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" Grappling with belly fat can be such a bore. It&amp;#039;s one of the most stubborn forms of fat on the body that can be such a struggle to shift. It can take months and months battling that bulge, and when it just won&amp;#039;t shift, all you want to soften the blow, is a sugar-laced, chocolate-coated doughnut. Which of course won&amp;#039;t do your belly any favours in the long run.\u00A0 But according to recent research, you are less likely to develop that irritating bulge by possessing a simple personality trait.\u00A0 Those who practice mindfulness \u2013 those who can concentrate on one thing at a time and live in the moment \u2013 have significantly less belly fat than those who don&amp;#039;t, according to a study published in the International Journal of Behavioral Medicine.\u00A0  In the study, researchers measured the body mass index and the amount of fat on the hips and stomachs of 394 male and female participants born between 1959 and 1974.\u00A0 The participants were then given a 15-minute mindfulness assessment to see where they fell on the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale. Many answered questions like,\u00A0&amp;#039;I find it difficult to stay focused on what&amp;#039;s happening in the present,&amp;#039; with a number between one and six to indicate how much they agreed with that statement (one indicated almost always; six indicated almost never). Those answers were averaged to get participants&amp;#039; overall mindfulness score, one being the lowest and six being the highest. After finishing the assessment, the researchers compared the participants&amp;#039; test scores with their body fat and weight measurements, taking into account their sex, age and if they smoked.\u00A0  They found that those who practiced mindfulness had much lower obesity levels and smaller\u00A0belly bulges than those who didn&amp;#039;t.\u00A0 Of course being mindful of how much you put into your mouth should theoretically have an effect on the amount that you eat, but that doesn&amp;#039;t always translate when there&amp;#039;s a towering burger stacked up in front you, just waiting to be devoured.\u00A0 Having said that, a few simple mindfulness tricks sounds better to us than any diet plan, don&amp;#039;t you agree?\u00A0 More on prima.co.uk... Could a supplement stop your cravings for high-calorie foods?  Eating pasta makes you slimmer, according to new research Get more health and weight loss tips delivered straight to your inbox, with our\u00A0our twice-weekly Prima newsletter \u2014 sign up below!  "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.prima.co.uk/diet-and-health/diet-plans/advice/a35653/mindfulness-belly-fat/>