I know what to do when my thighs get a little jiggly (hello, squats and lunges), but what about when the trouble zone in question is a little higher up — like on top of my shoulders? I'm talking about my brain, which has gotten noticeably flabby in the past few months. Suddenly it was taking me several minutes to figure out how to cook Minute Rice. Names of celebrities spent more time on the tip of my tongue than rolling off it. "You know who I'm talking about, right?" I would ask my husband. "That actor in that hit movie.... That guy?"
The one thing I did know: It was time for a brain-boosting intervention. So when I got an e-mail informing me that I had been selected to join the tens of millions of women and men who have plunked down money for the privilege of becoming a member of an online "brain gym," where I could play interactive games that are scientifically designed to sharpen the mind, I was intrigued.
Turns out, most of the people who belong to these gyms are looking to ace their LSATs, be wittier at networking events, or fast-track themselves up the corporate ladder. In fact, 75 percent of Lumosity's 40 million members are under age 40, and they're flocking to daily 15- to 20-minute brain workouts as enthusiastically as they flock to Spinning classes. Today a brilliant brain is just as worth training for as is a J.Lo butt. What could I do but pony up $15 for a monthlong course?
