When it comes to weight loss, we don’t often think about meditation. The focus tends to be on food and movement. While eating well and exercising are important, meditation is a great tool in helping our bodies maintain or loss weight.
So how is meditation related to weight loss? Here are just a few ways that adding meditation to your daily routine can help you reach your weight goals. Its important to remember that what we do in mediation carries over to the rest of our day.
Cortisol. Stress causes our bodies to release the stress hormone, cortisol. When cortisol is up, metabolism slows down, blood sugar goes up, and our bodies start to break down muscle tissue rather than fat tissue. When we add meditation to our daily practice, we are not only reducing stress in the moment, but ultimately reducing the amount of cortisol released in the day.
Fight or flight: Meditation helps our bodies enter the parasympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic system is the opposite of the sympathetic fight of flight mode. When we are in the relaxed state, rather than on heightened alert, our bodies can function at their best, balancing our satiety and hunger hormones. Satiety goes up, hunger goes down. We tend to graze less for those high carb and sugary foods.
Mindless eating: Meditation brings our attention to the now. The very basics of meditation is to sit and focus on your breath. Being in the now creates a sense of mindfulness, a heightened awareness of the current moment. When we create mindfulness for even five minutes in our daily practice, it will spill over to other parts of the day. Ever find yourself mindless eating through a whole bag of chips?
Alcohol. When we are stressed, or have a need to “unwind”, it is common to find that calming result from alcohol. It works fast and brings us to a temporary ‘relaxed state”. Alcohol, even a 1-2 drinks, can hinder any weight loss program. Alcohol causes inflammation, dehydration, and sleep deprivation, which all play a role in hindering our weight management goals.
Looking for a way to fit meditation into your life? Schedule a free health consultation here!
You will walk away with a plan for better health.
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