Mood-Boosting Foods: Some Might Surprise You!

There are mood boosting foods that make you feel better but also make your waistline and hips expand, and then there are mood boosting foods that even personal trainers recommend. This second category of foods give you a boost of happiness and well being without requiring an extra hour or two of personal training to undo the damage.

To get you started on the road to fitness and happiness, five of the best mood boosting foods that even personal trainers approve are listed right here…

1. Plain Popcorn
Yes, the buttery goodness you inhale at the movie theater may help you feel better, but it will also help you gain a quick pound or two. Popcorn can be healthy and mood boosting when it is eaten plain without the melted fat.
According to Prevention.com, complex carbohydrates like plain popcorn flood the brain with something called tryptophan when it is not saturated with fat or protein. Tryptophan is an amino acid which contributes to a happier mood and even blocks cravings for fatty foods. This is definitely one snack that personal trainers will full-heartedly agree is safe.

2. Salmon
The fatty layers of fish like salmon can help boost your mood by delivering a healthy dose of omega-3 fatty acids to your body. Many people who attend personal training gyms are recommended by personal trainers to eat fish or take a high quality omega-3 fish oil supplement because it helps with literally every process within the body. This includes boosting the metabolism and your mood.
You can get omega-3 fatty acids by eating fatty fish like salmon, but you have to eat it at least a few days a week to really get the benefits. Many people find fish unappealing, so going with a very high quality, pure supplement could be even more beneficial for those looking to feel better emotionally.

3. Lean Protein Sources

Any type of lean protein such as chicken breasts, white meat turkey, and extra lean beef can help stabilize your blood sugar level which in turn contributes to a more even mood pattern. If you eat a carbohydrate-rich diet with lots of refined white flour products and sugar you can’t really be surprised if you are emotionally unstable. The ups and downs in your blood sugar level caused by these foods can contribute to highs and lows in your mood.
If you are spending time and money working out at a private training gym, why not balance your diet to get the most from the overall experience? Exercise naturally lifts your  mood and helps you feel a greater sense of well being, which is why personal trainers are essential to anyone with depression or other mood disorders.

Yet, you can get even better mood enhancing benefits by following your personal training sessions up with a well balanced diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and of course protein. Personal trainers will all agree that a well balanced diet with lots of complex carbohydrates, lean sources of protein, and a healthy dose of omega-3 fatty acid will keep your body and mind on the right track.

If you have been pondering personal training gyms and wondering if personal trainers are really worth your time, keep the mood enhancing benefits of exercise and food in mind.

There is nothing like getting outdoors and taking a break from the stress of daily life to jump-start a weight loss journey, push you beyond a brief plateau, or just get you excited to recommit to eating right and working out with consistency.

While personal training will keep you in shape on a weekly basis, it is fun and healthy to get out of the gym into fresh, new surroundings from time to time. If you don’t have a big budget to work with you have even more incentive to plan an adventure vacation. There is no charge for fresh air and nature’s finest mountain ranges and roads!

And, what better time to take an adventure in the great outdoors than in early fall, when the air is crisp and invigorating, and the weather is still warm enough.

Here are just a few great ideas for cheap fitness adventures that your personal trainers would approve of wholeheartedly.

Swim with the Dolphins

Go to Florida or California and you can easily find resorts and adventure companies offering programs that allow you to swim with the dolphins. You will burn minor amounts of calories while treading water or swimming slowly in the water with the dolphins, but you can always enjoy other water sports to burn tons of calories, such as surfing.

Adventure Hiking

If you live near large mountain ranges such as the Rockies, you can escape into the mountains for hiking or backpacking at different times of the year.

However, as New Yorkers, we still have access to terrific outdoor hiking and mountain trekking. Just 50 miles away from the heart of Manhattan, Bear Mountain- Harriman State Park, in Upstate New York, is a fantastic place to get away from the concrete jungle, and into the real thing.

Or, venture to the Mohonk Preserve, and explore the trails of the Shawangunk Mountains, in New Paltz, New York. You can hike, mountain bike, and even horseback ride your way through 7,000 acres of preserved land. Don’t forget to stop and enjoy stunning lake views.

For those who live out west, some states such as Utah and Nevada have mountain ranges that are very remote. You could easily go 30 or more miles away from roads and civilization to experience the wild like never before.

Of course, you can also play it safe and stay within state parks for day adventures. You can also camp out for a weekend or longer in most state parks, getting out for hikes and even biking adventures during the day.

A 150 pound person could burn around 430 calories per hour while hiking. If you spend an entire weekend in the mountains with daily hiking adventures lasting at least a couple hours you could easily burn over 1,000 calories per day just during that activity!

Bike Tour of Local Tourist Destinations

If you are really tight on cash or just want to stay as close to home as possible, get out the map or look around online and note some of the best tourist features in surrounding cities. How far out you go is up to you.

Now, plan a biking tour to visit all of these destinations. You can do this in a weekend, a week, or longer, depending on how far out you want to go. Book hotel rooms for each night, carefully planning how far you can bike each day to get to each of your destinations.

All of these adventure ideas allow you to take the strength and health you have gained from your personal trainers and put your body to the test. Plus, you can relax on vacation while burning tons of calories.

A person weighing 150 pounds could burn nearly 600 calories per hour biking at a casual to moderate pace. Plan daily trips around your time that include at least a couple hours of biking round trip and you could burn 1,200 calories or more just for those trips! Even if you plan shorter trips to accommodate children, biking is a great calorie burner.

So, take advantage of these transitional months, and take your personal training to the wild outdoors!

Stretch your hips and hamstrings with this great move. Method Fitness trainer, Adam, teaches us the right form for the “squat to stand” stretch.

Click below:

Method Fitness Exercise Tip of the Day

Do this stretch 2 – 3 times per week to get the maximum benefits.

Have a happy, healthy weekend!