Summer! Finally!

Just wanted to share how happy i am to be able to get outside and feel the breeze on my face and not be alone! I’m noticing more and more people finally getting outside to do the same. Even in Southern California it takes the summer months to bring people down to the beach to have a great time with friends and family. Grab your bicycle out of the garage and slather on some Sunblock and spend a few hours outside. If you will feel younger, happier more full of life, and hopefully start a trend for yourself that will carry over through the fall months. The computer is fun, and movies a great escape, but to create lasting memories, being outdoors will bring you back to your youth and keep you there!

Hey People!

Have you been outside yet? I’ve been hoping for more outside time myself. We have to take those few moments daily, or at least weekly to feel the sun and breeze on your face. In LA today we’re expecting rain late tonight and throughout tomorrow. Since we know it, make sure if you’re here to make a few minutes today to see the sky, or at least the skyline. Take some deep slow breaths, attempting to count to 6 as you inhale and the same as you exhale. No matter what level of stress you may currently be dealing with… this simple exercise will help. A moment to relax the body, for your mind to reflect if needed and possible an epiphany or resolution to a past present or future problem may appear.
It’s about slowing down enough to catch up with our own brains. Think of it like eating, when you rush and eat too quickly, you often eat more than you needed because the ‘Full’ insulin to the brain message gets there after you’ve consumed more than you actually needed.
Stress eating is actually your body’s way of pulling you up from possible depression. And it’s all about some chemicals.

When you eat, two neurotransmitter chemicals, serotonin and dopamine, are released. These send signals to your brain and gut that you are full and stop you from overeating. Both of these chemicals are in short supply during atypical depression. This is why you always feel hungry when you’re depressed.

Foods that are rich in carbohydrates such as cream puffs and chocolate bars trigger a rise in serotonin and dopamine. This will make you feel better and lift your depression. So, what’s the problem? The extra cortisol gets to your gut first. This increases the pleasure of eating foods high in sugar, starch, and fat. The extra cortisol also activates receptors in the fat cells found in your belly fat. Extra fat is then deposited in these fat cells. Ouch.

Cortisol also diminishes the effect of insulin on your brain. This is significant because insulin signals our brain when we’ve had enough to eat. This also leads to eating due to chemical reactions and not real hunger.

For more information on the topic of stress eating, you may want to check out:
Steve Tuggle, Dr. “Stress Eating Creates Your Body’s Chemical Nightmare.” Stress Eating Creates Your Body’s Chemical Nightmare. 21 Jan. 2008. EzineArticles.com. 7 Apr 2009 .

Don’t let this same effect happen Mentally as it does with food with the myriad of needed mental tasks and thoughts we contend with, we need moments to catch up. Not extended time even, moments for us to simply process all that is happening around us.

Hope you make the time, I’m on my way right now…….

Spring is definitely Here!

And I’m Gettin outside! With daylight savings time being so early this year, we have no excuse that it’s dark too early. Walk, run, Hike, roller blade or ride a bike. Whatever you do, it’s time to shake off the winter cobwebs and get into the year, Time to Get Fit, and stay Fit!
Michael C