Meditation for Weight Loss: How Can it Help You?

Posted by: lucas on September 16, 2011 Under: weight loss tips|

Though diet and exercise are the cornerstones of any weight loss plan, the mental aspect is important as well. Many people use meditation for weight loss as a way to stay focused on their goals and clear their minds. Staying motivated in pursuing one’s goals is just as important as making a habit of getting regular exercise and eating healthy, and lots of people struggle more with the mental aspects of a diet plan than they do with the physical ones. Meditation can be a useful tool in helping dieters achieve success with their weight loss plans by keeping them focused and in control of the mental aspect of weight loss.

Meditation for Weight Loss: How Does Meditation Work?

Meditation isn’t just for Buddhists and zen masters. It’s a useful practice that is used by people all over the world to escape from the worries and troubles of the day and stay grounded in the present. The goal of meditation is to clear the mind and force the body into a relaxed state — one of decreased pulse and blood pressure and slower breathing. Most people meditate by sitting in a comfortable position, often with the legs crossed, closing their eyes, and concentrating on a single sound, image, or word. In traditional meditation, the individual hums a word to occupy his or her thoughts. The most common such word is “om.” By creating a low humming sound, you have something to focus on, which prevents other thoughts from intruding into your mind.

While many argue about the purpose of meditation, it has a clear utility to us in our modern, busy lives: it keeps us grounded in the present. By focusing all of your attention on a single sound that is currently happening, you eliminate thoughts of the past and the future. It allows you to enjoy the current moment without all of the worries that come along with modern living.

Meditation for Weight Loss: Will it Help Me Lose Weight?

“All that sounds great,” you might be thinking, “but how does meditation apply to weight loss?” Certainly, meditation is not a weight loss program in itself. Any real program for losing weight will require diet and exercise. But meditation’s mind-clearing effects are benficial to everyone. Try meditating before exercising for a super-focused workout routine, or meditating in the morning for a fresh start which will help you make healthy decisions throughout the day.

Meditation has also been proven to reduce stress levels, which has important implications for weight loss. When we feel stress, our bodies release a hormone called cortisol. In fact, cortisol has been called the “stress hormone” because of its strong association with stress. Cortisol contributes to weight gain and it may even have a role in the areas where fat is deposited, encouraging the body to place fat in the abdomen. Meditating to reduce stress will reduce cortisol levels, thereby reducing its weight gain effects on your body.

Meditation for weight loss is not a magic bullet; it won’t cure your weight gain woes by itself. But it can help you feel more focused and energized, and it can reduce stress. And those are important factors in sticking with any weight loss programs.