I Feel Good!

Did you know your body has a built in “feel good” system, and that it naturally produces a chemical similar to morphine or codeine, but without the affects of addiction or dependence?

How cool is that?

This same substance can decrease pain, modulate appetite, and increase our immune response. It is a powerful mood enhancer and stress buster, and it’s yours for the taking.

I’m talking about endorphins…

Now before you tune me out because you think I have been smoking some “feel good” substance myself, let me explain further what an endorphin is an how they can help you lose weight and feel great.

Endorphins are one of the brain chemicals known as neurotransmitter, which transmit electrical signals within our nervous system.

Stress and pain can lead to the release of endorphins, but in this case the stress part is not a bad thing. When you are training (“working out”) your body releases endorphins as a response to the stress of physical exercise. Some believe this release is the cause of the so called “runner’s high”.  The great news is that you don’t have to run a marathon to experience this release, as moderate amounts of exercise cause the release as well.

So how does this help us out in our quest to lose weight?

Your stress levels and mood affect many decision you make every day. Emotional eating is a response to the stress and anxiety many of us feel every day. There are few among us who at one time or another have not cleaned out a bag of Oreo’s because we had a rotten day at work. Reducing stress levels is crucial to having the right mindset to eat in a manner supportive to our goals.

There are many studies that show regular physical activity causes people just to “feel better” and keeps them from overeating or abusing drugs and alcohol. Physical activity has increasingly become part of the treatment protocol for depression. Tension, fatigue and anger can all be positively affected by simply exercising.

This is not magic, just biology. But make no mistake,  exercise and endorphin release are powerful tools in your fat burning arsenal. Drugs, alcohol, and even chocolate can’t hold a candle to this natural stress fighter.

So when life seems like it’s too much, do yourself a huge favor. Skip work, skip school, skip the PTA meeting, or skip to my lou, but don’t skip out on getting your workout in. It’s just not worth it!

Make It Happen,

Dean