Happy Mind, Healthy Body: Holistic Weight Loss Tips

Happy Mind, Healthy Body: Holistic Weight Loss Tips : It’s no secret that poor mental health can lead to comfort eating, bad diet decisions and weight gain. In fact, people with higher brain levels of serotonin, a feel-good hormone, are less prone to impulsive eating and make healthier food choices, researchers from the University of Utah found. Taking care of your mental health is key to weight loss and maintaining a healthy body.

Take supplements

A healthy diet is essential for maintaining a healthy body and mind. However, it’s not always easy to get all the nutrients you need solely from your diet every day. Supplements are, therefore, a useful way to fill in any nutritional gaps. Magnesium, calcium, potassium and Vitamins A, C, and D are amongst the most common deficiencies, for example. Additionally, many people use weight loss supplements to help burn body fat. While some weight loss supplements are safe and effective, others can be harmful. It’s important to buy supplements from a reputable manufacturer who has tested the ingredients in a lab and can guarantee their purity and safety.

Restorative exercise

Cardio is important for mental and physical health, but overdoing it can lead to burn out and even end up stalling weight loss. It’s important to find restorative activities that are kind to your body and allow you to find inner peace — like a walk or hike outdoors in nature, for example. In fact, a 20-minute walk outdoors twice a week was found to be more restorative than doing the same exercise inside, a study published in BMC Public Health found. Immersing yourself in nature has a number of benefits that can help your mood and weight, including reduced stress, improved energy levels, a stronger immune system, lower blood pressure, and better sleep.

Stretch regularly

Stretching is soothing to the mind and body. A simple forward fold can decompress the spine and stimulate blood circulation, which relieves tension in the mind and upper body. Alternatively, practice contracting and releasing your muscles; they find it easier to decompress completely after being under tension. For example, take some deep breaths and contract your calf muscle tightly for a couple of seconds. Exhale, and relax the muscle fully. Feel free to repeat with other muscles.

Happiness and weight loss are intrinsically linked. Taking the time to look after your mental health will make it easier to keep your physical body in good shape.