Exercise is the most under-utilized form of an antidepressant, while food is the most utilized.
When we exercise, and fuel our bodies with proper nutrients,and hormones are released in the brain that create a steady and happy mood. When we are depressed, sad, stressed or anxious, many turn to "comfort foods" as a way to regulate their emotions, but instead, this "comfort food" only increases the amount of of negative thoughts consumed in our brains.
Instead of grabbing the chips and a pint of Ben and Jerry's when we are feeling down, we should reach for our sneakers, a bottle of water, and the door knob.
Here are 10 Things That Happen to You When You Make Health(ier) Choices:
1. Your mood elevates. Doing things that make you happy and feel good about yourself will automatically elevate your mood, make you feel more pleasant, and be a more pleasant person to be around.
2. You want to make health(ier) choices more often. By taking the first few steps to living a balanced and healthy lifestyle, you will want to keep making good choices for yourself.
3. You will learn balance. Yes, you should eat all your fruits, veggies, proteins, and healthy carbs, but you will know that it is OK to treat yourself to the ice cream sundae on a weekend. You do not need to over-indulge every day, or every weekend, to feel "fulfilled" in the sweet tooth category. You can feed that sweet tooth without loosing all the weeks of progress made.
4. Your clothes will feel better on you. Even if you're not losing weight right away, you are loosing inches off your body. The better our clothes feel on us, the better we feel about getting up and getting dressed in the morning.
5. You will pick water over soda, juice, etc because you'll need/want to hydrate more! The healthier and more active you are, the more you need to hydrate yourself properly! By not drinking your calories, you will reduce body fat. Also, by drinking more water, your skin will be clearer, you will feel more energized, and you will have a more regular bathroom cycle.
6. You will be able to enjoy more life experiences. You go on vacation with your family, and they all want to ride bikes along the beach. Before, your weight, lack of energy and motivation, or habits prior to the change, will have created a little voice in your head saying, "No way! I can't do this!" but now, you will think to yourself you can and you will enjoy this new activity with your friends or family!
7. You will want to cook in more. You have searched Pinterest for dozens of "healthy family dinners" and are so excited to try them out! Plus, believe it or not, it is cheaper to eat at home than to dine out every single night... And I promise it is a whole lot better for you. Even at a "healthier" place to eat, the restaurant usually has added tons of extras, reducing the health content and increasing the sodium content by a whole lot. Sodium = salt, and too much salt is not a good thing for your health and heart.
8. You will instill healthier behaviors into your children and inspire those around you. By making good choices, your kids will look up to you and want to make the same choices their parents are making. Your friends and co-workers will be envious, and it could encourage them to make a few lifestyle changes as well.
9. You won't mind going the extra mile. You have to park far away in a parking lot because it is busy? Who cares. It's not the end of the world, and you won't mind the extra walk, but before you would have! You will be willing to go on foot the long way, instead of finding the easiest way out.
10. You will lengthen your life expectancy. And what could be more rewarding than that?
