Mindful eating combined with stress reduction techniques has been found to prevent gain without dieting or food restriction.
In the run up to Christmas there are parties and social gatherings most of which will be accompanied by an excess of food. According to the research that has been conducted by University of California, San Francisco, learning to use mindfulness techniques in addition to reducing stress can aid the reduction of deep set belly fat.
Mindful eating involves re-training one’s mind to notice how they are feeling rather than automatically reaching for food as a force of habit. By being mindful, a person becomes aware of their emotions and bodily sensations, once they have this awareness they are more likely to react better to adverse situations and reportedly make decisions with more clarity.
The study which has been published in the Journal of Obesity, found that obese and chronically stressed women who participated in daily meditation and a 9-week training course were able to change their eating patterns, had reduced levels of stress hormone cortisol and stopped gaining weight while women in the wait list controls continued to build up deep set belly fat which can be a major factor in developing heart disease and diabetes .
