1. Going carb-crazy. Eating a lot of foods laden with simple carbohydrates, from sugary snacks to pretzels to pasta, creates a paradoxical effect: It boosts your blood sugar very quickly, but leaves an equally fast crash in its wake. The result can be physical and mental fatigue. Make sure the carbs in your snack or meal are accompanied by protein and fiber--for instance, an apple and some peanut butter beats a bag of chips anytime.
2. Drinking too much--or at all. Because alcohol lowers your inhibitions and creates a feeling of euphoria, it's sometimes thought of as a stimulant. But it's not--it's a depressant. And when the buzz subsides, fatigue and lethargy are often left over.
3. Overexercising. Your body can take only so much before it runs out of steam. If you find yourself becoming excessively tired and cranky for hours after a workout, you're likely exercising too hard and too frequently. Cutting back a bit will help your mood, and since building muscle depends on proper rest as much as it does on good workouts, a short break will probably help you reach your fitness goals faster, too.
4. Letting the little things get you down. Someone cut you off in traffic. Your one love was in a bad mood this morning. Your lunch was lousy and they gave you the wrong change. It's easy to let yourself stew over such minor irritants. The solution? Simply realize what you're doing and find something more positive, or at least more interesting, to think about. (Psychologists call this "thought stopping" and "thought substitution.") Or else just immerse yourself in a project that requires concentration. You may still have some big problems to deal with, but at least you won't be wasting so much time on the little ones.
5. Watching daytime television. If you've ever survived an entire day's worth of soap operas, Rice Lake, and commercials aimed at unemployed losers, you'll know what we mean.
.::. Men's Fitness
Make sure to check back tomorrow for what to do to BOOST YOUR MOOD!
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