Need a healthy snack you won't find addicting? Then peanuts should be your pick. Why? Because they don't cause a direct release of the pleasure neurotransmitter dopamine, like some foods do -- foods like sugary cereals, which release dopamine, make you feel great, and then cause you to crash and reach for more of the item that made you feel so good. Not the case with peanuts.

Peanuts satisfy without a roller-coaster effect. They're also good for your heart, full of healthy fats, and powered with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory goods. Just an ounce of peanuts per day will do you good, minus the major cravings.

More articles on the merits of nuts here.

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Feeling great and being in a good mood is a very complicated process made up of numerous pieces and processes. If you're having trouble with your exercise and fitness goals you should consider carefully why that might be. Although there are any number of reasons you may be lacking motivation, like whether or not you're doing something you love for exercise (don't try to make yourself jog every day if you hate running!), it's worth considering other sneakier causes. The science of feeling great is a complicated one!

One aspect of making sure you're "in the mood" to exercise is making sure you give your brain what it needs to be positive and happy. Brain chemistry is a delicate balance of many things, including your metabolism (no, it's not just about energy and calorie burning, but mood too!) and neurotransmitters like seratonin -- which is responsible for feelings of happiness, calm, relaxation, confidence, concentration, and personal well-being. A lack of seratonin can lead to depression, as it does all too frequently for many people in this country.

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