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| Weight Loss Makes You Happy! |
Looks like people who participate in a structured program not only lose weight but they also report being in a better mood http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/07/us-weight-loss-people-idUSTRE7264TV20110307. A recent review of many studies (31 total) found that people improved their mood when they tried to lose weight with diet, exercise, counseling, or all of the above.
Researchers found that when people were involved in programs that focused on healthy behaviors (diet, exercise, water consumption), they lost weight and had improvements in their mood. However, there was no mood-boosting benefit for people who were just taking weight loss medications.
"The amount of weight lost didn’t matter when it came to mood; even shedding a few pounds had a mood-boosting effect."
So, the good news for you: losing just a few pounds is likely to make you feel happier. And these results should also give you plenty of motivation to get moving! In fact, exercise alone has mood-boosting benefits and it only takes 10 minutes a day to see instant results! Exercise likely helps improve mood in several ways:
- Releasing endorphins that may promote relaxation
- Reducing brain chemicals that promote bad feelings or worsen your mood
- Making body temperature rise, which may energize your mood
