Yahoo Lifestyle An unexpected way to beat belly fat
More and more people are becoming aware of the benefits of mindfulness.
From lowering stress to protecting yourself from heart disease to eating less, studies continue to show that having an awareness of your body’s processes have a range of health benefits.
And now, a new study has shown how mindfulness has an impact on physicality by revealing that people who are more mindful have less belly fat and are less likely to be obese.
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The research published in the International Journal of Behavioural Medicine examined 394 people around the age of 50. The cohort are part of the New England Family Study, a long-term project where researchers have been following them since the womb.
Researchers assessed the mindfulness of both men and women using a standard questionnaire called the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS).
More: The best apps for meditation
After examining other health markers like body fat and weight, study authors found that people who had low levels of mindfulness were 34 per cent more likely to be obese, compared to those with a mindful disposition. People with low levels of mindfulness also tended to have half a kilo of extra belly fat when compared to their mindful counterparts.
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“The vast majority of these people are not meditating - it’s just everyday mindfulness and everyday awareness of thoughts, emotions and physical sensations,” study author Eric Loucks, an assistant professor of epidemiology at Brown University. “People who are more aware seem to either be eating less or being more physically active.”
The study couldn’t explain the correlation between a mindful disposition and less body fat but researchers suggest that people who are naturally mindful are more aware of their bodies and mood cues. Previous research has shown that people who eat mindfully, for example, tend to eat less.
It’s also worth noting the benefit mindfulness has on stress levels, particularly the hormone cortisol. Cortisol levels can increase when exposed to chronic, everyday stress – and too much cortisol leads to visceral fat being stored around the belly.
Wanting to control cortisol? Get moving: aerobic exercise directly reduces cortisol levels and speeds up your metabolism. And make sure you’re having a healthy amount of high-fibre foods and omega-3 fatty acids. Cortisol regulates your blood sugar, so having a balanced diet will help keep those levels even.
