Table 1.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion criteria:

Exclusion criteria:

Men and women Right or left handed Ages 25–60 Intentionally lost ≥5% of body weight during the previous year Intending to maintain weight loss BMI >25 kg/m2 in the past 2 years and greater than 20.5 kg/m2 at time of study entry Under the care of a primary care physician for at least the last year prior to screening Able to communicate by telephone with research staff Have a healthcare provider, personal trainer or weight-loss counsellor who can complete and sign a form indicating the amount and timing of their weight loss OR have a dated photograph or weight loss diary71

Weight >300 lbs (limitation of MRI scanner) Prior participation in an MBSR course Regular meditation practice (or any other form of meditative practice, such as yoga, Tai Chi, or contemplative prayer) for more than an average of 20 min/week within the past 2 years Serious psychiatric, cognitive or medical disorder Alcohol/substance abuse or dependence in past 6 months Any conditions that are incompatible with MRI Structural brain damage as determined by an independent neuroradiologist, based on T1W 3D TFE sagittal and T1W FFE axial images History of an eating disorder, diabetes mellitus or medications for diabetes mellitus Medication that affects weight (weight loss medications, corticosteroids, antipsychotics) History of weight loss surgery Participation in another weight management research study Regain of >3% of total body weight in the 2 months prior to study entry Childbirth in the past 6 months Claustrophobia, or any MRI incompatible implants Pregnant or planning to become pregnant Unable to consent

3D, three dimensional; BMI, Body Mass Index; FFE, Turbo Flash Field Echo; MBSR, mindfulness-based stress reduction; T1W, T1 weighted; TFE, Turbo Field Echo.