The connection between weight management and mind-body connection cannot be overstated, however I don’t feel like I see it addressed often in the most widely circulating sources. Our food intake is often immediately downstream from our mental state. “Comfort” food and stress eating paired with chronically high cortisol is the perfect match to get us fat and keep us that way.
If you’re reading this post I have to assume that you’re at least aware that meditation is a thing. And more importantly, it’s a thing you should be doing on the regular. If you’re not aware, now you are. Mediation has been around and providing benefits for practitioners for centuries. One of those benefits is weight loss and/or management. 10 minutes of daily meditation will slow and focus the mind reducing the stress and anxiety that often leads to poor eating habits and poisons our body with prolonged high levels of cortisol.
This slowing of the mind is useful in all kinds of ways. It increases concentration and focus which can lead to better food choices. Thinking more slowly and being aware of our surroundings and ourselves helps us to recognize patterns and habits that are harmful. These patterns and habits are so much of the time on autopilot. Maybe you like the chocolate, peanut butter, no-bake oatmeal cookies from a gas station on your way home from work? (Very specific, I know. I promise I don’t personally know anyone with this affliction*cough-cough-chew-chew*) When you drive past that gas station, the power of habit pulls your car into the parking lot like a Siren. Most of the time you don’t even notice it, you just end up there. Mediation can fix this. You’ll be more aware and start noticing things you do while on autopilot. Some of them are beneficial, some aren’t.
Meditation can also help to set and maintain focus on daily intentions leading to positive habitual behaviors. If you’ve meal prepped all your food for the week, or for the day, meditating on and visualizing your day going to plan will help you stick to it. You’ll see common obstacles that you’ve failed to overcome in the past like a birthday cake in the office or a lunch invitation and be ready to sidestep it. It’s such a cool feeling when the Spidey sense you’ve acquired from meditation shows you the hurdle so far ahead of time you don’t even have to jump over it. You simply smile and walk around it. No hurry. No stress.
Like everything else, meditation takes practice. It can be frustrating when you learn that you can’t keep your mind from wandering for more than a few seconds at time. But, when you orient yourself to realize that a wandering mind is your opportunity to reset and strengthen this muscle, that’s a huge win. It takes reps. Perfection is unattainable.
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