The Salad With a Side of Fries podcast is hosted by Jenn Trepeck, discussing wellness and weight loss for real life, clearing up the myths, misinformation, bad science & marketing surrounding our nutrition knowledge and the food industry. Let’s dive into wellness and weight loss for real life, including drinking, eating out, and skipping the grocery store. 

This week Jenn is talking about meditation and the benefits of meditation for stress. Jenn talks about the different styles of meditation and how it can look different for everybody. She talks about how meditation can be a great way to start or refresh your day, especially in a moment of stress. Jenn discusses meditation's impact on our brainwaves and how body scans can even help with cravings. Jenn also shares how meditation has changed her own life. Tune in today for powerful tips if you are a beginner or some mind shifts if you’ve been meditating for a while.

IN THIS EPISODE:

●   [5:30] What we think meditation is vs. what it actually looks like

●   [7:14] What is the definition of meditation?

●   [10:42] How to meditate with a mantra.

●   [12:36] How do you let the thought go? 

●   [15:22] Which types of meditation are the most approachable for beginners? 

●   [23:40] When is the best time to meditate? Is there a right or wrong way to meditate? 

●   [32:09] How can we use meditation for stress?

●   [39:30] How can we reframe stress?

●   [40:43] How do stress and meditation affect our brainwaves? 

●   [44:02] A body scan can help with cravings and more benefits for the body from meditation. 

●   [47:00] Fun facts about meditation. 

●   [51:58] How meditation has changed Jenn’s life?

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

●   Meditation is the mind changing the body. Breathing is the most direct path to reducing stress; breathing bridges the conscious and the subconscious. 

●   You can progress beyond the meditation you listen to; at a certain point, you may need to switch up who you listen to or change your meditation style if you notice one type is no longer working for you. 

●   Deep breathing signals to the mind and body that the stress has passed and it can relax.

QUOTES: 

“Letting this thought go, or the things that show up go. It's not about not thinking; it's about having the thought and just going, ‘Oh - that's a thought, that's a thought’, it's like this third-party observer of the mind.” - Jenn Trepeck 

“It's the nature of the mind. We’re not going to stop our minds from creating the stories. It is what the mind does, so it's really just taking a moment to recognize that most of our thoughts are not facts and most of the things that we’re ruminating on or continuing to repeat to ourselves are actually made up.” - Jenn Trepeck 

“Mindfulness or meditation influences two stress pathways in the brain. It alters our brain structure and activity in regions that are regulating attention and emotion. So we’re able to have attention and emotion intercepted and adjusted. Literally, structure and function in the brain change when we breathe and when we think. Meditation and breathing, in particular, is regulating our nervous system.” - Jenn Trepeck  

"Meditation is one more tool for me to work with  my body instead of against it." - Jenn Trepeck

RESOURCES:

Become A Member of Salad with a Side of Fries

Jenn’s Free Menu Plan

A Salad With a Side of Fries

A Salad With a Side of Fries Instagram

Tara Brach Meditations

Oprah and Deepak - 21-Day Meditation YouTube Series

Calm  and Headspace  Apps