People who rated as being more mindful—or simply better tuned in to the here and now—had a whole pound less fat in the belly area than people with lower scores. One pound may not sound like much, but remember, that's one full pound in just your stomach area. (Also, Google "what 1 pound of fat looks like." Trust us: You'll be shocked.) Plus, belly fat is the most dangerous kind of fat: It's linked with greater risk of heart disease, diabetes, and death than fat carried in other parts of the body.
How could reshaping your mental approach help you reshape your body? Researchers say that running around on autopilot can cause you to eat mindlessly, even when you're not hungry. Ever find yourself halfway through a bag of chips after a stressful meeting, suddenly shocked to find out how much you've already scarfed down? Or have you ever come home after work and just started eating whatever's in the kitchen—sweet, savory, salty, and everything in between? Yep, that's exactly what we're talking about (and don't worry—we've all been there).
But mindfulness can put a stop to that kind of compulsive noshing. "The idea is that once we clearly feel the impacts of how we feel after we eat certain foods, we often start to take better care of ourselves," says Eric Loucks, PhD, lead author of the study and an assistant professor of epidemiology at Brown University.
How mindful are you? Find out using the exact same test taken by participants in the study—it takes less than 5 minutes and it's available right here.
And if you want to become more mindful, you've got plenty of options. Loucks suggests practicing meditation on your own—it's actually easier than it sounds. Need a place to start? Try these three quick meditations absolutely anyone can do and these eight simple meditations that can change your life.
(Plus, check out some perfect snacks to satisfy stress eaters and these proven ways to stop a food binge before it starts.)
We've even got a course that teaches you exactly how to eat your food more mindfully to lose weight: Stay tuned for the new Rodale U course Take Control of Your Eating & Never Diet Again. You can sign up starting on December 21.
