Say “Om” and eat less

I used to be really into yoga. Hatha, Ashtanga, Bikram, prenatal–you name it, I did it. But since having a baby more than a year ago, yoga’s been one of the many things cleared off my overpacked schedule. Yet a new study from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center is making me think I should find time for sun salutations once again.

Researchers found that people who practiced yoga regularly were more likely to be mindful eaters (meaning they were aware of why they ate, and stopped eating when they were full) than non-yogis, including those who did other forms of exercise like running. Their body mass index was lower than those who didn’t practice yoga, too (23.1 compared to 25.8). And in a previous study, the researchers found that middle-age people who practiced yoga were also less likely to gain weight over a 10-year period, regardless of their physical activity levels and dietary patterns.

It’s no surprise, if you think about it: yoga reduces stress (a known binge-trigger) and teaches you to be in the moment–even if it’s not a comfortable moment–rather than doing what’s easy, whether it’s dropping a pose or sticking your head in the cookie jar.