Pounds down by over thirty, and I hadn’t even planned it! Stepping on a hotel room scale one day, I was astonished and gleefully shared the news online. Without owning a scale, I hadn’t realised I’d lost over thirty pounds since my last weigh-in.

Following my public statement, I received inquiries from people all around the world. Everyone was curious about how I lost weight and what they could do to accomplish the same. The pleading and desperation in their voices resonated with my heart. What a dangerous scenario to be in, yet I wanted to help! Losing weight is a complex process that is entirely unique to each individual.

Many were hoping to learn of a new diet-of-the-day, a drug they could take, or a secret workout regimen they had not yet attempted. Which of the following fads—Beach Body, ketosis, paleo, juice cleanse, gluten-free, South Beach diet, or Crossfit—was going to be successful this time?

Everyone was surprised by my solution to this puzzle, and the majority of my friends found it too improbable. However, a few stated that they would think about trying it.

I started meditating, which helped me lose the weight. That is the tangible basis of everything. Many were perplexed by my response, but I made the logical lifestyle adjustments that resulted from my meditation practice.

My lecturer assigned (recommended!) meditation as a homework assignment when I was in graduate school. When she did this, I rolled my eyes in private and said to myself, “I will blow this one off.”

At our subsequent teacher/student evaluation, which took place about a month later, she informed me that she could see I was not completing the meditation assignment. She said, “I understand if you think you do not need this,” in response to her charge. However, if you have not been on this path yourself, how can you guide someone who is in need of it?

I felt shaken! How could she have known that I was not completing the meditation assignment? And the way she simply confronted me about it? Shamed. I felt ashamed that she could see I blew off the assignment, even though I was a “A” student. Her knowledge that I was not meditating was sufficient to persuade me to start.

I started right there, bowed down.

We were instructed to quiet our minds and concentrate just on our breathing for twenty minutes each day. It hurt like hell! I shrugged it off at the beginning because I believed I already knew how to do it, so it is funny that it turned out to be so much tougher than I anticipated.

At first, I was unable to even sit still. I would squirm around. I would quit and try again. Again and again. I would get upset for what felt like an eternity and think that this was not working, that I could not do it, and that perhaps meditation was only for better people than me. After daily struggles but perseverance, a change finally occurred a little more than two weeks later.

It was similar like learning to snowboard, when you spend most of your time going down and it is difficult every day. Then, with a great sense of relief, you finally link your turns and you just get it. You feel as though you are flying on a cloud when everything clicks. For example, when you first learn to ride a bike. Or when you are surfing and the waves are beating you up, and then you finally catch your first wave, and all of a sudden you are gliding.

That is how it felt. There was a link. It was pleasant!

I felt as though I had finally realized how effective meditation can be if you stick with it after that experience, when I was able to access a state of total calm, peace, and surrender. Every time I practiced after that, it got simpler for me to access that sensation. My ability to sustain that sensation for extended periods of time throughout the meditation gradually improved.

I eventually managed to keep that sensation going when I was not meditating. And that is when things started to alter in my life.

It felt great to connect with myself on a deeper level. I gained a new perspective and a newfound respect for myself as a result of this altered sense of self, which inspired me to alter my way of life. Since it seemed like the next logical step to take, it did not appear particularly challenging. I sensed a call to live differently.

You develop your self-love muscle when you meditate. It increases your regard for yourself. Respecting and taking care of oneself is a sign of self-respect. You are inspired to make different decisions and engage in healthy mental, physical, and spiritual activities by this new sense of self-awareness and emotion.

Meditation teaches you to pay attention to your inner voice, which is constantly seeking out what is best for you. As we become proficient in hearing that voice, we are guided to be more considerate of both ourselves and other people. The potential for this to change someone is life should not be understated.

I had a voice in my head telling me that I should start sleeping by ten o’clock. It advised me to cut back on several foods. It advised me to move my booty and work out outside every day. It pushed me to give up booze.

I felt compelled to make these adjustments in order to properly care for myself, and as a result, I naturally shed over thirty pounds in a few months. I saw my physique change into one so toned that I was unable to identify myself in photos. all without making a deliberate effort to reduce weight. My fantasy physique simply resulted from my increased self-love brought about by meditation.

I am not sure what behaviors you need to break in order to have a more fit and healthy body. I do, however, know the instrument that will help you get there. Everybody has various habits that prevent them from becoming their best selves, but meditation will help you identify what has to be changed.

Everything that competes for our attention and prevents us from being our best selves is eliminated by meditation. The mind, the voice of our ego, and the heart, the voice of love, will always be at odds. By calming the ego, meditation allows the heart to speak.

It is a difficult struggle to win when we treat weight loss as something we must fight, stressing over calories and abusing our bodies during workouts. There is no happiness at the end of an unhappy trip. This approach is draining. We do not feel good about ourselves, and it does not feel good.

There is no more time for you to waste fighting against yourself, hating yourself, or feeling bad about yourself. It is time to try something else. It is time to embrace your health and well-being.

We are more motivated to take better care of ourselves when we decide to love ourselves more.

I make different decisions when I ask myself what the best food I can provide my body at this moment is before I eat. I used to make almost all of my dietary choices based on my feelings.

The majority of us eat emotionally in an attempt to numb feelings from the past or present rather than consciously.

We are disregarding our inner wisdom and intuition, which tell us what our body needs to perform at its peak, when we let our emotions control us in this way.

Disregarding what is best for us is self-betrayal, which only makes us unhappy and causes us to eat more. Being in this cycle is painful, and it has a price. Physical weight is a manifestation of the mental burden we bear. This lays the groundwork for illness and stagnation.

Emotions are stabilized by meditation. It helps you break free from old thought patterns. It has the power to release you. Let go of your thoughts, and the rest will come.

Additionally, it helps you become more self-aware, which makes it less likely that you would instinctively go for comfort food when you are experiencing discomfort. Rather, you will be able to ask yourself what you need to feel better on the inside. Then, rather of attempting to suppress your feelings, you will be able to face them head-on.

Comfort cravings are actually a cry for affection. A sweet tooth is a sign that you need more sweetness in your life. You will be able to view this hunger as a chance to offer yourself what you truly want—love—instead of eating to cope with your misery.

Your craving for comfort eventually goes away when you let meditation calm your mind. It assists you in realizing that love originates within you rather than from the outside. You will stop craving it once you realize this. Love is a limitless resource that exists within you.

Although it is not a quick remedy, meditation is essential if you want to lose weight in a lasting way. There is nothing valuable. Regular meditation will inevitably lead to some lifestyle adjustments that will relieve your mental, emotional, and physical burdens. Before you get the hang of it, you will need to practice, but persevere. Recall that it took me some time to understand as well. Anyone can do it if I can.

I now understand how my teacher was able to determine that I was not completing the meditation assignment. You change so much when you begin daily meditation. I did not have a connection to my inner guidance, and those that do can tell when others don’t.

I was acting, talking, eating, and living without conscious thought. Rather than being rooted in love, I followed my emotions. This is how a lot of the world functions, which explains why there is so much drama, turmoil, and illness.

I am shocked by this now because I did not have any issues with my life as it was and I did not have any plans to change in the past. Having a teacher who guided me to meditation and held me accountable long enough for me to get the benefits makes me incredibly grateful.

Your inner guidance—your intuition, your heart—knows the path, and only you can determine what is best for you. You can hear the voice if you meditate. Do not wait; start living your greatest life right now!