When we exercise, our muscles release a protein called myokines into the bloodstream.  This protein is also known as a "hope molecule," because it is said to act as a bit of an antidepressant.  The release of myokines can also improve overall brain function.

Each time our muscles contract, myokines, along with several other proteins in the body, are released.  There are hundreds of different myokines, and each comes with its own specific job.

Myokines have other cool functions as well.   They can...

• help turn white fat tissue into brown fat tissue (brown is the good kind!)  
• create an anti-inflammatory effect
• help prevent disease as a result of their anti-inflammatory properties
• one specific myokine, called Interleukin-15, helps us burn fat and use it as fuel

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Bottom line?  Keep moving.  Keep lifting weights.  For better mental AND physical health.

There are two schools of thought when it comes to the goal of "leaning out."  

1.  Go into a calorie deficit to lose scale weight and body fat.

2.  Eat to add muscle and lose weight.

There are a bajillion factors to consider in each approach, so understand that I am speaking generally as I explain each.

Option 1: 
A calorie deficit means eating fewer calories than you currently average on a consistent basis in order to lose scale weight.  This route can move the scale in a positive way, but not usually your body composition (which is your fat mass versus your lean mass).  You see, we need calories in order to keep and/or build muscle.  This approach is often accompanied by inordinent amounts of cardio.  Cardio, my friends, does not create the lean physiques you're admiring on social media.  Weights do.

UPSIDES:

• This may be a necessary route for those whose excess body fat has caused a medical condition.  It can be very effective in this case, especially when guided by a nutrition expert.
  
• If you aren't an active person, this may also be a good route for you to lose scale weight, (but it does not address the necessary topic of keeping muscle mass as we age). 
• When done properly, consistently, and under guidance, this route can be faster than option 2.

DOWNSIDES: 

• You may lose muscle in a caloric deficit as you lose body fat, which is a concern, particularly for the 40 and up crowd. 
  
• This route often leads to impermanent results. Eventually, most people get tired of the caloric deficit and start adding in more food in an uninformed, unstructured manner, and the weight comes back.  And the cycle begins again...and again and again and again.  Who's been there? 
  
• Brain fog often ensues when calories are taken away.  Especially an extreme amount.  Your body is forced to slow every process down that uses energy (which is, well, all of them), and this includes your cognitive processes (forming thoughts, solving problems, etc).
  
• Calories are energy and energy is calories.  The less energy you eat, the less oomph you'll have for workouts and every day activities.  
  
• Your pooper will slow down a bit.  Like I said above, EVERY process in the body...
  
• Disordered eating can become a problem due to the hyper concentration on food (and/or not eating) all day, every day.  
• If calories are taken away in a drastic manner, you can experience hair loss, slower or no hormone production (especially when in a deep deficit for more than a month or two at a time), brittle hair and nails, and sometimes loss of your menstrual cycle if taken to the extreme.
  

Option 2:  
This option requires more patience, but WILL last longer.  It requires paying attention to your macronutrient intake to be sure that you're eating enough protein, carbs, and fats to gain muscle, and in turn lose body fat. Lifting weights; heavy weights, will amp up these results in a big way.

UPSIDES: 

• You get to eat!
  
• You have energy because you are eating ample energy/calories for your activity levels. 
  
• You will likely lose body fat right off the rip (especially if you really weren't paying attention to your macro intake previously) by simply paying attention to how much protein you're taking in, which is very commonly low among men and women alike. 
  
• Your brain stays sharp because your body is fueled in a healthy manner. 
  
• You gain muscle, which in turn burns more calories because muscle is a hungry tissue in the body!  It needs calories to just maintain, and especially to build, itself. 
  
• Your hormone production stays stable.
  
• You can eat treats now and again and not feel guilty, because, well first of all, you shouldn't feel guilty...it's your body, you eat what you want and no one gets to say a darn thing about it but you! ...But back to the point...you can eat a treat now and again because your hard-earned muscle is burning calories all the dang time and it'll burn that treat right off without a thought (when not done too excessively, of course).
• You'll have energy to work HARD, I mean HAAAARRRDD, and lift heavy at workouts, which in turn builds more muscle, burns more calories, and well, let's just say it...makes you feel like an empowered little baddie!
• Your hair, skin and nails will glow with all of the activity and food you're putting into your body.

DOWNSIDES:

• This option takes a hair more patience because growing muscle takes a hot minute.  Figuring out how to eat properly for YOU does as well.  That's when a good nutrition coach can come in handy.  
• You have to buy new clothes because of all of the fat you'll shed with your newly fueled and built muscle. :)

You can see I'm mildly biased toward option 2. See folks, I've been there.  I've depleted the crap out of my hormones, my energy, my everything by taking option 1 and also trying to work my tail off in the gym.  It worked quickly, but at a higher cost to my overall health than what it was worth.  Two years later, I finally normalized the functioning of my hormones, got a fantastic certification through Precision Nutrition (followed by a Master Coach cert through them as well), and made sure I understood what I did to myself so that I could teach others how to approach weight loss and health in a way that benefits them across the board, not just in the mirror and on the scale.  

I hope this has been helpful!  Stay tuned for more good good on nutrition and fitness.