Endorphin Equation

Monday, February 16, 2009
I like Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and Valentines just as much as anyone - but for years - probably since the arrival of the small people in my house, it has served to mark at the winter hibernation season. Maybe it is because of my kids have severe peanut allergies that I find it to be my motherly duty to devour any such item that arrives in their bucket, stocking, cracker, or box. That combined with the darkening of days and the frigid temps in the past has made the decision between taking a walk and eating a box of Whoppers to be a no brainer. For whatever reason, Easter doesn't seem to cause a similar response. The weather tends to improve and the 40 days of lent takes the edge off of the gluttony of an Easter basket on Easter morning. This year, however, has been different. The holiday stretch has brought focus, fortitude, and a stability of purpose. And while I certainly ate my share (and probably then some) of the office candy bowl, I also knew that I was doing my part ot keep it all in check. I think it was also due in large part ot my endorphin addiction. Research shows that chocolate and exercise enhance endorphin secretions. So it would follow that if one ate 106 mini-chocolates to equal X amount of endorphins in 2007-08's holiday stretch, then one exercised y amount of minutes exercising on one's treadmill desk in 2008-09, the total mini-chocolates needed to match the endorphin high of the previous year would be substantially less:

x = endorphins from 106 mini-chocolates
x/106 = endorphin/mini-chocolate
y = exercise minutes on a treadmill desk
z = endorphins from treadmill desk exercise

x= z + q(x/106)

where q is the number of mini-chocolates needed for 2008-09

106 > q

Happy end of the holiday stretch!
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3 comments:

Shannon said...

Sadly, no amount of exercise can replace good dark chocolate in my life. :)

Juli said...

but of the less than 106 chocolates -- now I can be picky -- only the special dark!

Shannon said...

Aaah, I see how it works. So a treat really is a treat, rather than mindless grazing. I am working on that attitude, too.