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In this episode I discuss
Still not practicing gratitude? Maybe you think this is just another woo woo trend and you rather spend more time researching real stuff why you can’t achieve your goals. If this is you, you’ve got to listen to this episode… gratitude has been researched with more than 40 studies (as of 2012) with nothing but positive benefits on us, human beings, even more specially when it comes to changing our mindset and relationship to food... The incredible element of gratitude practice is that: It’s free and no negative risk associated with it!
Why Practice Gratitude?
Is it possible that if you carry that day-to-day throughout the year, you would have the same feeling and the same mood. Research and studies have looked at the benefits of gratitude and gratefulness practice and how it can help us. I’m going to look at those studies from the perspective of changing our relationship to food, craving, emotional eating and binging and how it can help us.
I know it does, but many people think that this is just woo woo. They think that this is not real stuff, that what can help me or give me results is a new set of calorie-counting, macro or diet. Well, let me tell you, this is not the reason why you are overeating, obsessing about food, why you are eating on the couch at night. It has to do with your emotions! The crazy thing about gratitude is that it can regulate our emotions. For those of us who overeat, crave and emotional eat, we use food to regulate our emotions. What about if we were to use gratitude to prevent our emotions getting all out of whack, can it really help us?
Let me share with you 6 powerful benefits of gratitude and how it can help you regulate your mood, prevent binging, overeating and emotional eating, but will make you healthier and help you achieve your goals.
6 Powerful Benefits of Gratitude
1. Gratitude makes us happier. A five-minute a day gratitude journal can increase your long-term well-being by more than 10 percent. That’s the same impact as doubling your income! When you write down things that you’re grateful for, it brings the positive aspect of your life top of mind and you carry that throughout the day.
2. Gratitude makes us more likable. Gratitude generates social capital – in two studies with 243 total participants, those who were 10% more grateful than average had 17.5% more social capital. It means that people like them better. Gratitude makes us nicer, more trusting, more social, and more appreciative. We know that we don’t like to be associated with people who are negative, pessimists and those who are always complaining.When we have good social relationship, we eat less.
3. Gratitude makes us healthier. This is where you hit the jack pot when it comes to data…There are several studies that show how gratitude has a physical impact on your body. 16% fewer physical symptoms, you can have better sleep and the list goes on…
4. Gratitude increases self-esteem. A 2014 study published in the Journal of Applied Sport Psychology found that gratitude increased athletes’ self-esteem, an essential component to optimal performance. It makes us worth it and able to receive better because we know we are worth it. Everyday, as we practice gratitude, we see how good our life is.
5. Gratitude improves psychological health. Gratitude reduces a multitude of toxic emotions, from envy and resentment to frustration and regret. It was found to increase happiness and decrease depression.
6. Gratitude increases mental strength. For years, research has shown gratitude not only reduces stress, but it may also play a major role in overcoming trauma. Recognizing all that you have to be thankful for, even during the worst times, fosters resilience.
Take the Challenge
Are you convinced yet to practice gratitude in your life, so you can regulate your emotions at the root and not use food to control emotion? I am speaking based on my personal experience. The idea of gratitude came to me at the point in my life where I wanted to stop overeating and craving. I have tried everything for my physical body. I was left with this other thing and since I have nothing to lose, I just dove in and tried. It was a 30-day challenge to write 3 things that I am grateful about and why. I did this every morning when I woke up. But remember that it is critical to know why we are grateful. Now, my mindset has changed and I am reaping the benefits of gratitude in my life.
If you are not yet practicing gratitude in your life, I challenge you to take a pen and a notebook. Put it beside your bed and write 3 things that you are grateful for and why. Take 5 minutes every morning when you wake up and do this exercise for the next 30 days.
Be amazed at how gratitude can change your life!
Last week’s episode, we had Christina Grenga and she talked about the surprising link between faith and health. I suggest you check it out! You can listen to the episode here.
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Links mentioned in this episode:
Article including 26 studies about gratitude: http://happierhuman.com/the-science-of-gratitude/
Counting Blessing versus Burden studies: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12585811
The Crave Cure: https://www.stephaniedodier.com/cravecure
Beyond The Food Community: https://www.stephaniedodier.com/community
Support me by leaving a review about this episode: http://bit.ly/2gilTsw
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