When it comes to losing weight, mindfulness and meditation can be one more tool in your toolkit to help you reach your weight loss goals. Stress can adversely affect our health in so many ways by causing biological responses in our immune system and nervous system. Weight gain is one undesirable byproduct of chronic stress.
When we are stressed, numerous biological responses happen simultaneously in the body. The release of cortisol is one of these responses to stress, and cortisol can help your body store fat in your belly, which is exactly the opposite of what we want!
Many people are considered “stress eaters” and stress eaters often overeat, or binge when they eat while stressed. This vicious cycle of stress – overeating – cortisol – weight gain – stress is a very common cycle plaguing millions of people, and preventing those people from achieving their optimal health.
Meditation and mindfulness can help reduce stress, and in turn, may help you lose weight. Mindful eating and mindful exercising, as well as a meditation program might just do the trick for those who are stuck in the vicious cycle. Try a few of the links below to help start a meditation for weight management.
Below is a body scan guided meditation from Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder of the MBST Meditation program at UMass https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DTmGtznab4
Below is a link to many guided meditations from UCLA