 |
Yoga for Weight Loss:
|
Study co-author Denise Benitez, owner of Seattle Yoga Arts, believes that yoga for weight loss may be helpful because it cultivates the ability to pay attention and be mindful—so you have the ability to better assess your physical and emotional needs. You recognize when you are hungry and when you are full and are less prone to overeating or emotional eating.
Another of the co-authors of the study, Alan Kristal, believes that by helping develop better body awareness, reducing stress, and avoiding bad habits, yoga helps people avoid overeating, resulting in weight loss.
This seems right on target. After taking care of my body and mind by practicing yoga for over an hour my desire to fill up on pizza and beer is diminished. I often crave something wholesome and find it easier to put the fork down before eating too much. My cravings seem more manageable somehow.
A recent article in Prevention magazine reported that in addition to being a great stress buster, yoga for weight loss is also one of the most effective workouts for fighting stubborn fat stores, especially those that occur after age 40. The reason: Studies show that it lowers levels of stress hormones and increases insulin sensitivity—a signal to your body to burn food as fuel rather than store it as fat.
How Yoga Assists With Weight Loss
Yoga can help us develop lifestyles that will enhance the health of our bodies, minds, and spirits, and bring our weights into a healthy balanced range. It can help us develop a healthier relationship with our bodies creating the desire to take better care of them.
Yoga offers a variety of mental, physical and emotional benefits that have led to successful weight loss for many and include the following:
- Improved self-image leading to healthier choices and behaviors
- Increased muscle mass and tone resulting in increased metabolism
- Improved digestion and metabolic functioning
- Increased energy levels
- Improved mood and emotional outlook
- Improved eating habits
- Reduced stress and negative thoughts resulting in less emotional eating
- Improved hormonal balance allowing your body to let go of fat stores more easily
- Increased ability to focus on your objectives and to make positive changes
Yoga For Weight Loss Tips
- Focus more on the internal experience of your yoga practice than to your outer performance. This will help lower stress and encourage good body image and may lead to weight loss.
- In your poses, find the soft side of your edge, where you are working but not straining and develop the ability to be comfortable with this slight discomfort. This can carry over to other aspects of your life, like skipping the afternoon candy bar, even though you want it.
- Give yourself permission to rest when you feel overworked. More and more studies are linking lack of sleep and rest with weight gain.
- Pay close attention to your self-talk as you practice, and cultivate compassion, self-acceptance and self-appreciation. Yoga will be much more effective in helping you lose weight when you are feeling good about yourself.
- Practice regularly. A little bit done often is better than a lot done occasionally. You will develop balance, strength and flexibility more quickly, and keep your metabolism working more efficiently.
- Invest in yourself and your practice. Buy your own yoga mat and a yoga outfit. It may be just the incentive you need to keep with it.
- Realize that the development of qualities like patience, discipline, wisdom, kindness, and gratitude will arise from your yoga for weight loss practice. These qualities can help you make healthier life choices and result in weight loss.
- Find a teacher who offers a balance of gentleness and firmness and whose teaching inspires you to practice from your highest self.
- Give yourself credit for getting to class and doing what you need to do to take care of yourself.
At this time most agree that yoga can certainly be part of a sensible plan for health, but should not be relied on exclusively if weight loss is the goal. Healthy diet and a sensible aerobic exercise regime are still believed to be a necessary part of an overall balanced approach to health and fitness. I accomplish this by trying to eat well most of the time and supplementing my yoga for weight loss practice with brisk walks several times a week and can attest that it has worked for me.
So if you want to lose weight or more easily manage your weight, why not give yoga a try? What do you have to lose (except maybe a few extra pounds)?
Anne Collins Weight Loss Program
If you want to give it a try, check out this great e-book that I recently discovered. Anne has a proven track record and it comes with a money back guarantee if you are not satisfied. You have nothing to lose - except perhaps those last few stubborn pounds!
One-on-one healthy eating coaching, fun cooking classes, and private yoga instruction in Phoenix, Arizona, to help you lead a happier, healthier, more nourished life. Ask me how - today!
