Have you ever set a goal with good intentions only to realize that weeks later you have made no progress?
I know this has happened to me plenty of times. It wasn’t that I decided I didn’t want my goal any longer or it wasn’t worthwhile because it was. In fact, many of these goals I have now accomplished, but it was like, at the time, there was something inside me fighting against my desire. Literally, a voice encouraging me not to do it; every time I set the intention to work on my goal a little voice inside whispered… “I don’t feel like it.” Maybe the reasons I didn’t pursue my goal were I wanted to do something more fun, or I wasn’t sure how to get started, and/or maybe it seemed just too big. No matter what the reason, I was feeling powerless to get started and instead listened to the little voice inside and postponed my joy of accomplishment.
Have you ever pondered how much energy you waste by having “debating” conversations with yourself?
Who knows! Imagine for a moment how much time and energy you could save and accomplish by eliminating these debating conservations. How would the course of life change?
Below are 3 strategies to create more energy and build synergy within, and move you toward your goals and success.
Power Pose: Research by Amy Cuddy, a social psychologist, showed that our body language not only impacts those around us but also impacts ourselves. Our energy and hormones for stress and power influences our posture and vice versa. When we feel powerless, our stress hormone cortisol is up and our body takes on a closed posture; slumping, arms crossed, curling in a ball. When we feel powerful, the hormone testosterone is high and our body is in an open posture; chest out, arms open and up in a “V” or on our hips standing tall. Cuddy showed that in just 2 minutes by taking on a certain pose we influence the level of our hormones which in turn shifts our energy. During her research, when individuals adopted “power” poses their testosterone increased and cortisol decreased, making them feel more energized, confident, and willing to take risks. When individuals took on “low power” posture poses, their testosterone decreased and cortisol increased, and the individuals felt stressed and shut down. She found that, “our non-verbals govern how we think and feel about ourselves.” Watch her complete discussion of her research on Ted-Talk https://home/wholisu6/dev.wholisticwomanretreats.com.youtube.com/watch?v=Ks-_Mh1QhMc
Eat for the Mood You Want: Based on the research it appears that highly processed foods, saturated fat, and sodium can increase the tendency for sadness, discouragement, depressed moods and even decreases the desire for activity. Although, more research still needs to done, they do know that certain foods change our brain chemistry and affect our desire to move and/or how motivated we feel. Below are just a few foods to include in your life to ensure you are feeding your body and brain for the mood that creates a desire to move and live!
- Healthy Carbs! It appears that a low carb diet can reduce the desire to move and exercise in just 2 weeks. Carbs are the preferred fuel source for the brain and our muscles. Carbohydrates also increase serotonin, a neurotransmitter in the brain, known as the mood regulator. The best carbs to increase energy and our mood are whole grains, fresh fruits, vegetables, legumes, and foods that are nutrient dense and have high fiber; those that take some time to chew, and digest… not ones we drink or melt in our mouth.
- Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids affect the neurotransmitter pathways in the brain and protect against depression, improve mood and the ability to find solutions to life’s difficulties and challenges. Great sources for omega-3s: fish, flaxseed, avocados, walnuts and many other nuts and seeds. Adding at least 2 ounces of nuts in your day and fish 2 to 3 times a week increase feelings of happiness and motivation for action.
Go for the Burn! Exercise changes our brain. It not only increases oxygenation in the brain it also increases the growth of brain cells in the area of learning and memory. Research has demonstrated improved problem solving, creativity, and memory recall after just 10 minutes of activity. Studies have shown that exercise is the most effective method to decrease fatigue and increase energy over power medications. When we make our exercise challenging, the burn releases endorphins to block the pain and provide a “feel good” feeling. It also increases other mood enhancing neurotransmitters in the brain such as dopamine, nor-epinephrine, and serotonin.
So next time your set your mind to accomplish something, don’t stop there, create energy synergy for success by assuming a posture to increase your power and confidence, eat healthy foods for improved energy and motivation for action, and move in challenging ways to create a brighter mood, increase creativity, and develop problem solving solutions for success.
Today’s author: Sandie Lynch MS, RDN, LDN, Registered Dietitian, Personal Trainer, Well-being Coach. Owner and CEO of ATP Consultants, LLC sharing 5 Key Principles to Attain Top Performance in living your best life at any age!