A winter diet of junk food has a negative on mental health, and if you have been overindulging you may feel depressed. With plenty of gyms in London, you can take small steps to beat the blues.

Studies have revealed that people who regularly ate hamburgers, hotdogs and pizzas, were 51 per cent more likely to develop depression than those who hardly ever ate junk food.
The study also showed that those people on a high junk food diet were more likely to be single, less active, smokers, and workaholics – working a hefty 45 hours a week or more.

But for those who are feeling down after a diet of winter comfort food, help is at hand if you can motivate yourself to visit the gym. The gyms in London offer a wide variety of activities, both through group sessions and classes, to going it alone on the treadmill. If you can get a little more exercise than you can improve your mental health.

The study, which involved almost 9,000 participants never before diagnosed with depression, is now published in the Journal of Public Health Nutrition.

Scientists observed and tested the group over a six month time frame, and found 493 of them were diagnosed with depression or began taking anti-depressant medication.

The link to commercially baked goods was equally conclusive as fast food, the study found.

But while junk food can lead to depression and feeling generally low, an uptake of exercise has shown to significantly improve your wellbeing. If you’d rather not attend a gym, then by just getting outside you are improving your mood. A brisk walk around the park will get your heart and lungs working, increase your serotonin levels (the hormone that makes you feel happy), and increase your body’s vitamin D levels, which comes from being exposed to sunlight. This all helps to combat depression – and is cheap and easy to achieve.

With junk food being highly addictive to many people, and an increase in obesity levels in the UK, getting out and about and trying to lead a fit and healthy lifestyle can mean you need a certain amount of willpower to achieve your goals. But by attending one of the many gyms in London, taking up a team sport, or going out for a walk with friends, you are more likely to get the support you need, rather than trying to do everything alone without specific targets.

Remember, try and ditch the mood lowering junk food, and instead try to go for slow energy-releasing foods which keep you fuller for longer and taste just as good. Maybe a bowl of porridge or some pasta at lunchtime will keep your hunger pangs at bay. Simple steps can quickly see your way to a much happier, and a much healthier lifestyle – staving off those feelings of depression.

If you are interested in going to some of the gyms in London on a pay as you go basis visit www.payasygym.com.