The sinking economy is tightening some wallets and, consequently, causing some belts to loosen a bit.
As some are continuing to feast on nutritionally savvy food – grilled chicken, salads or brown rice – others are pulling into fast-food restaurants faster than ever before. Many people are asking what caused this resurgence of the bulge and the rival of Lycra shorts.
The answer is simple: the economy is stressing us out. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have become household names and the dropping Dow is causing the scales to rise. The stress on the economy is wreaking our diets and the formerly tame eating habits we once knew.
The former splurge on high fat and high carbohydrate foods is now the everyday norm for some stressed out Americans. While some companies are cutting back, forcing an influx of work on the remaining staff, staffers are putting away calorically dense foods. Take Dunkin Donuts, for example, it is a stressed out person’s companion.
Let’s face it, many stressed out Americans open up and take a bite out of foods that have little to no nutritional value.
Because carbohydrates release the feel-good hormone serotonin, many people have been flocking towards pasta, a popular and thrifty staple food, which can cause an increase in serotonin and unfortunately, lead to a gain in weight. However, there is a solution against the economy’s stressful wrath.
According to research from the University of Texas at Austin, just 40 minutes of exercise can have an instant effect on your mood. Just that small amount of activity can mean goodbye stress.
Although there is currently no proof that physical activity alone increases serotonin, UT research is proof and motivation enough to inspire anyone to get moving.
Of course, the common excuse is, “I don’t have time.” Perhaps, few truly may not have the time; however, for those that might be able to squeeze in 40 minutes of physical activity in an effort to revamp you mood, isn’t worth it? Think about it, there are 24 hours in a day and during that span of time, 40 minutes of exercise certainty can be worked in.
There are always thrifty ways to exercise that won’t break the bank. Try walking or running outside or breaking a sweat with that reliable workout DVD. If not, there is always the alternative, going up a pant size or loosening the belt one notch at a time.
