10 Healthy Superfoods to Beat the Winter Blues

Shorter days, less sun and chilly temps has a way of bringing you down. The winter blahs are real and for some people, it may develop into seasonal depression. Food is not a fix. However, a growing body of research suggests that your diet and certain healthy superfoods may influence (and even improve) your mood.

One recent study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, found symptoms of depression dropped significantly among a small group of young adults who ate healthier for three weeks—which meant, in part, increasing their intake of fruits, veggies, whole grains and fish.

In the peer-reviewed journal Psychiatry Research, a meta-analysis of 21 studies from ten countries investigated the connection between diet and depression risk. They found that a healthy eating pattern high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish and low-fat dairy products may decrease the risk of depression, whereas a diet high in red or processed meat, refined grains and fat may increase the risk of depression.

The evidence is preliminary and much more research is needed to understand how diet influences mental health. But what we do know, according to Cleveland Clinic, is that certain foods and nutrients affect brain chemicals that influence how we feel. We’ve rounded up 10 of our favorite healthy superfoods that have been shown to have positive effects on mood. An added bonus; they can all easily fit into your Nutrisystem weight loss program!

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Here are 10 healthy superfoods to help you beat the winter blues:

1. Blueberries

These little jewels may be tiny; but don’t let their size fool you. According to research, published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, blueberries are jam-packed with flavonoids. The journal Genes & Nutrition explains that flavonoids perform antioxidant functions and have been shown to boost brain health and protect brain neurons from damage.

Antioxidants have also been studied as a potential way to treat anxiety and depression, according to the Indian Journal of Psychiatry. Another study, published in the journal Nutrients, found that adults and kids who drank a “flavonoid-rich” blueberry beverage experienced a positive effect on mood.

One cup of blueberries counts as one SmartCarb on the Nutrisystem program. Enjoy them in these tasty blueberry recipes >

2. Salmon

Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, along with a variety of other vitamins and minerals, says Healthline. According to Science Daily, research from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center suggests that low levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the blood is associated with symptoms of depression.

Salmon also contains vitamin B12, which is involved in creating brain chemicals that impact mood and other brain functions, says Mayo Clinic. They also explain that low levels of vitamin B-12 may be linked to depression.

Two ounces of salmon counts as one PowerFuel on the Nutrisystem program. Get double the mood-boosting benefits with this Blueberry Glazed Salmon recipe >

3. Yogurt

According to Harvard Health, bacteria in your intestines may play a role in brain and mental health. This theory is known as the brain-gut-axis. Though the potential connection isn’t fully understood, scientists do know that probiotics in foods like yogurt can help boost good gut bacteria. This may be important in the processing of brain chemicals like serotonin that regulate mood. A review of early research, published in the Annals of General Psychiatry, found that people who took probiotics reported mood improvements and decreased stress levels.

Yogurt falls into the PowerFuel category on Nutrisystem. Start your morning on the right foot with this delicious Berry Delight Yogurt Parfait >

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4. Leafy Greens

From spinach and kale, to collards and chard: Among plant foods, leafy greens are packed with the highest amount of nutrients that may play a role in mental health, according to the World Journal of Psychiatry. One of those nutrients is the powerful folate. A report, published in the in the Journal of Psychiatric Research, found that people with depression had lower blood levels and dietary intake of folate when compared to those without depression.

On Nutrisystem, leafy greens are considered an unlimited non-starchy vegetable. Get more greens in your diet with our four simple tips >

5. Oysters

Oysters make this list of healthy superfoods due to their amazing nutrient profile. According to the World Journal of Psychiatry, there are 12 specific nutrients that “relate to the prevention and treatment of depressive disorders.” Oysters were among the highest scoring animal foods containing these vitamins and minerals.

One of these vital nutrients is zinc. The highest amount of zinc within the body is found in the brain, says Medical News Today. They further explain that a deficiency in zinc may cause symptoms of depression, trouble with learning or memory and more. And just like salmon, this seafood delicacy is also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin B12, says Healthline. Oysters fall into the PowerFuel category on the Nutrisystem meal plan.

6. Walnuts

Nuts are nutritional powerhouses packed with energy and nutrients. According to research, published in the journal Nutrients, walnuts might reduce the risk of depression. Survey results from more than 26,000 adults found that those who regularly consumed walnuts had significantly lower depression scores—meaning they felt less hopeless, more energetic and had a greater interest in doing things.

On the Nutrisystem plan, walnuts are a healthy PowerFuel option. Bake these Nutrisystem-approved Maple Walnut Cookies >

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7. Turkey

The amino acid tryptophan—which is found in turkey and often blamed for post-Thanksgiving dinner naps—is used by the body to make the feel-good chemical serotonin, says Medical News Today. Similar to salmon and oysters, turkey and other poultry also contain the potential mood-boosting vitamin B12, says Healthline.

Three ounces of turkey counts as one PowerFuel on Nutrisystem. Check out this fool-proof way to cook a delicious turkey >

8. Whole Grains

Oatmeal, popcorn, quinoa, whole wheat bread and brown rice are unrefined grains that are a good source of filling fiber and other nutrients, says Healthline. According to Cleveland Clinic, choosing them over refined grains, such as white flour cereals, bread and sugary cookies, may help improve your mood. That’s because, according to Healthline, eating highly-processed refined grains cause your blood sugar to spike, then drop shortly after. High-quality grains, however, are healthy superfoods that keep blood sugar steady and provide long-lasting energy.

Whole grains fall into the SmartCarb category on Nutrisystem. Check out these six super-grains you should be eating >

9. Dark Chocolate

You know eating it makes you happy. We’ve got the science to back up why: Eating dark chocolate has been shown to increase levels of the feel-good hormone serotonin, says the Archives of Internal Medicine. According to the journal Frontiers in Nutrition, cocoa and cocoa products also contain flavanols, which are antioxidants that may benefit brain function.

Plus, research published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology found that study participants who enjoyed an antioxidant-rich, dark chocolate drink every day for a month reported significantly improved moods. Of course, chocolate can be high in sugar, so watch your portions and choose low sugar or stevia-sweetened options.

Dark chocolate is considered an Extra on the Nutrisystem meal plan. For a healthy way to get your chocolate fix, try one of these 15 Decadent Recipes for Chocolate Lovers >

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10. Green Tea

Sipping on this warm brew has been shown to lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol, according to Nature.com. They explain that drinking at least a half-cup of green tea each day has been shown to decrease the risk of depression. According to Psychology Today, part of the benefit may come from polyphenols—powerful plant chemicals in green tea that help increase the availability of dopamine (a hormone that influences positive mood).

Unsweetened green tea will count towards your required daily water servings on Nutrisystem. Check out these other reasons to drink to green tea >

The post 10 Healthy Superfoods to Beat the Winter Blues appeared first on The Leaf.

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As a beginner workouts seem very complicated...Trying to come up with a simple at home plan

Hi All,

over the last bit of time I managed to go from 125kgs to 114kgs by just eating healthy and skipping but I now want to get back into shape (17 year old me). I have a few pieces of equipment in the house but everything just seems so complicated when I look them up online.

My short term goals are to get under 100kg, and strengthen my shoulders and back. I've got an existing weak shoulder from my tennis days and if I can build up my back and shoulder muscles it should be ok (Physio's advice). Long term are to get into the 80's but being healthier is the main goal.

For my weight loss, I'm eating around 2100 calories a day, Low carb, Higher Protein. then the fats are to meet 2000 so depends on the carbs that day. Nothing crazy just prefer chicken and pork to carbs. I've got a spin bike in the house so ive been doing 30 minutes of that a day at around 25kms average speed. and now that I'm doing more bike fitness have started skipping less...but am doing pretty high intensity skipping every few days. Was skipping a ton more but it was putting a air bit of pressure on my ankles so have cut back a bit and instead gone into the bike path.

My brother just bought a power tower off amazon So I want to start adding in exercises to work on my back, shoulders, & triceps basically the 3 areas that are fucking up my shoulder when I play tennis.

I keep trying to find a simple plan to do at home..but they all seem super complicated and Im now concerned I'll be doing them wrong and be not really helping my self. Am I going to fuck myself over if I just stick to push ups, Pull ups, Skipping and cycling? I've only just started push ups and and Pull ups will start when the tower is delivered

But if I aim to do 30 minutes cycle, 50 push ups (5 sets of 10), 10 pull ups is that a reasonable goal for a beginner? less than an hour to complete but my goal at the start will be form. I know I can do more push ups with crappier form but Id prefer to get them right. I imagine as it's more than 12 years since I was doing pull ups I'll have the same problem. My mindset at the moment is to start simple and build up the reps over time.

Could something simple like this work on a daily basis or is that a mistake? -

Sorry if this seems like gibberish my only experience with muscle strengthening was when i was 15/16 and that was the same basic push ups, pull ups with a few other things thrown in with my tennis coach,

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Overcoming food addiction

I wrote all this yesterday to hold myself accountable, reckoned it might help someone out there too so im posting it.

Trying to evercome food addiction

Identify your trigger foods and find healthy substitutes. Here are mine and what works for me

• Chips (nacho, potato or veggie chips) 600 calories -> Unflavored popcorn 80 calories
• Ramen 580 calories -> Seaweed soup 270 calories/ storebought soup 120 calories
• Rice and pasta -> Substitute with shole grain variants, dont cook more than you should eat.
• Beer 300 calories -> Simple cocktail (vodka, lime flavored sparkling water) 74 calories
• Regular Cheese 403 cal x 100 grams-> Cottage cheese 103 cal x 100 grams

Coping mechanics (food related)

• Drink a hot beverage before bed.
• Eat as many fruits and raw veggies as you like. Eating a peach or a handful of cherry tomatoes will never make you fat.
• Learn to differentiate hunger from cravings. Try the apple test; whenever you feel like overeating, think about eating an apple, if the idea of eating said apple is unappetizing, then you´re not really hungry ( and if it is, then go ahead and eat an apple!)
• Understand your timing! If you're mostly hungry at night, save your calories for later in the day. Otherwise you'll eat most of your daily calories only to find yourself just as hungry in the afternoon.
• Don't be too afraid to eat less or skip meals from time to time. It's not a healthy habit by any means but don't act like it's the end of the world if you don't eat eight meals a day. If you´re not hungry, you´re not hungry.
• No, you don't “have to” clean your plate and no, it won't kill you to skip dinner or breakfast because you aren't hungry.
• Plan your meals, even your snacks
• Register everything
• Weight yourself daily i.e hold yourself accountable
• Chew mint flavored gum while cooking to avoid mindless eating.
• Take a good hard look at your daily routine. When are you failing? Is it in the morning, the afternoon at night? what do you eat while binging? how does it make you feel and why?

Coping mechanics (non-food related)

• Keep yourself distracted
• Stop thinking about food constantly. Believe itor not, theres more to life than eating.
• Talk to someone
• Practice self care. Do your skin routine, do your nails, pick your outfit, tidy up the room.
• Avoid hanging out in the kitchen
• Brush your teeth religiously after each meal
• BE HONEST: Never eat secretively and don't lie about what you eat
• THINK ABOUT YOURSELF FOR ONCE: Think long and hard about the reason why you are addicted to stuffing yourself. Where does this addiction come from? There's a very important difference between a bad habit you've never quite put down and a coping mechanism for past trauma. Remember that weight loss starts in the brain, make your mental health a priority and get hhelp if you need to.

Break the mindset

• “I'm always going to be fat” You will as long as you don't change
• “I´ll eat this now and get back on track tomorrow” Just drop it and walk away, weightloss is ot about future promises, its about present commitments.
• “Starting monday, I'm doing everything right” Why start later? star now!
• “I have a family reunions coming up, whatever weight I lose these days I'm sure to gain it back” Not really, just plan ahead and be thoguhtful. Remember to step outside of yourself in social situation and think about what you´re eating
• “If I don't eat this, Ill have to throw it away and itll go to waste” Then throw it. Your body isnt a trashcan.

And remember

• You are not a falure. You are more than the food you eat, you are more than a number on a scale. You deserve a full life and to free yourself from this mindset
• Its not a matter of never failing, its a matter of carrying on despite failing
• You are what you do, not what you say you will do
• Be better today than you were yesterday, be greater tomorrow than you will be today

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Day 1? Starting your weight loss journey on Monday, 02 December 2019? Start here!

Today is your Day 1?

Welcome to r/Loseit!

So you aren’t sure of how to start? Don’t worry! “How do I get started?” is our most asked question. r/Loseit has helped our users lose over 1,000,000 recorded pounds and these are the steps that we’ve found most useful for getting started.

Why you’re overweight

Our bodies are amazing (yes, yours too!). In order to survive before supermarkets, we had to be able to store energy to get us through lean times, we store this energy as adipose fat tissue. If you put more energy into your body than it needs, it stores it, for (potential) later use. When you put in less than it needs, it uses the stored energy. The more energy you have stored, the more overweight you are. The trick is to get your body to use the stored energy, which can only be done if you give it less energy than it needs, consistently.

Before You Start

The very first step is calculating your calorie needs. You can do that HERE. This will give you an approximation of your calorie needs for the day. The next step is to figure how quickly you want to lose the fat. One pound of fat is equal to 3500 calories. So to lose 1 pound of fat per week you will need to consume 500 calories less than your TDEE (daily calorie needs from the link above). 750 calories less will result in 1.5 pounds and 1000 calories is an aggressive 2 pounds per week.

Tracking

Here is where it begins to resemble work. The most efficient way to lose the weight you desire is to track your calorie intake. This has gotten much simpler over the years and today it can be done right from your smartphone or computer. r/loseit recommends an app like MyFitnessPal, Loseit! (unaffiliated), or Cronometer. Create an account and be honest with it about your current stats, activities, and goals. This is your tracker and no one else needs to see it so don’t cheat the numbers. You’ll find large user created databases that make logging and tracking your food and drinks easy with just the tap of the screen or the push of a button. We also highly recommend the use of a digital kitchen scale for accuracy. Knowing how much of what you're eating is more important than what you're eating. Why? This may explain it.

Creating Your Deficit

How do you create a deficit? This is up to you. r/loseit has a few recommendations but ultimately that decision is yours. There is no perfect diet for everyone. There is a perfect diet for you and you can create it. You can eat less of exactly what you eat now. If you like pizza you can have pizza. Have 2 slices instead of 4. You can try lower calorie replacements for calorie dense foods. Some of the communities favorites are cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash in place of their more calorie rich cousins. If it appeals to you an entire dietary change like Keto, Paleo, Vegetarian.

The most important thing to remember is that this selection of foods works for you. Sustainability is the key to long term weight management success. If you hate what you’re eating you won’t stick to it.

Exercise

Is NOT mandatory. You can lose fat and create a deficit through diet alone. There is no requirement of exercise to lose weight.

It has it’s own benefits though. You will burn extra calories. Exercise is shown to be beneficial to mental health and creates an endorphin rush as well. It makes people feel awesome and has been linked to higher rates of long term success when physical activity is included in lifestyle changes.

Crawl, Walk, Run

It can seem like one needs to make a 180 degree course correction to find success. That isn’t necessarily true. Many of our users find that creating small initial changes that build a foundation allows them to progress forward in even, sustained, increments.

Acceptance

You will struggle. We have all struggled. This is natural. There is no tip or trick to get through this though. We encourage you to recognize why you are struggling and forgive yourself for whatever reason that may be. If you overindulged at your last meal that is ok. You can resolve to make the next meal better.

Do not let the pursuit of perfect get in the way of progress. We don’t need perfect. We just want better.

Additional resources

Now you’re ready to do this. Here are more details, that may help you refine your plan.

• Quick Start Guide - Build your foundation!
• Loseit Compendium - Frame it out!
• FAQ - Answers to our most Frequently Asked Questions!

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Anyone else struggling with endless yo-yoing (weight loss-binge cycle)

Hello everyone!

Is there anyone else struggling with a vicious circle of losing and gaining weight? My life at least has seemed to form a certain kind of a pattern: I gain weight, go up until about 68-75kg, then I go for a diet mainly consisting of a lot of exercise and less food and lose about 10 kilograms. When I am almost done, like having only the last 3 to 5kg I start bingeing and binge my weight back to the start or even higher.

Needless to say that I am absolutely tired of this circle and would definitely not want to binge and gain weight anymore again. In July I said that I want to lose this weight for good and what happened again. I weighted at 64kg about 1,5 months ago and after it have just been bingeing like crazy. I know I need to make a permanent lifestyle change but for some reason I find it incredibly difficult. When I am at my highest I always think it doesn't matter how slowly I lose until it is permanent. But for some reason I always end up restricting/over-exercising or something and the weight dropp becomes too quick to maintain. (I assume).

Anyone else who had struggled with this and how did you change it????

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Dating a 36-year-old woman half way to weight loss goal with SAGGY SKIN everywhere?

If you swiped right on Bumble or Hinge (or any dating app) and met a cute girl, and then went on a bunch of dates... and after date 5/6 (ish) you hook up and find out that her body looks like a 95-year-olds, what would you do?

If I were a guy, I would run. And that’s why I am 36 and hiding away like a hermit and avoiding all social situations while my friends are married and popping out second and third babies.

Background: I’ve lost 40 lbs so far. I have 45 to go. I am excited and working hard, but so so so discouraged because my body is disgusting already. VERY saggy arms, stomach, thighs, breasts, butt, legs.... everywhere... it’s all REALLY bad. I look like I’ve lost at least 150 lbs, partly because I have been yo yo dieting forever and have had 2-3 major weight losses/gains in my life and it’s all catching up to me in a bad bad way.

TLDR: I’ve got to start dating again because I’m 36 already and would like to have kids, but I’ve dated enough (in my previous skinny days) to know that this is going to be a disaster. Losing my mind. Any words of encouragement? Inspirational dating app stories? Help!! 😀

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Turns out a diet of 90% pumpkin pie for a few days doesn’t have to totally ruin your progress!

So, I decided to take a break from logging my calories in MFP for the Thanksgiving break, because I struggle with feeling super guilty when I go over my calorie limit. I didn’t want to think about that or feel bad for eating the same thing that everyone else was, so I decided to just take a few days off from logging.

I did pretty well for the actual thanksgiving dinner, actually. I had a plate with fairly normal portions of my favorite things (turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, and a roll). What happened after though.... that was a different story. My family sat around for several hours playing cards, and during that time I drank THREE cans of soda and ate too many Oreo balls to count.

And then came the pie. I didn’t actually eat any that night. But Friday... and Saturday... and today. I had so. much. pie. In the past three days, I have eaten an entire pumpkin pie. Well, today I decided to step on the scale and get back to logging calories to hold myself accountable. I fully expected a solid extra five pounds, but I gained LESS THAN A POUND. 0.8 pounds I gained on my diet of pumpkin pie! I had no idea how it happened, but I was SO HAPPY. I’ve never been so excited over weight gain.

I’ve lost 45 pounds since I’ve started this whole weight loss thing, and the irrational part of me was sure that I’d just gain it all back over the holidays. Well, I’ve successfully made it through one of the holidays and hardly gained anything! And I got to eat a shit ton of pie!

tl;dr: Ate pie. Gained weight. Am happy.

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