Mindfulness has gained much currency in recent years. The idea that we need to re-focus on ourselves and our well-being in order to make positive, healthy change makes intuitive sense. But how robust is the evidence that mindfulness can help us accomplish one of our most common fitness goals – weight loss?
Research On Mindfulness Based Programs
First, what is mindfulness? Google dictionary defines it as “a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.” It has its roots in Buddhism, but has been widely adopted in secular environments.
Based on a search of meta-analyses and systematic reviews, it would seem that when it comes to weight-loss mindfulness shows promise, but the jury is still out. Some of the available reviews show weak or no evidence. Others show promising evidence, but state that more research is needed. None appear to give an unequivocal endorsement.1, 2, 3, 4
Why The Mixed Bag On Mindfulness?
Establishing the efficacy of mindfulness based programs for weight loss is particularly tricky because in the end, it boils down to behavior change. The idea is that through mindfulness, people can change how they perceive themselves and the world, and thus gain more control over their behavior. Mindful eating, for example, is about being aware of oneself and one’s feelings while eating in order to avoid bad habits. Meditation is sometimes used to control stress which, it is hoped, will lead to less stress induced eating and possibly some positive metabolic changes. Mindfulness based therapy is sometimes used to treat eating disorders.
While the technique seems to work sometimes for some people, the difficulty lies with the fact that behavior change of any kind is complex. Our behavior is not merely about mental states, but also environment, culture, biology, ethics, mood, and much more. It also tends to happen over time, rather than all at once. That makes for a lot of variables and thus potential explanations for specific outcomes. In fact, the main criticism that appears in most of the research is that sample sizes are too small and heterogeneous, which makes it hard to tell if one variable is more important than another.5, 6
In short, when it comes to mindfulness and weight loss, we should be careful. For now, it might be worth exploring it to see if it feels like a helpful tool for you. There seems to be reason to believe that it might have a positive benefit for some. However, it is equally possible that it will have no benefit, so we should not be seduced into believing that it holds the key to shedding pounds.
References
- Mindfulness And Weight Loss, A Systematic Review
- Mindfulness Meditation As An Intervention For Binge Eating, Emotional Eating, And Weight Loss: A Systematic Review
- Mindfulness And Weight Loss: A Systematic Review
- Mindfulness Intervention For Stress Eating To Reduce Cortisol And Abdominal Fat Among Overweight And Obese Women: An Exploratory Randomized Controlled Study
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy – A Systematic Review Of Randomized Controlled Trials
- The Application Of Mindfulness To Eating Disorders Treatment: A Systematic Review