The results are in folks: If you increase the laughter in your life you can lose weight!
Ok, it’s not THAT cut and dry. Weight and health status are influenced by a billion different factors.
The Study
A recent study that revealed a link between laughter and weight loss. Researchers randomized people with one or more risk of metabolic syndrome into a control group or a laughter intervention group. Yes, a LAUGHTER intervention group.
Methodology
The intervention was a mere 12 weeks long and consisted of 8-10 meetings of:
- Either a 30-minute presentation on laughter and health or 30-minutes of Rakugo (a 400-year-old form of performance comedy in Japan)
- A one-hour long session of laughter yoga (where can I sign up???)
Nothing else changed. Not diet, not exercise routine, nada.
Results
After 12 weeks, the laughter intervention group experienced significant improvements in:
- Weight and BMI
- Subjective well-being
- Optimism
- Subjective mental stress
- Physical functioning
- Mental health scores
WHAT. After only 12 weeks of about nine hours of giggling? ABSOU-FREAKING-LOUTELY.
Why this matters
Our mental status can absolutely affect our bodies physiologically.
For instance, laughing has multiple positive effects on our bodies, with its biggest nemesis being stress. And chronic stress is linked to numerous chronic disease states, but specifically for the topic at hand here, excess fat.
So it does not surprise me that laughing and being happy could have positive health benefits.
But what does surprise me, are all the bullies and deeply unhappy individuals on the internet, in hospitals and gyms, and even within our own families who believe that verbally abusing people for their weight helps them to make positive changes.
In my video below, I go into detail about why fat-shaming and weight stigma can actually makes a person’s situation worse. I also argue that positivity, laughter, and acceptance can actually SUPPORT beneficial health changes and weight loss.
And of course, I back my arguments with lots of research.
Checkity check it out!
