14 DAY TRIAL // Dieting can often be a solution if a short-term, fast approach to losing weight is what one is looking for. Combined with exercise, it is very effective in shedding extra pounds but, scientists say, this is not a method that guarantees the best of health – at least, not as good as relaxation does, which is said to work in the long-term as well. A new study comes to prove that the best way to lose weight is to reduce stress by yoga and meditation.
Spanning approximately two years, the study included 225 overweight women, divided into three groups. Researchers at the University of Otago in New Zealand carefully monitored the adult females, who were asked to take up relaxation techniques, stick to a rigorous diet and workout schedule, and carefully read the nutritional information on every package, respectively. At the end of the study, all three groups of women lost considerable weight, and even managed to keep their weight constant.
However, the most striking results were those of female subjects in the first group, who started yoga, meditation and positive visualization exercises. It has been shown that, while the other women too also lost the extra pounds, it was these in the first group that were, at the end of it, healthier, happier and more fit, because the techniques helped them reduce stress and boost self-confidence. Therefore, the conclusion was that meditation helped women have fewer cravings for sweets and fatty foods.
“At the two-year mark, these women were the only ones to maintain the psychological and medical symptom improvements. The positive results are exciting, given the limited long-term success of traditional dieting approaches. By learning and practicing relaxation techniques as part of a wider lifestyle change program, women have effective tools to manage stress and emotions without resorting to unhealthy eating.” study co-author Dr. Caroline Horwath says in the paper published in the journal Preventive Medicine.
The findings of this study also seem to hint that dieting is not the healthiest approach to long-term weight loss, since diets in themselves are not meant for extended use. Moreover, Dr. Horwath suggests that the key for women to lead a healthy and happy life is to “break free from chronic dieting,” which not only affects their overall state of wellbeing, but also the image they have of themselves.