If you tend to struggle resisting cookies, donuts and other sugary sweets, researchers have discovered a simple solution: Try exercising more! Because, over time, exercise is now proven to help you make healthier food choices.
That’s according to a new study in the International Journal of Obesity. It involved over 2,000 people who normally didn’t exercise. But they agreed to follow a fitness plan, which involved exercising at least three times a week, for 3 months.
And the result? Even though nobody was required to change their diet, researchers found the majority of exercisers gradually ate MORE fruits, vegetables, and lean meat… while also eating FEWER fried foods, sodas, and sugary snacks. And the more intensely people exercised, the more healthfully they ate!
Researchers say this is the latest proof that exercise has benefits that go way beyond improving your fitness. In fact, studies from Harvard University found physical activity can “rewire” your brain by triggering the release of mood-boosting neurotransmitters – including dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. And one upshot is that as your mood improves, you’ll begin to look for OTHER ways to make positive changes in your life… like choosing to eat a salad for lunch instead of a bucket of fast food combo!