Too Busy Studying to Exercise? Think Again.

It can seem hard to tear yourself away from the library and your books for exercise when you've got papers due and tests to study for. It's easy to let the exercise slide.

But don't forget that exercise can clear your mind. When you've been sitting in one spot for hours, bent over your books and papers, you eventually will experience a case of diminishing returns. In other words, you'll be less productive as time goes by.

Getting outside for a walk or a run, or going to a gym for a workout, will be good for your body but also for your brain. You'll go back to your studying refreshed, better able to concentrate and focus. You don't have to take a long time. Even thirty minutes will help a lot.

How Many Calories do You Burn in Gym Class

Before you decide to ditch gym class, remember how important it is to burn calories! Here are some tabulations of the amount of calories you'll burn if you weigh 130 pounds and take part in an activity for 45 minutes:

Badminton (singles), 257

Basketball (half court), 263

Lacrosse, 304

Swimming, 391

Water aerobics, 187

Yoga, 234

Give Nordic Walking a Try

Nordic Walking is a new way to get the benefits of cross country skiing or of walking on a Nordic Trac machine. You add the Nordic Walker poles to your walk, which gives you the added use of your arms for a more complete workout.

Nordic Walking was first used by cross country skiers as a summer training exercise. It's becoming more and more popular all over the word.

If you're looking for an exercise that provides almost the same intensity as running without the impact on the joints, consider giving Nordic Walking a try. You can ask about it at a health club, or do an Internet search to see if there are any Nordic Walking programs in your area.

Wheeled Sneakers Causing Injury

Ever since kids have been wearing those trendy sneakers that have wheels on them, there have been increases in broken arms, wrists and ankles and in cracked skulls and dislocated elbows.

The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons has issued safety advice recommending that kids wear helmets, wrist protectors and knee and elbow pads whenever they're wearing their "heelys."

Injuries are most likely to occur among novice heely wearers, but there's no guarantee that more experienced wearers won't hurt themselves as well.

Parents who buy these shoes for their kids should be aware that although the shoes aren't considered athletic equipment, they come with safety recommendations.