Day 34 -
What do you do after having a bad day on your diet – you get up, eat some breakfast and go workout!
Working out really helps to elevate my mood. No matter how badly I don’t feel like going to work out, every time I do I always feel better. Usually I am a bit sore and very sweaty, but a workout always elevates my mood. There is actually some great science behind this. Regular exercise can relieve stress, improve memory, help you sleep better, and boost your overall mood.
Most of us are aware of what happens to the body when we exercise, but what exactly does exercise do to the brain?
According to a great article I read, “If you start exercising, your brain recognizes this as a moment of stress. As your heart pressure increases, the brain thinks you are either fighting the enemy or fleeing from it. To protect yourself and your brain from stress, you release a protein called BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor). This BDNF has a protective and also reparative element to your memory neurons and acts as a reset switch. That’s why we often feel so at ease and things are clear after exercising and eventually happy. At the same time, endorphins, another chemical to fight stress, is released in your brain.” https://www.fastcompany.com/3025957/what-happens-to-our-brains-when-we-exercise-and-how-it-makes-us-happier
Most of us already know that endorphins are the hormones that make you feel happy. The article was really interesting, it explained the effect of exercise on your brain, and this image is amazing.
After working out I came home and had some lunch. I'm all about using up leftovers, but making them fun so I took some of the leftover chicken breast that Peter had barbequed and warmed it in the oven, adding some cheese on top. I also cut up a small zucchini and spread some Parmesan on top and threw that in the oven too. It was yummy.
Later I went out to my amazing monthly book club and I decided to splurge on a cup of their Lobster Bisque, it is probably not Keto friendly but it is so yummy, creamy and spicy and full of chunks of lobster so I didn’t mind cheating. I also had one glass of white wine. While I am fully committed to our diet, I also don’t want the diet to completely take over my life and keep me from having fun with friends.
When I got home Peter was having a hamburger and he was so excited because my daughter found some Keto-friendly ketchup. This was so incredible because Peter was completely addicted to ketchup. Ketchup is probably the one thing he missed the most while on this diet, he nearly cried when she gave it to him
He said it tastes good, and with only one carb per serving he is a very happy man.
One final positive note for today – I met my water goal once again. I may not be perfectly doing Keto, but I am working toward my long-term health goals.
I did not know about the benefits of working out and the 'reset switch' - that's awesome! And I agree that while you want to be faithful to your eating plan, once in a while you need a bit of indulgence, too :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Candi - I absolutely believe one of the reasons most diets fail is that people are so restrictive they simply can't stick with it - life is all about moderation and balance. Thanks so much for stopping by my blog.
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