Using Meditation for Weight Loss

Rosie
Jan 28, 2023
3 min read

When we think about weight and fat loss, we probably think of two things; diet and exercise.

These are the two things that directly influence our calorie intake and expenditure, and therefore are direct influencers of weight loss.

However, we often don’t consider the things that indirectly influence weight loss, such as meditation.

Don't get me wrong, meditation isn’t going to magically burn away our fat, but what it can do is help our mind and body reconnect to maximise success in our weight loss journey.

So, what exactly is meditation?

Meditation involves changing your awareness and perspective to develop a positive relationship with your thoughts and feelings. Instead of blocking our thoughts and feelings (especially negative ones) we learn to understand and cope with them.

In turn, this helps us develop a healthy mindset for any problems and struggles we come across in life.

Of course, this is easier said than done, and isn’t going to solve all our problems in one go. But, what it can do is work as a tool to help overcome small challenges one at a time.

How does meditation aid weight loss specifically?

Let’s start by reflecting on some familiar scenarios:

1. You’ve had a tough day at work, you’ve had a hundred and one chores to complete and you’re feeling overwhelmed by stress. You deal with your stress by reaching for those late-night snacks.

2. You’re not comfortable in your body and you don’t feel you are progressing in your weight loss journey. You ask yourself “what’s the point of doing this?” and proceed to give in to temptation and overeat on the foods that are not so good for us.

These are typical scenarios we all deal with regularly. When we feel a sense of stress or failure, we have a tendency to overeat.

We don’t eat because we are hungry, we eat because our brain has recognised we are stressed and looks for some sort of comforter.

For many of us, this comforter is food (often leading to bingeing), which then leads to weight gain and sabotaging our progress.

What we’re seeing here is a disconnection between our body and mind, and that’s where meditation comes in.

When we meditate we are lowering our stress levels and becoming more rational in our thinking. We can eliminate the need for a comforter, or think of other more beneficial ways to deal with our stress which doesn’t result in binge session.

So really, meditation is perfect for emotional and binge eaters! Me being one of them!

How do I meditate for weight loss?

There’s nothing special about meditating for weight loss specifically. The goal is to alter our awareness and to develop a positive relationship with our thoughts and feelings.

To meditate, find a comfortable environment with minimal distractions. Use the Guided Meditations and focus on each inhale and exhale, paying particular attention to your senses.

If your mind starts to wonder just bring it back to your breathing and listen to my voice. Finish the session by taking in the environment around you, and reflecting on where your mind was at during the session.

I would also check out the Journalling section of the site, because there's some great tips on how to use a journal for this sort of thing.

As always, post in the support group if you need any help or guidance. Rosie x