Kathy Bates lost 60 pounds using mindfulness techniques: ‘I Just Wish I Had Done It Years Ago.’
More than for aesthetic reason, a lot of people are on a diet to achieve a physically fit and healthier body. In line with this, different kinds of diets surfaced to help people achieve the body they are dreaming of. From using coconut oil, drinking organic pressed juice, eating gluten-free food, going vegan, and to trying out the latest fad- Keto diet, it sure is safe to say that there are a lot of ways to lose weight!
However, records show that most people can only keep up with their diet for an average of 5 weeks. And about 95% of people who lose weight by dieting regains the weight they have lost in a matter of 1-5 years. Which only goes to show that regardless of what diet people are on, it is very hard to sustain- making it kind of ineffective.
But there is a ‘diet’ that seems to be more promising than the other. Recently, Kathy Bates, an Academy Awards recipient known for her caliber acting showcased in Titanic and An American Horror Story, made noise on various news outlet after losing 60 pounds. And the secret behind her incredible weight-loss is actually quite simple!
In an interview with the US Weekly, the 70-year-old veteran actress shared what it took for her to be 70 pounds lighter. And her not-so-secret diet plan will surely blow your mind away!
“Mindfulness, just knowing when to push my plate away.” Kathy happily revealed during WebMD‘s Health Heroes event.
“My niece told me this little secret, I guess it’s no secret, it’s a biological thing, that at some point when you’re eating, you have this involuntary sigh and that’s really your brain and your stomach communicating that you’ve had enough.” The veteran actress further explained. “The trick is to pay attention to that and push your plate away.”
Mindful eating, a diet technique rooted from zen and Buddhism, is simply all about learning how to pay attention to your body cues and evaluating your thoughts. This means that you need to eat when you are hungry and stop when you are feeling full. In addition, you also need to ask yourself if you are eating for the right reason.
Are you eating because you are starving or are you simply stuffing food on your mouth out of boredom? Are you tasting the food you are eating or do you simply gobble them down? Asking yourselves this kinds of question actually keeps you from over-eating.
What makes mindful eating a diet cut above the rest is the fact that you do not have to restrict yourself in a very limited variety of food. You get to taste every food that you are craving for in a time that your body wants to have it. Instead of depriving yourself from the pleasure of eating, which doesn’t really work in the long run, you get to enjoy and savor your meal.
However, this diet is only for those who doesn’t mind waiting for results because as they say, anything that is worth having is worth waiting for. Kathy sure did not lose 60 pounds over night but her mindful diet sure delivered the result she wanted to see.
“It took a few years,” Kathy admitted. “I would say you have to be really patient … I don’t like the word willpower, but I like the word determination.”
But the result sure is worth it! For Kathy, she has never felt better than ever after incorporating mindful eating in her lifestyle.
“I have never been in such good health,” Kathy happily shared. “I just had a physical. I’m doing great … I feel like a completely different person. I can move, I can walk. I just wish I had done it years ago.”
There is nothing wrong about wanting to go for a diet in order to feel better about yourself. But your diet should not compromise your health and put your well-being at risk. For safety reasons, health experts recommend to seek advise from dietitians before making any drastic changes in your diet.
SHARE Kathy’s amazing healthier and lighter body at the age of 70! Though each and everyone of us have a different body which may not work with Kathy’s mindful eating. Still, her story will surely remind us about the great things we can accomplish as long as we put our mind and whole heart on our goal!
This content was originally published here.