Laugh and lose weight ...

[Unbelievable]

What do you think about laughter and weight loss? I there a link between them? I knew that laughter is fattening, but it seems it's just the other way around according to this weight loss technique (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A40731-2005Apr9.html). It's an interesting article. Here's an extract:
Laughing exercises "will definitely become a part of all the fitness clubs and yoga centers," predicts Thomas Varkey, a business consultant who two years ago founded the Laughter for Life club in Boston. Members meet for 25 minutes twice a month for yoga-inspired roll-on-the-floor laugh-o-ramas.
"It gives a lot of exercise to our body and a kind of well-being," says Varkey. "The well-being helps us not to eat too much. When we are depressed, we tend to eat more. Laughing is antidepressant medicine."
What are your thoughts on this? Have you ever heard of "laughter diet"? :D

[serena]

You knew that laughter is fattening? That's the first time I ever heard about laughter making someone fat. It's supposed to be a healthy thing for your body in general. At least, I've always known it that way, and I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out to help reduce weight.

[flutemj]

I don't think that laughter is fattening, it is good to laugh; possibly being content can lead to weight gain in some people, but basically eating too much and not taking enough exercise makes people fat. There are all sorts of potty ideas and gimmicks about weight loss, and there may or may not be a grain of truth in some of the ideas, but they do not replace the need to eat sensibly and to get plenty of exercise.

[serena]

Very well said, flutemj. However, I don't think excessive laughing (whatever that is) can do anyone any harm, perhaps other than creating some extra laugh lines around your eyes. But then again, wouldn't you rather have laugh lines than frown lines? :D

[flutemj]

Very well said, flutemj. However, I don't think excessive laughing (whatever that is) can do anyone any harm, perhaps other than creating some extra laugh lines around your eyes. But then again, wouldn't you rather have laugh lines than frown lines? :D
I think most people would rather be in the company a cheerful friendly person with a few laughter lines, than to be with someone who never smiles. Life is about now, nobody can count on tomorrow and diet or not, we should enjoy all the simple pleasures of life that we so often take for granted.