The benefits of Meditation are many - stress relief, boosting brain health, fighting depression and insomnia. Now there is a newly discovered benefit to meditating just seven minutes per day - Weightloss.
A recent study showed that if people who want to lose weight spent just seven minutes meditating each day, they would suffer far less food cravings than those who did not meditate. Another benefit if meditation was that those who practiced this were far more able to resist the cravings they did feel.
I can personally attest to this benefit of mediating daily. About a year ago, I started practicing tai chi, a form of moving meditation. I found that over time, I experienced less cravings for unhealthy foods like sugar or empty carbohydrates and I felt fully satisfied with less food. I just didn't want to overeat anymore! it was amazing. It makes me wonder just how much of my eating habits were based on stress levels and cravings.
The meditation study took place over a 7 week period. Participants were taught "mindfulness meditation" where they practiced accepting their cravings rather than trying to fight or ignore them. Mindfulness meditation seems to help lower the frustration levels and the preoccupation with food which is triggered by trying to use sheer will power to suppress cravings.
How to Meditate
One way to learn meditation is to take a yoga or tai chi class. Most yoga practices begin and end with meditation and tai chi, as I said earlier, is a form of moving meditation requiring focus and breath work.
Learn more about the benefits of meditation and some simple techniques.
Learn more about mindfulness and how you can practice it.
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