We all know that exercise is a key component to shedding excess pounds and improving overall health, but what is the role of somatic exercise for weight loss?
In order to best understand this, it’s necessary to explore all of the factors that contribute to maintaining a healthy weight and most especially, the reasons that could be causing those stubborn extra pounds.
As we will explain more throughout this article, somatic exercises assist in balancing the nervous system and therefore, it makes sense to start at the root cause of imbalance – stress.
How Stress Can Lead to Weight Gain
As taxing as stress can be both mentally and emotionally, it’s important to remember that stress also changes the body on a physiological level. When our body experiences stress, the nervous system shift’s into a sympathetic, fight-or-flight state which triggers the release of adrenaline and hormones such as cortisol.
Research has consistently shown that elevated cortisol levels can increase appetite and trigger cravings for high-calorie, comfort foods. Moreover, cortisol promotes the storage of fat, particularly around the abdominal area.
Emotional eating, a common coping mechanism for stress, can lead to overconsumption of calories, further contributing to weight gain. Additionally, stress often disrupts sleep patterns, influencing hormones that regulate hunger and satiety, making it challenging to maintain a healthy weight.
All this to say, those stubborn extra pounds could be due to a bit more than diet and exercise alone. By choosing to incorporate stress management for weight loss, you may be pleasantly surprised by the results.
Somatic Exercises to Reduce Stress
Somatic exercises enhance mind-body connection. These targeted exercises aim to release tension from the body, promote a sense of safety and relaxation, and allow your nervous system to operate at its most optimal level. By engaging in mindful movement each day, you’re activating the parasympathetic nervous system, responsible for the body's "rest and digest" response.
More than a Workout: Get to the Root Cause of Your Weight Issues
Somatic exercises go beyond just physical benefits; they provide a pathway to understanding the root causes of stress and weight issues. Unlike traditional workout routines that may solely focus on burning calories, somatic exercises encourage introspection and awareness of the body's sensations.
Somatic Exercises for Weight Loss
Because unresolved stress will always find a place to store itself in the body, the best thing we can do is acknowledge it and create a healthy outlet for stress through conscious breathwork, mindful movement, and further somatic release work. In making this a daily habit (with the NEUROFIT App), you can start to identify the root cause of your stress and create an actionable plan toward relieving it.
Mindset and Weight Management
The mind plays a powerful role in weight management. The beliefs and attitudes we hold about our body can significantly impact our behaviors related to eating and exercise. However, attempting weight loss through mindset alone will only get you so far.
This is because approximately 80% of the nerves in the body are afferent, which means they send signals from the body up to the brain. Only 20% of the nervous system runs from the brain down to the body.
It may help to look at it this way: thoughts are the language of the mind and feelings are the language of the body.
Although you may fully comprehend the logistics behind losing weight in your mind, it’s possible your body is holding onto unresolved feelings around not being able to. This is where the power of afferent nerves comes into play and how somatic exercises for weight loss can truly transform your results.
Cultivating a Positive Body Image with Nervous System Regulation
By now you know that somatic exercise plays a key role in nervous system regulation. A balanced nervous system leads to incredible benefits such as enhanced mood, sustained amounts of energy and feeling a greater sense of peace and freedom in the body.
The more actively we participate in regulating our nervous system, the more confident and self-aware we become. Nervous system regulation leads to greater self-esteem as well and can support us in setting realistic weight loss goals and cultivate a more positive body image for ourselves. Although it can take some time to override those limiting beliefs around weight loss, trust your body to guide you through what it needs to be successful.
Remember, change is simple but not always easy.
Incorporating Somatic Exercises into Your Weight Loss Plan
If you're considering incorporating somatic exercises into your weight loss plan, take some time to find what works for you. Mindful movement practices such as yoga and tai chi are excellent ways to increase bodily awareness and the NEUROFIT App provides a full catalog of somatic exercises. We’ve even provided an AI-based wellness coach to help you somatically work through any blocks along your weight loss journey.
Somatic exercises do not need to be time consuming. In fact, just a few minutes each day will greatly reduce stress and positively aid in healthy weight management. Consider starting your day with a somatic exercise or including a couple of our suggested exercises below before or after a workout.
3 Somatic Exercises to Support Your Weight Loss Goals
FAQs About Somatic Exercises for Weight Loss:
What are somatic exercises?
Somatic exercises are intentional, targeted movements aimed at enhancing the mind-body connection. Exercises include deep breathing, body shaking, and relaxation techniques.
Do somatic exercises really work?
Yes, a great deal of research suggests that somatic exercises can be effective in reducing stress, improving body awareness, and promoting positive body image. These factors all contribute to a holistic approach to weight management.
How long do somatic exercises take?
The duration of somatic exercises can vary based on daily and cumulative stress levels. Even 3-5 minutes a day can prove beneficial in fact, 54% of NEUROFIT App users report less stress after just one week.
How many somatic exercises should I do each day?
When it comes to somatic exercises, we have found that depth over variety yields the most substantive results. Our data suggests choosing 1-2 exercises a day and repeating as necessary until you’ve reached a balanced state.
Conclusion
While weight loss can be approached in many different ways, it’s important to remember that sustainable wellness and a positive self-image is the ultimate goal. The mind-body connection plays a crucial role in reaching our goals and somatic exercises offer a unique and highly personal experience to your weight loss journey.
By addressing stress and weight issues from the root cause, which is, the state of your nervous system, you can significantly accelerate your progress and path to greater health and well-being.
