Mixed Tape Monday: Foods to reduce anxiety and getting back in whack
Happy Monday peeps.
Starting today I'm spending my days at Spurling Training Systems in Kennebunk, Maine. I've been teaching the Team Training classes for the past month there, and as of today I'll be coaching team and semi-private sessions. In short, I'll be coaching my face off.
Remember when this kind of cassette tape was technologically fancy? Yeah. Me too.
What does that mean for you? Well, it should mean more videos and more blog posts as I'll be spending 24/7 in the gym. Win.
I'll also be introducing all of the fine people in southern Maine to my special brand of dancing. I don't want to brag, but you should see me do the grocery cart. And the lawn mower. And the church lady.
It's been awhile since I've done a Mixed Tape Monday, so I thought I'd get back on it today. Especially in honor of Prince's passing two weeks ago, as he was often on my mixed tapes.
Usually with the DJ talking over the very beginning of Raspberry Beret. Not cool Mr. D.J. Not cool.
Food to reduce anxiety
I don't know about yinz guys, but along with my ongoing battle against depression, I carry a pretty hefty anxiety bug as well. And not just when the Pirates play yet another extra inning game (two Sundays in a row guys). Despite my laid back personality, I'm like a high-strung cat maxed out on pre-workout on the inside.
Working out helps my anxiety, along with snuggling my dog and meditating. But this recent article from the Harvard Medical school highlights some food choices you can also make to help reduce anxiety. And the list includes pickles and fermented foods, which I find oddly tasty. Yay!
I used to run screaming from the room at the scent of sauerkraut. Now? Eh, not so bad.
Getting back on the workout wagon when you fall off
I don't care who you are or how devoted you are to working out, we all fall off of that wagon at some time or another. I've been off recently while I battle a chronic bicep injury. Sometimes it's injury, sometimes it's working 70 hours in a week or traveling, but it happens to all of us at one time or another. So Precision Nutrition created this awesome article and infographic to help you get back in whack* when your workout routine falls to the bottom of the "to do" list.
Why you shouldn't exercise to lose weight
But wait! My doctor says exercise is good for me. And that I should do more of it. It is. Yes, it is good for you, and yes, you should exercise. But exercising to lose weight is a little deceptive. Ultimately, if you want to lose weight you have to change your approach to nutrition. As the author of the article notes, "For weight loss, calorie restriction seems to work better than exercise." The author highlights 60 different studies that tell you why exercising to lose weight without changing your nutrition is not going to get the job done.
We often think if we exercise more we can eat more. First of all, as I've said before you don't have to earn your food. Second of all, assuming we can eat an extra 700 calories because we burned 700 calories is not the best strategy for losing weight.
In an ideal world, you are both exercising for the physiological and emotional benefits and also changing your approach to nutrition.
* If one gets "out of whack" with something, then it stands to reason that one needs to get "back in whack." Just sayin'.