So today’s post is going to be a little different.

“Food is the most abused anti-anxiety drug. Exercise is the most under-utilized antidepressant.”

When it comes to food, many of us eat based on our emotions instead of just physical hunger.

You know, you’re having a terrible day, but you open up the freezer and see a pint of your favorite ice cream? Or maybe you decide to treat yourself to some french fries. As you might guess, this bad habit can lead to significant weight gain.

As for the exercise part, I can personally tell you from experience that my mood is significantly better when I consistently exercise.

Sometimes people ask me why I exercise so much. I always tell them I do it for my sanity.

With all the stress that can come from pharmacy school, working, and other extra-curricular activities, the one thing that keeps me sane is exercising. I know that no matter what else is going on, I can put on my workout playlist and head to the gym; I always feel better afterwards.

“People may let me down, but the weights always stay the same.”

But on a serious note, exercising has been shown to have real benefits for mental health. A recent study even showed that weight training can increase brain function in older adults (1). There is also a plethora of research about the benefits of exercise for depression (2).

But in the mean time, I want to get feedback from you guys! What has your experience been? Have you noticed any differences in your mood when you exercise?

Let me know in the comments!

1. Make sure you get enough sleep!

Too many of us proclaim that we’re sooo busy, that we don’t have enough to sleep as much as we’re supposed to. Some people feel like sleep is for the weak, but sleep is really for the strong.

Not getting enough sleep has been show to slow down your metabolism by decreasing your resting metabolic rate, making your body burn calories less efficiently and making it easier to gain body fat (1, 2)

My advice is to find what works for you. Know yourself. 

Easy ways to try to get more sleep:

2. Meal prep!!

Meal prepping is a complete game changer

The hardest part about getting in shape isn’t working out.

Working out is maybe an hour on most days of the week. It’s the other 23 hours in the day that are the biggest challenge. 

The key to making the most of those other 23 hours is eating right. And eating right is exponentially easier when you make your own food, i.e. meal prep.

When you prepare your meals ahead of time, it makes your life so much easier because:

1) You already know what you will be eating

2) You will save time because it only takes a few minutes to heat up your food in the microwave once it has already been prepared

3) By making your own food, it becomes much easier to eat healthy because you won’t be tempted to eat fast food

Easy ways to incorporate meal prep:

Pick one day of the week to do most of your cooking. The idea is to make enough food for at least several days, or maybe the whole week if you’re feeling ambitious. Since the setup and cleanup is the same no matter how much you cook, you’ll really be saving a lot of time. If you need help with examples, check out my Instagram page on the right side of the page ———————————–>>>

We all wish we had more of it, don’t we?

Motivation tends to be the one thing that we try to rely on to get results. Many of us wait to feel that burst of inspiration before we can get the momentum necessary to achieve the goals that we set.

What if I told you that you were focusing on the wrong thing???

It turns out that commitment (you can also think about it as having discipline) is more important than motivation.

Motivation comes and goes, but if you make a commitment for the right reasons, it can last a lifetime.One of the biggest lesson’s I’ve learned is that consistency is the most important factor when it comes to getting results.

No one wakes up 7 days a week with an equal amount of motivation, so to get results with anything, especially fitness, you have to make it a priority, make time for it, and make it into a habit.

Another important point is to be honest with yourself. Lying to yourself is especially bad because it prevents you from making the changes necessary to take you to the next step of your fitness journey.

If we’re really being honest, “I don’t have time for the gym” really means “The gym isn’t a priority for me.”

Everyone has the same 24 hours in a day, it’s just a matter of what you do with your free time.

The takeaway: Making the commitment in the beginning is the key step. After that, you can put your habits into place. It will then be much easier to persevere through the inevitable challenges that life will throw your way.

That’s the only way you’ll succeed.

What makes the difference between packing on pounds of fat and staying lean and fit? Your diet. And when it comes to your diet, there are two nutrients that you especially need.

1. Make sure you get enough protein in your diet.

Making sure you eat a high-protein diet is a major way to increase your metabolism (1).

In one study, women who ate a diet that was 30% protein ate 441 calories less per day. They lost 11 lbs in 3 months, just by eating more protein.

This is a false concern. 

Healthy kidneys have never been proven to be damaged with a high-protein diet (even up to 2-3x the Recommended Daily Allowance) (6).

Easy ways to add more protein:

Try to drink a whey protein shake. The best times to drink one are right after your workout, right when you wake up, and right before you go to sleep.

2. Don’t forget about the fiber!

Easy ways to add more fiber:

Try to eat oatmeal in the morning. If you’re really ambitious, do that and maybe some broccoli or spinach (steamed broccoli is my favorite) with lunch and/or dinner

1.    Myth: You can eat whatever you want as long as you exercise enough to make up for it.

2.     Myth: To lose weight, you only have to “eat less and exercise more.”

Is anything really going to change, just because the clock strikes 12 on New Year’s Eve?

The truth is, you must make lifestyle changes to see permanent results.

The good new is that when you start a new habit, you can easily continue it for the whole year.  Even longer. However, this goes for good habits as well as bad ones.

“You don’t determine your future. You determine your habits, and your habits determine your future.” – Unknown

Here are 3 easy tips for habits you can try to start in the New Year. Try them out and let me know how they work for you!!

1. Don’t undermine your progress on weekends!!!

   • I know this one won’t be popular, but try to moderate your alcohol intake on the weekends.
   • Calories DO count on the weekends. I know it can be hard to make healthy food choices, but try to do your best. Your body will thank you for it.

2. Pick healthier options when eating out

   • For example, instead of ordering pancakes at brunch, try an omelette and hash browns or potatoes
   • Or instead of getting fries with your burger, try another side that the restaurant may have. Depending on the place, they may have mashed potatoes or chili, both of which are healthier and will fill you up more than fries. Some places may have options that are even healthier. Don’t be afraid to explore!!!

3. Try not to drink your carbs

   • I’m sure you’ve heard this everywhere, but drinking pop/soda is not doing your body any favors. Liquid sugar is even worse than regular sugar, because it goes into your bloodstream quicker. So try to drink more water instead!
   • If you have trouble drinking water because it doesn’t taste good, don’t worry. That was me a few years ago. What you can do is try to get a water filter to make water taste better. I use a Brita filter and my water tastes great. You can either keep the water at room temperature or in the fridge. If that still doesn’t work for you, and you really want something sweet, try some sugar-free flavor packs for water.