How to meditate for your mind and body

health and fitness meditate workouts May 10, 2022
Sophia McDermott - Lifestyle Coach, Fitness Expert, Nutritionist.

By Sophia McDermott, Lifestyle Coach & Fitness Expert. 

Meditation is hard work and it takes a lot of practice to get better, just like training the body. The more you do it, the easier it becomes to stay focused. You can measure your progress by how long you can focus without your thoughts straying. So many of us are on-th-go so we don't make time to meditate. However, the benefits of finding time to meditate, even only for 15 minutes a day, are astounding for both the body and the mind. Meditation can assist in feeling peaceful, happy, and healthy, and can train the mind to stay focused, resilient, and strong. Meditation is helpful when dealing with trauma or stress. 

Meditation is also very helpful in weight loss routines or sticking to health goals. Removing the stress of the day and visualizing yourself with your perfect body helps you to stay on track with meal plans and your workouts. But meditating doesn’t have to involve staying still, seat cross legged or lying down. There are active forms of meditation that also put your mind into that ‘zen’ state where you are clear of mental chatter, completely focused on the task at hand, and in the present moment. And while you are in this active form of meditation you are gifting your body with movement and working on your weight loss or health goals also.

Yoga is a great example of active meditation. Breathing while moving your body through the poses connects your mind and your body while you are in the present moment.

Some other forms of active meditation are:

  • martial arts
  • swimming laps
  • jogging or walking
  • surfing
  • tai chi
  • lifting weights (if you are challenging yourself)

What is important is that you take time out from your busy schedules and fast paced lives to dedicate some time just for yourself and focus on your mental state. Whether you prefer a still, quiet form of meditation or an active form of meditation through yoga or an intense roll at jiu jitsu class, the aim is to be focused on the present moment, to quieten the mind of all inconsequential mental chatter, and be in a state of peace.

The best way to start is by focusing on your breath and to be completely absorbed in the moment. If you are doing a still form of meditation, then focusing on the stillness and your body and your breath. That’s it! Whenever thought pops up, just gently push it aside and focus on your breath again. 

means that your entire attention is focused on what you are doing, instead of half heartedly going through the motions and thinking of all the things you still need to get done for the day. Be present, right at that moment and completely 100% be involved. Quieting the mind pays dividends to reducing stress and allows you to see the bigger picture. 

If you aren't meditating or putting your ‘all in’ in your workouts, then give it a try and see how refreshing it feels afterwards and see how, in the long run, you are getting the results in your sessions, weight loss and health routines.