Imaginary Exercise Working out may get easier, especially for people who can't find time for the gym.

In a preliminary report from The Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand, subjects did three sets of ten slow biceps curls without weight on their nondominant arm three times a week, while simply imagining lifting the heaviest weight they could. After eight weeks, although there was no change in visible muscle definition, strength in that arm increased 30

to 40 percent. The reason: The mind controls the body to such a degree that the brain forced muscle fibers and motor neurons to work, explains study

coauthor Dootchai Chaiwanichsiri, from Chulalongkorn University in Thailand.

Fitness News

Burning It Off

New research suggests that exercise alone is effective for long-term weight loss -- with one caveat. In a study from The Journal of Applied Physiology, 34 adults were asked either to reduce the number of calories they consumed by 16 to 20 percent or burn 16 to 20 percent more calories through exercise over a year's time while maintaining the same food intake. Both groups lost an average of between 9 and 10 percent of their body weight, even though most didn't reach the proper caloric deficit. Those who actually did burn the 20 percent exercised about 90 minutes a day-- -- and lost 15 to 20 percent of their body weight. "It's a common observation that people who start exercise programs tend to also start eating more," says Edward Weiss, assistant professor of nutrition and dietetics at St. Louis University. "Exercisers also had to monitor their food intake to be sure they weren't increasing calories" and negating the benefits.

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Vicious Cycle

Women who bike frequently could be at risk of decreased sexual pleasure. For a study from The Journal of Sexual Medicine, researchers tested genital sensation in female cyclists. Although the women didn't experience pain during sex or problems reaching orgasm, they reported a greater decrease in genital sensation compared with active women who didn't cycle. This may indicate cyclists could face those problems in the future. Cyclists who feel numbness or tingling could change their seat height, handlebars, or saddle, says Marsha K. Guess, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Yale University School of Medicine.