A tale of tyrosine

After an anxiety ridden week, I am truly amazed by the power of a balanced diet. After barley sleeping last night, I woke up this morning ready to tear phone books apart. But after a bowl of oatmeal and a good workout, my angst quickly gave way to a renewed sense of calm and purpose. What changed? Carbs! That is, today was the only day during the week in which I consume more than 150 carbs.

Numerous studies have shown that starchy carbs (potatoes, grains, etc) in particular stimulate the production of seratonin-- a neurotransmitter which improves mood. In stark contrast, my diet during the week consists primarily of protein which produces an abundance of tyrosine-- a neurotransmitter which wakes up the brain.

Because too much of either chemical will cause you to feel either lethargic or wired (in my case), balance is particularly important while dieting. With this in mind, I plan to introduce more carbs in to my diet because apparently beans are not cutting it.

On the positive side, I am visibly more defined, my stomach is flatter and things seem to be going as planned. Due to a lack of late dinners this week, I was really happy to be able to stick to my diet. I also got in three intense interval sessions this week and maintained my strength on major lifts in the gym.

While it is impossible to build muscle while in a calorie deficit, I have focused on maintaining strength in key lifts (bench press, squat, pullup, deadlift) which will lead to a surge in growth after my cutting period.

But most encouraging of all is the fact that I will actually be able to sleep tonight, so I am off to enjoy my carb laden bliss and prepare to return to earth in the morning ;)