Lifting the weight: How meditation can help shed pounds, too

When New York Times bestselling author Tim Ferriss was researching the habits of the world’s elite performers for his new book, “Tools of Titans,” he found that nearly 80 percent of these successful icons do some form of meditation every day. Music producers, writers, athletes, even Arnold Schwarzenegger all practice this habit, “which acts like a warm bath for the mind,” Ferriss explained on Quora, “when you can observe your thoughts instead of being tumbled by them.”

The practice of meditation — long associated with the religious traditions of Buddhism, Taoism and Hinduism — is often done with mantras, prayer beads and guided visuals all in an effort to enter a concentrated mental focus that can relax the mind, relieve stress, and provide a sense of awareness. And it’s becoming more and more popular as a non-secular component of overall well-being.

“Life is very stressful, and with technology being so prominent, there is an incredible amount of pressure that people are under to basically be working all the time. As our culture continues to move in a direction that emphasizes these high-performance values, it’s very hard to find balance,” says Andrew Shykofsky.

In 2013 he opened Meditate Yoga & Meditation Center in the North Center neighborhood to help combat these modern pitfalls using a non-religious format suited to urban dwellers. The studio offers a series of various course levels, workshops and private counseling options led by well-versed trainers. Shykofsky himself has more than 30 years of experience in different styles and meditates several times daily.

While most of the promoted benefits of yoga and meditation are focused on relieving stress, one of the more interesting effects to gain attention lately is weight loss — and it doesn’t take a “hot yoga” course to do so. According to a study done by Dr. Alan Kristal of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, cited in Prevention magazine, he found that of the 15,000 adults he studied, those that did yoga at least once a week for four or more years lost an average of five pounds and were better able to maintain weight.

While yoga is in fact of series of physical moves and transitions that resemble an actual workout, the real value lies in the mind-body connection that is at the core of these holistic practices, and is even more concentrated in meditation.

“For a large percentage of people, weight issues can be emotionally-driven. There’s a real meaning to the idea of ‘comfort’ foods,” says Shykofsky, “and what we try to do in meditation is create a direct avenue to address those emotions.” He says in today’s world there’s a huge gap in understanding how to really process those feelings, but “what meditation does is provide access to the subconscious mind where many of those issues can remain unresolved. This relaxed state, where there is less brain wave activity, can open up and then discipline the mind.” Once that baggage is lifted so can the pounds; that’s because people tend to sleep better, feel more energized and rely less on snacking to fill the void.

Time magazine also recently published an article on the mindfulness diet, supporting this theory. “Since stress is often at the root of overeating, mindfulness seems to make us eat better meals, which means it’s likely possible to lose weight without dieting,” says the article. The author states that new research shows mindfulness also sharpens a person’s ability to recognize internal cues that signal hunger and fullness

Shykofsky can also reference one of his clients who shed 15-20 pounds by meditating for roughly 20 minutes, six days a week. “She really started to recognize that she was doing a lot of emotional eating, and when she attended to those emotions in meditation, that habit didn’t have legs anymore.”

He advises anyone wanting to try meditation as a way to lose weight to first keep track of habits in a food journal and add in notes about how you were feeling when eating. “Awareness and consciousness are always the thing that precede this transformation,” he says, noting, “that it’s the easiest thing to do, but it’s definitely possible.”

While you can always try meditation at home (see Shykofsky’s tips below), guided courses at places like Meditate Yoga and Meditation Center can also be helpful for those who have never practiced before or those who have tried but were unsuccessful in making it habitual since 3-4 times a week is a key parameter for it to take shape, just like it would be for going to the gym. Shykofsky also offers online courses for those that need more flexibility with scheduling. Whichever option you choose, just be sure it’s a quiet space, away from all the distractions, he says, “so you can really begin to see things clearly.”

Here are Shykofsky’s tips for getting started:

1. Pick a place in your home where the noise is minimal, lighting can be dimmed and the temperature is preferable. Sit on a chair or cross-legged on the floor.

2. You can search for a guided meditation course online (this part is optional), and set aside 20 minutes for a session.

3. Close your eyes and begin to do some slow, deep breathing. Focus on your body only so your mind can begin to quiet down.

4. As the meditation unfolds, block out further thoughts by reciting a positive affirmation, visualizing a positive outcome for something coming up, or reflecting upon a happy place that gives you calm.

5. As you get better at it, try to recognize the distinction between your thoughts and how you observe them. You will notice you have the option to follow certain thoughts or withdraw your attention from them.

6. Try to make it a daily practice, but at the bare minimum, do this three times a week.

Meditate Yoga and Meditation Center, 4237 N. Lincoln; meditatecenter.com