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Emily Balcetis talked about how our minds can make exercise appear simpler or harder than it actually is. She mentioned that our thoughts and motivation can influence how tough we perceive physical activity to be. Her insights made me realize that our perspective not just affects our physical performance but also impacts our overall attitude towards fitness. It is fascinating to think how our thoughts and feelings can influence our exercise experiences in different ways.

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Dr. Wendy Suzuki's talk was really interesting! She highlighted how exercise can make our brains healthier and help us think better. She shared personal experiences as well as scientific facts to demonstrate the importance of being active. After listening to her, I felt inspired, driven, and enlightened. I learned a lot about the transformative power of exercise and how it can improve our brain function.

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Roger Frampton's talk really resonated with me as he articulated the detrimental effects of prolonged sitting on our physical health. His emphasis on the importance of maintaining natural posture and movement to prevent physical ailments was thought-provoking. Frampton’s passionate delivery effectively shed light on the consequences of sedentary lifestyles, inspiring me to consider incorporating more movement throughout my day to counteract the harmful impacts of sitting.

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I resonate with Roger Frampton's Ted Talk as he talks about how the fitness industry focuses on task completion (i.e., the time it takes you to complete the task, how many rounds/laps/sets can you do, etc.) instead of prioritizing proper movement and the importance of the spinal health. Growing up, the prevailing notion was that achieving higher quantities (e.g., more laps, longer planks) equated to better fitness. However, it has not been emphasized enough how crucial your posture while doing these exercises is in the effectiveness and safety of these exercises.

Furthermore, Frampton also mentions how sitting on a chair compromises and restricts our natural movements and agility, which harms our posture and damages our spine in the long run. I was enlightened about how sitting for a long time can affect our posture - merely sitting with your back straight is not enough. We have to be more mindful of our spines and postures to prevent severe consequences in the long run.

Overall, the main takeaway that I got from Frampton's talk is to adopt the "movement-first" philosophy, which emphasizes that by prioritizing proper movement and execution, muscle development will follow suit. We need to shift our focus from quantity to quality in our exercises. Doing so encourages us to have a more mindful approach to fitness, promoting longevity and overall well-being.

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The key insight that I got from Emily Balcetis's TED talk is that perception is subjective and we have the power to alter our perspectives. It is not just about visualizing the finish line; personally, I find time passes more quickly when anticipating something rather than engaging in other activities without considering time. In order to keep ourselves stay on track, sometimes we need to adjust our priorities and concentrate on our long-term goals and objectives or perhaps alter our perspectives to maintain motivation and thereby engage in exercise.

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First and foremost, Wendy Suzuki's delivery of the talk was very engaging, as I recall every point she made.

I am very aware of the fact that exercising can not only improve our physical health but also our mental and emotional well-being. However, Suzuki's elucidation of how exercising can lead to the growth and strengthening of our brain, the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex in particular, and the production of new brain cells fascinated me. While I was aware of the positive effects of exercise, understanding the underlying science behind it has deepened my appreciation for its cognitive benefits.

As someone who wants to improve her memory (I think I have short-term memory loss, and our family has a history of Alzheimer's), I was inspired and motivated to commit to exercising regularly due to her talk. I find it fascinating that exercising for at least 30 minutes, 3-4 times a week can improve your holistic health. This made me reminisce about the time when I woke up early to go for a walk or jog. Looking back, I can say that I had a better focus and memory then. Additionally, I felt good, refreshed, and accomplished every time - it was a good stress outlet.

All in all, Suzuki's talk filled me with optimism and motivation to establish a consistent exercise routine. Perhaps, I can start during the two-week break, inspired by the potential for cognitive enhancement and overall well-being that regular physical activity offers.

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I resonate with Roger Frampton's Ted Talk as he talks about how the fitness industry focuses on task completion (i.e., the time it takes you to complete the task, how many rounds/laps/sets can you do, etc.) instead of prioritizing proper movement and the importance of the spinal health. Growing up, the prevailing notion was that achieving higher quantities (e.g., more laps, longer planks) equated to better fitness. However, it has not been emphasized enough how crucial your posture while doing these exercises is in the effectiveness and safety of these exercises.

Furthermore, Frampton also mentions how sitting on a chair compromises and restricts our natural movements and agility, which harms our posture and damages our spine in the long run. I was enlightened about how sitting for a long time can affect our posture - merely sitting with your back straight is not enough. We have to be more mindful of our spines and postures to prevent severe consequences in the long run.

Overall, the main takeaway that I got from Frampton's talk is to adopt the "movement-first" philosophy, which emphasizes that by prioritizing proper movement and execution, muscle development will follow suit. We need to shift our focus from quantity to quality in our exercises. Doing so encourages us to have a more mindful approach to fitness, promoting longevity and overall well-being.

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I found it slightly strange that the main agents at study were "end-goal" and "perception" but the variables that were compared in the studies were "end-goal" and "morphology (waist-to-hip ratio)". Indeed, Balcetis explained that body morphology served as an indicator of perception, but it is not the end-all, be-all representation of perception. This feeds into the anatomy-first fallacy/philosophy that Roger Frampton expounded on in his TED Talk. Regardless, I agree with everything else Balcetis asserted in her talk. It reminded me of the first time I set foot in the UP Diliman campus; I remember thinking it was huge. My friends and I wanted to practice walking from building to building in anticipation of our first day, and we were immediately exhausted. For reference: the distance we walked was from Virata Hall to the National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology. After spending a semester in UP, I now realize that that distance was not long at all. I only perceived it to be long because it was foreign to me, and I was not particularly motivated to walk from one point to another for no reason. But now, having experienced the daily hikes one needs to take around UP for a semester, when I need to rush to my classes, suddenly the distance isn't so bad. So now that I think about it, perhaps it isn't only perception that changes attitude, but also knowledge; that is, those who are both more motivated and more experienced at a certain thing will be able to achieve it with more ease. I'm not sure if that was explained in her studies, but if not, it may be worth looking into as another variable.

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I was aware that exercise induces the release of hormones such as dopamine and endorphins which serve to reward our body after doing a beneficial task, but I had no idea that it could cause the development and even the growth of new brain cells. It's incredibly fascinating. Sometimes, it's a little bit hard to remember that the brain is a muscle, which means that with more use, it can grow. Of course, it's unlike any other muscle in the body in that it doesn't directly help with movement, so how else is it supposed to grow if not through external factors such as exercise? It was even more fascinating to learn about the long-term protective measures that exercise grants to the brain, as well as the short-term productivity benefits one can reap simply by exercising for 30 minutes thrice a week. It has actually gotten me thinking of more ways to sneak in exercise in hopes of improving my mental capacity. Currently, my only consistent form of exercise is walking around UP. I did notice an improvement in my emotional well-being, but I'm looking to maximize my exercise in order to improve in my academics as well. As a life sciences student, knowing that I can physically induce the growth of my brain is making me feel even more excited to exercise. (Because objectively, that must be one of the coolest things I have ever heard.)

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In her "Why some people find exercise harder" TED Talk, Emily Balcetis explains the significance of not only vision, but also perception to an individual's behavior. She claims that the "mind's eye" ultimately shapes our experiences and attitudes -- those who focus on the finish line perceive it to be closer, while those who let their eyes wander believe that it is farther. Similarly, as Roger Frampton says in his own TED Talk, the fitness industry is heavily reliant on sight; that is, the tangible results of exercising. In training, instructors speak in languages of "muscle groups" and "no pain, no gain" perhaps in order to build on the premise of "eyes on the prize," referring to many people's desired end-result of toned muscles. As a life sciences student, this made sense to me. Muscles facilitate movement and must thus be the foremost foundation of exercise. As I went forward in my fitness journey following YouTube workouts in my room, I followed this principle like gospel. I was acutely conscious about my form and the muscles I would feel during a certain exercise. Honestly, I'm not sure how productive that strategy was, but at the time, it did help me understand exercises more. But then Frampton started talking about how it is not the muscles but the movement of the muscles that must be emphasized, and it clicked. A while back, I found Pilates videos on YouTube and I decided to try it out one day. It was at a point in my fitness journey where I had felt as though I'd gotten stronger, so I was up for the challenge. The video was only 7 minutes long, and it was one of those on-your-back-the-whole-time mat-focused routines, but I had never been more tired. I couldn't believe it at first. I had done fewer reps than I usually would have, and yet it felt like the most I had ever worked out. Just like Frampton, the instructor repeatedly explained in the video that Pilates was not about reps or intensity, but about feeling every single movement of each muscle group working in conjunction with one another. It wasn't about the pain, but the range of movement. Since then, Pilates has been my exercise of choice. I don't get to do it much anymore because there is not much space where I live, but when I come home every month and get the chance, I'm always excited to load up a Pilates video. It doesn't exactly show that I exercise (probably because I don't get to do it very often), but I do feel it, which is just as if not more important, so this movement-focused TED Talk really resonated with me.

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With the help of this talk, I was able to realize the factors that affect how our minds perceive things subjectively, and the ways we could actually do to help us keep on track, be motivated, and achieve our fitness goals. The way we see things are definitely different from one another as we may have different goals, levels of motivations, and generally different ways of achieving these goals, however personally, I agree that keeping our eyes on the prize is an effective way to keep me motivated, stay focused, and become more resilient. Being motivated is a crucial step in achieving our goals (not just our fitness goals) so it is really important to think of ways on how to be committed. In my experience, the most difficult step is starting a task, that’s why this talk has helped me understand how I could deal with seeing others more motivated to exercise and how they could easily incorporate it in their daily lives. We should never compare ourselves with others – may it be our goals, successes, and levels of motivation; instead, we should shift our focus on how to be more consistent and dedicated, and we might not realize that we are just a few steps away from the finish line.

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After the pandemic, I decided to use my time efficiently to improve and acquire a physically healthy body, so it was when I started investing time for much in-depth research about helpful workouts that would easily allow me to transition from inactivity to smooth sailing; it was also when I was ultimately able to grasp the idea that everyone has different capabilities and durabilities when it comes to working out— not all routines work for a person. Similarly, the concept of motivation should also be applied in this case scenario; each of us is unique regarding our mindsets and outlook on reaching fitness goals. As mentioned, "our bodies and our minds work in tandem," and it tells us that particular attitudes should be imposed for us to reach the "finish line." Exercising, going to the gym, eating healthy— all these things may be easy or hard for some people. For the dilemma of struggling with these differences in perception, we need to learn how to accept and become open to new ideas— new perspectives— because when we can do so, we also learn how to cope and live by how these can motivate us to do better— in reaching the end goal.

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As Emily Balcetis stated, "perception is subjective." It is entirely true because everything that we are conscious of is limited only to our intrapersonal response. It's like everything we perceive might be empirical only through ourselves. So, it is also possible that we are not motivated to do exercises because we perceive them as tiring, but it might be the other way around for others. In doing so, it all comes down to discipline, as the video emphasizes that we must see things differently, and motivation plays a crucial role in it. It's like she's telling us to let us appreciate exercising with the goal in mind and judge based on the outcome.

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Comparing ourselves with others is really just a way of underestimating or overestimating ourselves. Even our perception of many things vary from one another, what more when it comes to own's body image. Indeed, motivation can be one's driving force to have a positive body image, even if it means to acknowledge that we have to exercise, adjust our diet, or simply feel comfortable with your own body.

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I absolutely enjoyed how she spoke and interacted with the audience for a topic as necessary— and, perhaps, serious— as this. Personally, I find the concept explaining the role of the hippocampus quite interesting; the impact of exercises on the neurotransmitters can be retained similarly to the memories that we keep— which ultimately proves that the effect of exercising is long-term and that as we do more and more exercises, our brain physically changes. I think the idea of the brain as a muscle also simplifies and encapsulates how important it is to incorporate exercise into our daily lifestyle. Not only will exercise improve or maintain our body's good condition, but bringing exercise into our lives also reduces the possibility of having complications with our brain— like diseases in the future— and, as she had said, change the trajectory of our lives for the better.

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I do agree with everything that Wendy Suzuki said, especially the part when she said, "Physical activity... has immediate, long-lasting, and protective benefits for your brain." From my experience, my brain feels light whenever I do physical activity, although it is overwhelming since physical activity is associated with body pain, whether excessive or not, as well as the factor that it is hard to exercise when you have other academic stuff to do. As the video emphasizes, exercise does make people feel better in terms of mood, memory, and attention. It motivated me to prioritize myself, regardless of external factors that may hinder me from doing so.

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As someone in the science field, I really enjoyed listening to this talk, especially when the speaker mentioned that it is still a growing research area, which prompted me to actually research on the effects of exercise in our brains since personally, I have only been taught about the origin or derivatives, functions, structures, and locations of different parts of the body. This is why it really made me curious on how a simple exercise, such as walking, could affect our mood, improve focus, memory, and reaction time, boost energy, and even prevent diseases, because while these information on the common effects of exercise may be familiar to me, it is really hard to fathom how the brain is prompted to produce and release chemicals that may alter the anatomy of the brain. On a more personal level, I did notice some effects of exercise in my body, such as being in a better mood, being less irritative, and generally just feeling better physically, mentally, and emotionally, which allowed me to perform tasks better and faster. Although exercise alone may not be the only contributing factor to these effects, I definitely agree with the speaker that exercise is the most transformative thing that we could do to our brain today based on personal experiences.

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I often think that if I sit down, I'll regain strength and energy, regardless of how long I sit down. The video was able to make me realize that this kind of behavior and habit can lead to different health problems. Roger Frampton was able to bring me back to my senses—to at least move or exercise, as I can compare his example to me just laying in bed all day. It is also alarming to know that nowadays, with the rise of technology, we remain seated to look at our screens. So, the video was extremely helpful since it discusses things such as the significance of taking care of one's spine and having the right posture, which eventually leads to a healthier body.

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As someone who practiced different sports growing up, I have been taught the importance of engaging with proper movement and maintaining balance and proper posture while doing the sport to prevent injuries, that’s why I agree with the speaker that we should not prioritize muscles over movements. Instead of obsessing over finding ways on how we could look better, we might first want to know our bodies and how they work, which eventually would allow us to have a healthier lifestyle and perform our daily routines without worrying about breaking a leg or experiencing back pains. In a time where people overcomplicate a lot of things, maybe we just need to go back to the basics – the little things that really matter. Truly, it may be difficult to move around, especially in this society where we have been exposed to technology at a young age, but isn’t it more difficult to get tired easily and experience pain in different areas in the body even when moving for just a short period of time due to long durations of sitting? May we realize the importance of taking care of our bodies by breaking unhealthy habits to regain that J-shaped spine!

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Growing up with dancing, I have been constantly ridiculed about posture— especially since it is most conspicuous when dancers execute forms. Before watching the TED talk, I had always thought my old terrible posture came from naturally slouching; it is mind-boggling to learn that what we feel is as harmless as sitting— a normal part of daily life— affects our body. Despite everyone having grown accustomed to the practice of using a chair, we were never aware that sitting is the long-term reason for the back pains most encounter when they grow older; we have always thought that whenever we experience pains in the back, we are just simply "growing old." Knowing the truth behind it, we at least know how to prevent and reduce the possibility of young people developing lousy posture. As said in the video, "spine should be the priority" because, without our spine, we would be unable to move; this is also why we must protect and take care of our spine!

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People’s state of body influences their perception of the environment and tasks attributed to it. Motivations, on the other hand, also alter these perceptions, because when one is focused on a goal, their intention to accomplish it increases. This ability to focus on the goal may be interpreted literally or figuratively - say focusing on reaching the finish line of a marathon, or losing 5 kg at the end of the year, regardless, having a focus alters how we perceive exercise. Of course, it is easier said than done, there are several factors, not just motivation, that drive a person to commit to a healthy lifestyle.

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It is interesting how exercise can have beneficial effects on the brain - better mood, better energy, better memory, and better attention - because it releases neurotransmitters that are vital in how we function. It is important to know that exercise is not only a key to fitness but also how it improves our outlook and life in general. What it does to the brain is that it allows us to shift our focus as quickly and simply as we can, plus it is free too. Although I think we should not look at exercise alone as something that improves mental health conditions, it is significant, yes, but medical attention is also vital.

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It is true that the fitness industry, especially the ones we see on social media, indeed focuses on “task completion, time, weight, and distance,” wherein people feel more accomplishment in achieving these factors. However, there are no definite instructions on how to properly execute the movements, which, based on personal experience, cause further injuries, or poor posture. The body is complex and composed of several components that should work together to improve fitness. “If you don’t have mobility and dexterity, it doesn’t matter how healthy the rest of your body is,” in the sense that movement is essential in how we function because then our muscles will follow.

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Watching Wendy Suzuki reminds me of my 12th grade, the first academic year in pandemic. Back then, I had enough time in my hands that I made sure to exercise with Walk at Home for 30 minutes and another 15-90 minutes with Fitness Marshall. Being pressured with academics now in college, I always thought that I could always use my 30 minutes for exercise to review or do another academic task. However, I always find myself unproductive when I hyper-focus on studying. With this, I would try my best to have at least 30 minutes of my time to take a brainless (no thinking) activity in the form of exercise.

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Personally, I can say I share the same experience with the speaker. My mom is very strict of my posture but, I can never really get used to consistently walk or sit with my back straight. It's just so easy and comfortable to slouch. However, I do notice some back pains if I stretched it too much when I am feeling flexible. Ultimately, I would remember Roger Frampton's short lesson of how to stand up and get back to that J spine whenever I am in line waiting for my food in different canteens.

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Based on personal experiences, I am not motivated to workout because I see exercise as something that is tiring. But ever since college started I walked around a lot less and feel more lazy which I noticed have had negative effects on me such as getting tired easily. Having motivations can help do tasks easier.

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There is really nothing more motivating and validating when we become cognizant as to why we are behaving a certain way about something, and I love that it was how Emily Balcetis, a social psychologist, went about this TED talk. A statement of hers that might be simple yet impactful is when she said, “. . . we can teach ourselves to see it differently.” Indeed, she did not just tell us why we should be motivated to exercise, which will definitely feel as if it were imposed, but she rather made us understand the rationale why we see exercise differently than others and that it will only take our perspectives to deem exercise as exciting as it actually is.

Reference:

[1] TED. (2014, November 25). Why some people find exercise harder than others | Emily Balcetis [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved on March 23, 2024, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeIrdqU0o9s

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Not only do I like the talk but also the speaker. She showed how much passion she has as a neuroscientist and I got inspired to try exercising more to see if the effects mentioned are applicable to me. I will try to walk for at least 30 min for 3 days per week.

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I concur with everything that neuroscientist Wendy Suzuki said in this talk, especially when she mentioned, "That [single workout] is going to increase your mood right after . . .,” as I had recently experienced firsthand the effects on the brain of doing physical activities. Do not get me wrong, though, because I surely experienced these effects on the brain of doing physical activities when I was an elementary student and/or a high school student. But, since it had been a while since the last time I did PE because of the pandemic, this is a new experience for me again as I ponder on it with this TED talk. Anyway, last time, I remember that when we finished our fitness tests doing the Beep Test, I had strangely noticed that my mood was a lot lighter and that I did not feel so tired, even though I was gasping for air prior to feeling these. It was weird to me — in a good way — because I did not like PE in college before taking PE 1, as I had thought that it would only make me more tired, which is the exact opposite of what I have experienced.

Reference:

[1] TED. (2018, March 21). Wendy Suzuki: The brain-changing benefits of exercise | TED [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved on March 23, 2024, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHY0FxzoKZE

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I actually agree with the speaker. Sitting down can feel relaxing but if you do it for too long during the day without standing up and repeatedly do it for decades, it can eventually affect your health. In the things we do everyday there should be balance, not too much and not too little.

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In the age of social media, superficial standards of beauty have never been more rampant than ever, which was encapsulated by fitness expert and model Roger Frampton in his words, "How much can you lift? How many repetitions can you do? How [many] calories can you burn?" Based on the abovementioned statements, our society has fallen from the notion of merely being after the tidbit developments of our bodies, which we deem healthy and fit. We think that if we are able to grow our bodies and attain the physiques that we all wanted, it would be tantamount to being healthy and fit when, in fact, we are failing to take into account the holistic approach to what truly being healthy and fit is by invalidating the significance of movement, as Roger Frampton accentuated.

Reference:

[1] TEDx Talks. (2016, March 29). Why Sitting Down Destroys You | Roger Frampton | TEDxLeamingtonSpa [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved on March 23, 2024, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOJLx4Du3vU

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Indeed, what is easy for us may not be easy for others. I also believe that health and fitness advice may not universally apply. However, Emily's emphasis on keeping our eyes on the prize is a good motivation for everyone to stay determined in reaching our aspirations. We may have different goals, methods, and journeys in getting it, but we all see a finish line. It does not matter how long it takes to get there, but what matters are the learnings and outcomes we achieve along the way.

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I agree that exercise enhances memory and focus. As to what Wendy has said, it promotes better mood, better energy, better memory, and better attention. With my busy schedule, the video inspired me to prioritize exercising and treat as part of self-care, given all the lasting benefits I can get from doing it. I couldn't imagine how dedicating just 30 minutes, three to four days a week, to physical activities can help me have a better, happier, and healthier life!

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Ever since we were children, we have been taught how to maintain our posture, but as we age, this is one of the few things we often overlook. Sitting for a long period is usual, especially when engrossed in doing certain tasks. However, the video highlighted how important it is to move once in a while to prevent risks linked to sitting for long periods. The saying "You are as old as your spine," serves as a reminder of how being mindful of our spine is essential to maintaining vitality and feeling younger than our actual age.

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Dr Emily Balcetis’ talk highlighted how motivation plays a crucial role on how difficult we perceive an exercise to be and how it affects our commitment and willingness to participate.

In most cases, we treat physical exercises like in our PE classes, as just mandatory course requirements. Most of us are completely unaware that it’s important that we try to reflect and understand our body's needs, similar to what we did in our previous assignments of goal-setting. With this, we can shift our view on an exercise from a mere requirement to something worthwhile and something to look forward to.

Understanding the psychological factors that influences our exercise habits helps us navigate the barriers, overcome challenges and tailor fit our fitness routines that would suit our needs and goals. By setting personal goals and viewing exercise as a means to achieve them, we’ll be able to transform a challenging exercise from an obligation to a fulfilling activity which ultimately uplift our wellbeing

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The TED talk of Wendy Suzuki explains how exercise can bring essential changes of the brain with regard to cognitive and emotional functionality and life in general. The talk unveils a connection between cognitive advantages and regular physical activity in attaining better memory, attention and mood. Personally, the idea of having regular exercise often appears overwhelming for me, given time constraints and exhaustion in juggling work and school. Overtime, I noticed how being inactive affects my overall productivity and state of health, making me feel constantly exhausted all the time. Suzuki's talk drives towards understanding and appreciating the natural relationship between self-care and our overall well-being which requires us to prioritize self care and understand that exercise is not just recreation but also a brain-changing process that can help us effectively handle stress and take care of our mental health and have focus and clarity under the demands and pressure of our everyday lives.

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The video highlights the disadvantages of sitting for an extended period, and how it can lead to different health problems which I find very accurate. As a working student, I often find myself spending long hours seated in front of a computer screen, noticing detrimental effects to my health at a young age. After watching TED talk by Roger Frampton, it has come to my realization that there’s a a massive danger of not moving much. I always knew exercise is crucial, but it hit home how bad sitting can be and how not moving can hurt one's health. It became a practical reminder of the importance of incorporating short movements into my everyday life. Undeniably, the video enlightens us how sedentary behavior is found to have a huge impact on our overall well-being and how it’s crucial that we maintain our natural movement patterns and incorporate regular movement breaks into our daily routine.

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Building on what Roger and Wendy have mentioned about fitness and healthy lifestyles, goal setting is also crucial for staying focused and motivated during our workouts. This means that prior to starting our fitness (weight-loss, weight-gain, or simply trying to be healthy) journey, we need to have a concrete plan for achieving our goals. Thus, this plan should include strategies for maintaining focus and attention throughout our exercise routine.  In line with this, looking back to my own habits, whenever my body feels tired, so does my mind, making finishing tasks much more difficult. However, I learned through the talk that this should not be how we approach our fitness goals; but rather, make time for the mind or the body to rest, respectively, and reflect at the same time. By doing so, we’re able to teach ourselves to see exercise in a more positive light.

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I've already known that our bodies weren't built for chairs and sitting for long periods puts our spine in a disadvantaged position, that's why I completely agree with the talk. Back when I used to workout, my peers, especially the ones who did calisthenics, were very particular about keeping the spine and core healthy and strong at all times. That's because many of the exercises and movements they do not only require a strong back and core, but the natural structure and posture our spines used to sit in (as mentioned in the video). They taught me the importance of having good posture and a strong spine, and how I could strengthen mine, and that includes the knowledge of avoiding sitting for long periods of time.

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I absolutely agree with the video, and it thrills me to know that what I've been doing all along is backed by scientific proof and studies. Keeping your eyes on the prize, and focusing on the finish line (or a specific target) can indeed make the whole process feel more manageable. Like when I used to workout consistently and tried to reach for PRs, oftentimes its just as easy as counting down the reps and visualizing myself reaching that 12th one, or when I would go on long-distance runs, visualizing the finish line really help me push through the tough moments in the run. Half of the battle is all in your mind, and framing your mindset positively does wonders. The great thing about this is it goes not just for exercising, but many more like studies, work, and even just pushing through with your day.

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I completely agree with the points brought up in the video. As your typical teen stepping into the gym for the first time, I was all about the iron. Bigger biceps, boulder shoulders, popping pecs, the greek god physique - that was the dream. I pushed myself with every rep and set, and I wanted to sculpt that look. But somewhere between the stress in school, the piling of responsibilities brought by adulthood, and the pressure of entering college, the peace and calm after a workout became the highlight of my day. It became a sort of meditation for me, and with every workout a sense of accomplishment washed over me, pushing away all the daily stresses and anxieties. Unfortunately after working out consistently for some years, I have hit a rough patch and relapsed back to a sedentary lifestyle. However, lately I've been slowly adjusting back to my active lifestyle, and I am hopeful for what the future brings, and I am excited to get back on track on sculpting my dream physique again.

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Emily Balcetis made a compelling point in this TED talk: “Motivation is key.” As someone who really finds exercise as troublesome or an inconvenient part of my daily routine, I often found myself making up reasons/justifications for why I would skip today‘s exercise routine — and that would continue on till the other succeeding days until “exercising more” just became another forgotten New Year’s resolution for me. Watching this talk made me realize that I missed one step before starting my fitness journey which is to first to shape my mind and shift my perception. By viewing exercise in a more positive light, I will be able to sustain a healthier and more active lifestyle as well as keep myself motivated to sticking to my newfound routine and continue striving towards achieving a healthier self.

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Incorporating more movement and exercise into my daily routine became one of my New Year’s resolutions this year because I wanted to lose weight and get more physically active and healthier. However, I have never taken into account how exercise could also affect my mental health and state as well. Oftentimes, we are more focused on the physical benefits of exercise that we tend to undermine, and even completely ignore at times, the mental benefits it gives. Admittedly, I am one of those people who pass on exercising for the day whenever academic responsibilities pile on and increase in number. However, this TED talk made me realize how much exercise could help me by stimulating and enhancing my mental capabilities, leading to much more efficient and effective work.

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Upon watching the TED Talk by Roger Frampton, it dawned on me that most of us often forget to go back to the basics. In this day and age of rampant use of technology, even fitness has evolved. Many refer to fitness gurus and lifestyle coaches on the internet, trying exercises that might not even be fit, and worse even harmful, for our bodies in effort of achieving that slimmer, more toned body which became our new definition of healthy. However, with this talk, I am reminded that fitness is indeed the basics. By focusing on things such as the importance of the right posture and taking care of one’s spine, we are able to take one genuine step forward towards actually being healthier and regaining our ability to move with flexibility and ease just like how we once did when we were kids.

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The idea shared by Wendy is quite interesting as it is not normally a concept discussed in the fitness industry. Oftentimes, the focus is on the physical health of the exercises and not much on the brain effects. Wendy showed that for someone who didn't have any movement at all–a lack of social life and physical activity– every sweat-inducing workout resulted in a dramatic mood and energy boost for her. This highlighted the importance of acknowledging not just the physical effects of exercise, but also the psychological, mental, and emotional impact of it, to design a positive and mobility-inclined workout plan. Thus, as someone who does not have a work-life balance, or perhaps, a school-life balance, this new knowledge has urged me to take a bigger step towards taking care of both my physical and mental health.

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Watching and listening to this TED Talk brought me back to the days when I had an injury on my right dominant arm that would restrict my movement after using it only for a few minutes. It was a time that was really challenging as not that I was not able to play video games during summer; it was also seeing yourself helpless in times that you were able to do it before so easily but now it was frustrating to do due to your limitation. I did sought out for physical therapy at that time and after each session my therapist would always recommend me exercises that I should do which I followed religiously every other day to regain that strength back. Going back to the talk, Emily mentioned that people with goals in mind tend to more motivated and see the finish line closer and that I think applied to me as not only that I was back to my usual state now; I made it a fact to not overwork my arm again to avoid injuries and made it stronger than ever. That particular event really brought a significance to my life as an adolescent as it was time that I continued to value each exercise to be essential and reflects it as my philosophy in life.

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One of the stark quotes that Wendy mentioned in non-verbatim is working out “that pre-frontal cortex and your hippocampus” through aerobic exercises as these parts of the brain are those most susceptible to degenerative diseases that are usually incurable. Internalizing this thought helped me question my fitness habits throughout a semester as that when I usually have long breaks – I often than not engage myself to a regular 3-4 times a week exercises whether weights or cardio. But it has come to my attention that when my academic responsibilities do engulf most of my time for let’s say a week; my body inadvertently tells my body at some point in time that its craving for that exercise or movement that it was accustomed to before. With all the facts and circumstances that I have regained from this TED talk, it actually gave me all the more the resolve to pursue for a more active lifestyle by pursuing more steps and walks to get home or even building up that discipline to able to always allot time for myself to exercise for 30 minutes.

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While I was a kid, I would often hear the same thing from my parents “Huwag ka naman mag-slouch” which I share with the TED Speaker Roger Frampton. Indeed, that posture is a key indicator of confidence, your physical state, and the like, we often discount the functionality at play and only look into the social conventions pertinent to why we are doing such. He further purported that our spines could do full range of motions and how this piece of skeleton positioned in our backs is really important. Take for example, the J-shaped Spines of people from a specific culture who learned to engage their glute muscles and the spine properly for a specific movement. This goes to show at the end for his advocacy to turn back to time and we seek to relearn our once natural movement schemes that are predominantly present within our younger selves.

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The TEd Talk by Roger Frampton emphasized the flaw in the fitness industry’s vision. He illustrated that the fitness industry prioritizes appearance, physique, and statistics like body measurements over the true foundation of a healthy lifestyle. This core idea of having a healthy lifestyle is quite the opposite of the fitness I’m exposed to as it is done by properly conditioning our bodies through movements that help us regain the movement we once had when we were younger, to function properly. On a personal note, I realized that even though I was able to slowly achieve the slimmer physique I wanted, I still can’t function properly because of the back pain I’ve had since I was 15 years old. Hence, just like what Roger Frampton stated, fitness and healthy living should be about regaining the ability to move like we once could, and not just about being obsessed with the way we look.