Meditation: 10 Minutes to Control Stress | Practice this Technique Daily

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Weight loss surgery is life-changing. While there are so many good aspects of this surgery, it’s also extremely stressful. You’re changing a whole lifetime of habits, and it’s no easy feat. One way to manage this stress is through meditation. Taking a few minutes to calm your mind can help avoid stress eating. I used meditation consistently to manage all of my life changes, and it helped tremendously. It’s simple and only takes a few minutes. You can easily find time in your day. Meditation is an excellent way to manage stress, especially with all the changes surgery brings.

A woman meditating at sunset near trees with birds flying. Meditation: 10 minutes to control stress.

What is Meditation?

Meditation to control stress is simply spending a few moments quieting your mind and focusing on your breathing. It brings a sense of awareness and mindfulness. Meditation allows you to be present at the moment without judgment or preconceived notions.

According to an article on health.com, meditation is a tool for stress relief. It’s a way for the body to get rid of the stress it’s stored throughout your day, your week or even your life. It’s funny how we hold onto stress, and it can manifest itself in many ways. Pain is one way we hold stress. I hold it all in my neck and shoulders, so they frequently ache. It can also manifest itself through a “short fuse” or a bad mood. Meditation allows you time to recognize that stress and let it go.

The article also states that meditation to control stress may give your body a better rest than sleeping. It allows you to fall into a fourth state of consciousness that’s different from waking, sleeping or dreaming. It’s kind of a funny thing because once you realize you are in this fourth state of consciousness, it automatically pulls you out of it. During this state, your mind is totally empty, and the moment you realize it’s empty, it’s now full again of thoughts.

The Connection to Weight Loss

All of that sounds great, but what does it have to do with weight loss? We need to learn how to manage our stress so that we aren’t stress-eating. Once we have surgery and our stomachs are surgically altered, eating foods high in sugar, fat or carbs can not only be painful but also have some medical consequences. Therefore, we need to make sure we have a handle on our stress in order to avoid stress eating.

The health.com article on meditation also mentions that researchers from Johns Hopkins University analyzed 19,000 studies on meditation, and found it can help ease anxiety and depression. Gaining control over these mental health conditions will lessen your likelihood of depending on food for comfort during these times.

They also state meditation can help you sleep better, improve your mood and increase productivity. How amazing are these benefits? Seriously, all of these positive side effects can help you lose weight. Your body undergoes a lot of stress with surgery and losing weight. Sleep is so important for your body to recover and heal from that stress. If your mood is improved, you won’t need food to comfort you because you’re in a bad mood. Weight loss surgery and life afterward are busy! Being able to fit everything in by increasing your productivity is an added bonus.

Sorting Through The Chaos

I found meditation to control stress during a chaotic time in my life. I was going through a tough divorce and planning a move. Additionally, I was still trying to keep my head above water and complete all of my requirements for weight loss surgery. To be honest, I was struggling financially. It felt like my whole world was literally turned on its head. There were days that I honestly didn’t know if I would survive. I thought the stress of everything would eat me alive.

However, I made a promise to myself. After years and years of putting myself last and never doing what’s best for me, I put myself first. I promised myself that if I can’t get my emotional and stress eating under control prior to surgery with all I had going on, I would postpone surgery. Well, I absolutely refused to let that happen. I searched for a solution to manage my stress and all of my feelings and found the Headspace app.

This app changed my life. It teaches you how to meditate in a soothing voice. It’s free to try, but you can upgrade to a premium membership for more guided meditations. I meditated every day while going through this extremely stressful time. It is what helped me sort through my emotions and push forward with surgery. I was able to gain control of my emotional eating because of meditation to control stress.

Meditation to Control Stress for Beginners

Meditating really isn’t hard at all, and anyone can do it. All you need to do is find some uninterrupted time, about two to 10 minutes to start. Go to a quiet place and get comfortable. You can use an app like Headspace or something similar, or even find a number of YouTube videos to help guide you through the meditation. My FitBit watch (Charge 2) has a relaxation timer you can set to spend a few moments meditating.

If you just want to give it a try without guidance, start by closing your eyes, and concentrate on slow, deep breaths. Breath in for four counts and out for four counts. Play with your breath patterns, and see what’s most relaxing for you. Sometimes a two to one ratio, like four counts in and eight counts out can be relaxing.

Try to quiet your thoughts at this time, but don’t beat yourself up if they keep fleeting through your mind. Recognize the thoughts as they come through your mind, but then just let them go. If you’re having a hard time clearing your mind, repeat a mantra or word in your mind with every breath in. I prefer using the word peace. It’s really relaxing.

The goal is to empty your mind to try to get to that fourth state of consciousness. It’s a deeply relaxing, peaceful and restful state. Your mind and body are in tune with each other. It can be a little scary at first, but the more you are able to reach this level, the more beneficial your meditation will be. But don’t worry if you can’t get to it. It takes time and practice to be able to clear your mind. When you’re ready, you can slowly open your eyes and just notice how you’re feeling.

When to Find the Time

I hope that you want to get started in your meditation to control stress. However, I understand how hard it is to find a few minutes of peace to be able to practice. You have an endless to-do list, between work, kids, husband, a house that needs cleaning and laundry that needs put away. I promise you that once you start, you’re going to want to keep going, and you’ll find the time to add it to your schedule.

Below is a list of times that may work for you. Remember you only need a few minutes to get benefits from meditation.

Instead of playing a game or scrolling Facebook, take some time to meditate
On your lunch break
Before going to bed (better sleep!)
After your workout
Waiting for the oven to preheat
Waiting for an appointment
After a shower or bath
During a commercial break of your favorite show
After you put the kids to bed

Give it a try today, and see how the benefits work in your life. Then tell me about it, and let me know! Comment below or reach me on one of my social media channels!

An Easy Way to Manage Stress

You won’t ever regret the time you spent meditating. It’s a great way to manage the stress life and surgery brings. I know finding ways to manage stress that doesn’t involve food is hard. Luckily, meditation is easy. It’s a few minutes spending quiet time to connect with your inner self. It improves your sleep and mood, which can make it easier to stick to your lifestyle changes. It helped me stay focused when my world was falling apart. Find the time to meditate is easy, if you just look for a few places to sneak it in during the day. You’ll never regret it. So get started today!

If this article gave you some great ideas to incorporate into your life, just imagine what other amazing strategies I have for you! Share this post on social media by clicking one of the sharing buttons, and don’t forget to join my email list! You’ll be the first to get updates, access to my new products and lots of tips, inspiration and motivation to help in your bariatric surgery journey. Just for joining, I’ll send you a free weight loss coloring chart, as well as some other pretty awesome goodies to keep you motivated. Join today!

In Summary

How does meditation reduce stress?

It’s a way for the body to get rid of the stress it’s stored throughout your day, your week or even your life. It’s funny how we hold onto stress, and it can manifest itself in many ways. Pain is one way we hold stress. I hold it all in my neck and shoulders, so they frequently ache. It can also manifest itself through a “short fuse” or a bad mood. Meditation allows you time to recognize that stress and let it go.