This is Your Brain on Phones

 #25

It's hard to beat a person who never gives up. - Babe Ruth


Fit Tip: Good Enough is Sometimes Best

You can follow a mediocre meal plan rather than a great one if it works better for you. You can quickly do some subpar workouts if you don't have time or energy for an optimal training session. If you try to follow all the fitness "rules" at once, it might seem impossible. A mostly healthy diet and some level of consistency in exercise will get you a long ways. Consistency is more important than perfection. Consistently working out twice a week all year long is better than every day for a week followed by a 2 week break. Easing back on your meal plan may even keep you from binging when you do fall off. Be OK with good enough and make your changes small and realistic.


New Study: Cellphones Rewire the Brain Similar to Drugs

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563225000573

What this study seemed to show was that a short phone detox can reset your brain's reward systems (dopamine and serotonin). This can help you feel more focused, calm, and mentally sharp. They used brain scans after the phone detox to reveal signs of improved brain regulation in regards to these reward centers. It is noted in the study that these are the areas in the brain that are activated in addiction studies; this helps to draw the obvious connection that we are addicted to our phones like we are to sugar, nicotine, or drugs. The participants in the study were allowed to answer work related calls and necessities only. While it doesn't seem the study was targeting social media apps directly, those and gaming apps are specifically designed to take advantage of the dopamine hits experienced that keep us coming back. My suggestion: try the occasional 3-day phone detox. I know I don't want to be addicted to anything, even if it seems innocent. 


June Challenge: Complete Multiple 16 Hour Fasts

It has been brought to my attention that those who enjoy the weekly challenges also find them hard to keep up with. Makes sense. Building a habit or mastering a skill takes more than a week, so let's try a monthly challenge to really focus on these healthy habits. If you did not complete a fast of at least 16 hours last week, you have another chance. If you did complete one, try doing a few per week or even extending the fast once. More is not always better, but 16 hours is quite practical and doable on a regular basis. 

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