The majority of us are living extremely rushed lifestyles that feel like we never get the chance to just stop and smell the roses. This can lead us to forget to take a moment to practice gratitude throughout the day. Indeed, we’re reminded to be thankful on an annual basis when Thanksgiving rolls around. But remember the things we’re grateful is a practice that can benefit us all year round, not just when we’re fighting with family members over the rights to one of the turkey drumsticks.
If you feel inclined to roll your eyes and say that actively practicing gratitude is hokey, then you might change your mind when you hear that it’s not only good for your mental and physical health, but it has also been shown in scientific studies to be beneficial for weight loss, too. Not just one study. Several.
The reason is that there are a long list of different types of benefits and effects that occur while you’re being grateful and these can each have an impact on the way you lose weight and how effectively each of those strategies will be for you.
Consider the following 3 amazing ways that practicing regular gratitude can help you to lose weight more effectively:
• It helps you to conquer stress eating – Being thankful and practicing gratitude on a regular basis is a highly effective stress busting tool. When you’re regularly thinking about everything that is going well for you, it can help to support a more positive attitude and a better overall mood. When you’re feeling happy and hopeful, you don’t have as much room to feel stressed and anxious. When you’re not feeling as stressed, you’re less likely to stress eat, making it easier for you to keep control over your daily nutrient and calorie intake.
• It helps you to appreciate the foods you do eat – Taking the time to step back and look at the foods you have available to you can encourage you to make better choice about what you eat and how much of it you’re consuming. It also helps you to slow down and enjoy the foods you’re putting on your plate. Instead of wolfing down your dinner in under ten minutes, you can enjoy the flavors and textures. Take the time to savor your food and be grateful for the experience every day. It will add another five minutes or so onto the meal and give your brain the chance to register the amount of food you’ve eaten. As a result, you’ll be less likely to overeat because you’ll feel satisfied by the time you finish your plate.
• You’ll start to set goals – When you appreciate your life, you’ll be more likely to appreciate who you are, too. When you learn to love yourself, you’ll be more likely to set great goals for yourself, such as those for your mind, body and dreams. This will help you to improve your health, including your weight, and maintain your healthy lifestyle over the long term.
