One of the most common patterns of body fat deposition is the “stomach pooch”, or what advertisements for weight loss products refer to as “belly fat”. This is the loose, flabby weight that occurs around the waistline. It is often a source of frustration for those who try to lose weight through strict dietary restriction and heavy exercise because it is exactly these weight loss measures that tend to reinforce this particular pattern of weight gain.

Let me explain a little bit about human physiology so you can understand why belly fat is such a common problem and why the harder you try to eliminate it, the worse it gets. From a hormonal perspective, the belly fat problem is largely due to overworked adrenal glands. The adrenal glands are small but improtant organs that sit on top of each kidney. The adrenals produce a variety of very important hormones, but when it comes to weight loss, the two adrenal hormones that are of most importance are adrenaline and cortisol. The levels of these two hormones are reactive to the body’s exposure to stress, both mental and physical.

Cortisol stimulates fat storage, particularly around the lower abdomen, while adenaline stimulates fat burning. In short-duration stress, the fat storage effects of cortisol are balanced by the fat burning porduced by adrenaline. But as stress becomes more chronic, the production of adrenaline begins to decrease while the cortisol levels remain high for much longer. The longer one remains under stress, the more likely it becomes that the fat storage effects of cortisol will overwhelm the fat burning effects of adrenaline.

To summarize, long-term stress leads to belly fat accumulation due to the effects of cortisol. If you have your excess weight primarily as belly fat, chances are it is at least largely related to your body’s reaction to stress. Remember that stress can be both mental and physical. You’re probably aware of the mental sources of stress you are under, such as you job, caring for your family, the economy, etc.. But ironically, you may be causing yourself undue physical stress with your weight loss program.

A sensible, healthy diet and a moderate exercise program are not too stressful and will not significantly increase cortisol levels. The problem is, if you get too restrictive on your diet and/or get too intense with your exercise program, the resulting stress on the body can not only prevent you from burning that annoying belly fat, it could actually cause you to develop more!

If we consider diet first, when you cut back your calorie intake too severely, the body senses that as starvation. The body considers starvation to be a highly stressful state and it reacts strongly to it. So, how do you know if you’ve restricted your calories too much? The simplest way to tell is if you feel hungry all the time or develop hypoglycemic symptoms (dizziness, feeling faint, headaches, moodiness, etc). Now hunger is different from cravings for specific types of food. What I’m talking about actual hunger pangs and/or low blood sugar reactions. If you are getting hungry all the time, it is a signal from your body that you need to eat more and/or more frequently – such as having snacks. This may seem counter-intuitive but as long as you stick to healthy foods, eating enough to prevent feelings of hunger will make it easier to lose weight than depriving yourself of adequate food will.

When it comes to exercise, the big problem with belly fat is exercising too much and/or too intensely. In people with belly fat, high intensity workouts will only lead to feeling tired and getting frustrated with your lack of weight loss. For people with belly fat accumulation (as the main location of their weight gain), low intensity, and relatively long duration exercise is best. Activities like walking, bicycling, and other aerobic activities are best. Exercise for about 30 to 60 minutes continuously at a pace at which you have enough breath to carry on a conversation without gasping. This should be done 3 to 4 days per week for best results. Those who have excess weight in areas other than the abdomen may benefit from a more intense regimen, but those with just belly fat need to take it a bit easier to keep from activating more cortisol release.

By minimizing the stress caused by your weight loss efforts, you will actually find it easier to get rid of that fat around your midsection and you’ll probably feel more energetic while doing it. While this approach may seem counter-intuitive, I say at least give it a try for a few weeks and see how it goes. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised with how much easier your weight loss will occur.

One probably doesn’t expect to learn a whole new enlightened way of living from a book entitled Meditation. I didn’t. But was pleasantly surprised by Eknath Easwaran’s book. He explains right from the beginning that meditation is not just clearing your mind, but a whole way of life.

To be honest, I have never had the desire to meditate. Ive never really understood what it was about, or what purpose it may serve other than what I was already accomplishing through yoga. I had heard about it through yoga, and thought it was something I should try. Emphasis on the word “should” because I still didnt want to do it. Easwarans book changed my mind and my heart about it. There was a paragraph about meditation taming the inner demons, or quieting the ego mind in the beginning that had me. I have been aware of this journey in my life for about 10 years now, but have felt stuck for about 2. I think this may be the answer.

The author is incredibly effective at describing things in a moving, yet down to earth manner. For the first time in my life, I felt really comfortable with the whole idea. His descriptive symbolism, and examples taught the concepts in a way I truly understood. In fact, I was moved to tears several times. I really related to his stories of his grandmother. And except for eluding to the idea that organized religion is only a way for us to feed our egos and be with people who seem like us, the ideas were very familiar to me. He was trying to make the case for studying all mystics, rather than limiting oneself I believe.

Admittedly ignorant on the subject, I always thought that the goal in meditating was to clear the mind of all thoughts, and had never been able to do that. So, I was relieved when he said to meditate on a prayer or mantra.

I have always been intrigued by the observation that most great enlightened minds in history come to virtually the same conclusions. With, of course variations due to culture, circumstance or time in history. But, truth is always truth, and those who seek it will find it wherever or however they may be.

I have always been a little leery of venturing out of my own religious comfort zone (if you will) as far as meditation and mantras are concerned. I thought it might fall into the put no other Gods before me or worshiping idols category. That being said, I have also always had an open mind as someone who was taught a lot of great truths from a non-religious parent with a lot of short-comings, not the least of which was being alcoholic and abusive. My point in stating all of this is that when the author suggested :

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

as one of the most beautiful mantrams he has ever heard, I initially put it out of my mind as one suitable for me because of its connotations in my mind of the Jewish faith. Not that it is bad, just that I thought it would contradict my beliefs. However, after I read the meaning of the words broken down into their syllabic meanings, I, too, thought it one of the most beautiful mantrams I have ever heard. Those three words mean, Oh Lord who has stolen my heart, I cannot rest until I find Him. He ceaselessly, ceaselessly draws me unto Him, and is the only source of true joy. I love finding words in foreign languages that say so much in so few syllables! I find that English just doesnt do feelings justice in so many instances.

I gained a better understanding of so many truths through this book. I would just like to sum them up here: Our bodies are only a type of clothing; we “shed” our bodies at death; when you recognize illusion, it evaporates; lose yourself, and you shall find yourself; slow down in order to speed up; depth, not breadth; the senses can be trained and therefore magnified;discipline is freedom.

So, to sum it all up, I will buy this book and refer to it often. It is now out of print. Thank goodness for Amazon! I have also started my meditation practice. No great “ah-hah’s” yet, but definitely a few minutes of peace in a time when I have needed it greatly, and some time to just listen. In fact, when explaining meditation to my friends who are a bit skeptical of the mystic, I will say that meditation is a very effective way of actually taking the time to listen for answers to your prayers.