In all of the studies, there was minimal statistical difference in depression between participants who exercised versus those who didn’t. To my surprise, and in accordance with this Cochrane review, the experts claim that exercise doesn’t have that much of a proven effect on the health of our minds. Especially after all of the research I’ve done regarding mental health and how it is affected by the movement of our bodies, this conclusion was unexpected to say the least. However, as I thought about it, I realized that there is an added component in dance/movement therapy and yoga as opposed to running or weightlifting: the inward focus. While many people exercise to lose weight, that is rarely the main goal of anyone that is involved in dance or yoga. This could be the primary reason as to why exercise in general does not impact depression symptoms, but movement therapy does. The mental component that accompanies movement therapy is designed to lead to inner peace, self-confidence, and more positive benefits that fight depressive symptoms.
Edit: After this podcast was released, scientists reached out and provided more studies on exercise that demonstrated a stronger relationship between improved depressive symptoms and exercise.
This podcast really highlights the importance of being a critical thinker as a lover of movement and really as a human functioning in society. The information provided disproves things we once thought to be true about exercise, but also tells us why it is so important to continue to move. What’s more, we need to think critically about how movement therapy like dance/movement therapy and yoga are different than exercise in general, and what the benefits and drawbacks of those might be. One also must consider what sort of aspects of movement we once thought to be true are not cut and dry. Is yoga really good for our bodies? Is dance/movement therapy as inclusive as it claims to be? Asking ourselves questions that encourage deeper research and self reflection are crucial if we are to align ourselves with a passion for movement. I truly believe in the power of movement, and I’m passionate enough to learn more.
Find the podcast here, or search Science vs Exercise wherever you listen to podcasts.