WEIGHT-LOSS

Better decisions for a better you

There’s no point hiding from the fact that meditation is generally a stationary activity – on the surface, Buddha doesn’t exactly look like a picture of health! – That being said, meditation can help affect weight loss because of its effect on our decision making; which is ultimately at the very heart of a healthy life.

The best way to understand how we to lose weight is by understanding how we gained weight in the first place. Most of the causes of gaining weight can be categorised as either eating unhealthily or not getting enough exercising. Whilst these two factors may seem to be total opposites, they are both linked by one thing – whether or not we are making positive decisions for ourselves.

Taking control of unwanted habits

The decision to go for that run when it’s raining or the ability to say no to that temptation depends on the control we have over our thoughts. Once we are able to identify a craving for what it is, just a passing thought, we are halfway to preventing that thought turning to unwanted action. Meditation is the perfect activity to practise making positive long-term decisions in the here and now. Research has shown [1] that meditation can help us break up automatic habits and cravings by showing us how impermanent their hold on our attention actually is.

A bottomless Well of self esteem

Generally, the main reason we want to lose weight alongside health is for self-esteem. Sometimes it can seem a vicious circle; we need a little bit of self-esteem to draw on for motivation, but we need the motivation to help us generate that self-esteem. Studies have shown that meditation has been shown to increase feelings of self-worth, [2] and that first-bit confidence can be the push to get the ball rolling. The often overlooked perks of meditation is that it is private, quiet and available twenty four seven, a literally limitless resource of confidence and progress!

"Practising meditation every morning has given my life structure. The discipline that I cultivate with just 10 minutes every morning spills into every other aspect of my life. I undertake tasks and challenges with a new sense of focus and confidence."

"10 years ago, I was suffering from extreme anxiety. I was recommended mindfulness from a friend. At first, I was unsure, but being at breaking point, I thought I'd give it a try. With a few weeks of practice, I was sleeping again and had a skip in my step. For me, it was a game-changer."

"After two decades of dealing with insomnia, never being able to achieve a restful nights sleep, I knew there had to be a better way. Meditation allowed me to feel like someone who can sleep through the night and approach the new day feeling restored and full of energy."

And here’s for the science, take a look in full: