| Yoga
And Weight Loss
by Donovan Baldwin
Many people in America today try
all sorts of things in pursuit of healthy, permanent
weight loss. Unfortunately, they mainly seem to try
fad diets, diet pills, celebrity diets, the grapefruit
diet...you name it. In fact, stick an adjective or noun
in front of the word "diet", and you might
be the creator of the next diet craze.
while a someone might temporarily
lose a few pounds with a "diet", diets are
not successful when it comes to permanent weight loss
and healthy weight loss.
As they say, I have some good news
and some bad news.
The good news is that there IS a
known and proven way to achieve significant, healthy,
permanent weight loss. More good news is that, although
some modification to what you presently like to eat
will be necessary, extremely drastic changes are seldom
required. Oh, yes, you might have to learn to substitute
something you don't like that much right now for something
you do like, but, in time, you can get accustomed to
this, and even learn to like the new flavors and foods.
I know. I've been there.
The bad news is that, along with
modifications to your eating habits, you are going to
have to become more active. Dare I say it....?
You will have to exercise! The benefits
of exercise is an article in itself, and I have written
elsewhere about how exercise can take many forms, so
there is no need to lock yourself into an unpleasant
or painful exercise regimen. What I really want to do
here is give a small pitch for the practice of yoga
as my exercise program of choice. Remember, however,
my exercise program of choice might not be yours. As
much as I like yoga, you will have to decide if yoga
is right for you.
Before I speak specifically about
yoga, let's just list some of the known benefits of
regular exercise in general. Exercise...
>Reduces the risk or affects
of many illnesses and conditions such as heart disease,
diabetes, stroke, arthritis, high blood pressure, and
osteoporosis to name a few. Some studies even show possible
reductions in the risk for some cancers.
>Elevates mood and reduces depression.
>Helps maintain healthy bones,
muscles, joints, and nervous system.
>Delays affects of ageing, making
seniors more mobile and self sufficient and less likely
to fall prey to injury or illness.
>Reduces risk of premature death
(sounds like a big one to me).
>Helps maintain a healthy weight.
Okay, since any good exercise program
can provide these benefits, what does yoga have to offer
that makes it special?
In addition to providing the basic
benefits of exercise in general, yoga does have a few
specific things going for it.
1. Despite the apparently agonizing
contortions seen in every yoga book, the benefit is
in the attempt to achieve the position. The models in
the books arrived at their present level of ability
over time, and many a skilled practitioner of yoga today
began in the same shape you're in right now. It is okay
to modify a position or to come out of it a little early
if your body is not ready yet. The regular practice
of your best version of the movement or position (asana),
combined with yoga breathing techniques (easily learned)
will produce progress over time.
2. No personal trainer or special
equipment is needed, nor is it necessary to go to the
gym or even out in public at all. You can do yoga naked
if you don't have a pair of gym shorts, and a carpet
is just as good as a yoga mat...at least at first. Yoga
is actually so simple that it CAN be learned from a
book, although it certainly wouldn't hurt to get guidance
or training from a certified instructor.
3. Yoga is relaxing and relieves
stress. Not only is this of great personal value in
today's world, but if any part of your weight loss problem
is stress related, and I can almost guarantee some relationship,
the stress relief offered by yoga can ease that portion
of your weight loss journey.
4. In addition to being good for
your health for several reasons, simply learning yoga
breathing and practicing it regularly can help you burn
fat.
5. As you begin to progress in your
ability to better perform yoga poses (asanas) you will
notice a sense of control, of mastery of life and self,
which will become more evident. This new inner strength
will aid you in facing difficulties, including temptations
concerning eating and your new eating behaviors. You
will also find yourself more forgiving, not only of
others, but of yourself as well, and when you slide
a little, you will be better able to shrug it off and
get back on your path to success.
6. With more progress in your yoga
practice, you will begin to experience new feelings
of health, strength, and well-being. These feelings
will in turn motivate you to take even more control
of your life so that you can continue your progress
with no desire or temptation to return to the way things
used to be.
Nothing is perfect for everyone,
but, as you can see, the practice of yoga does have
some benefits to offer which may make it valuable in
the pursuit of healthy, permanent weight loss.
The author, Donovan Baldwin,
is retired from the Army after 21 years of service,
has worked as an accountant, optical lab manager, restaurant
manager, and instructor. He has been a member of Mensa
for several years, and has written and published poetry,
essays, and articles on various subjects for the last
40 years. He developed an interest in health and fitness
in the '70s after reading numerous books, including
Dr. Kenneth Cooper's "Aerobics". This has
led him to continue his personal research into health
and fitness for over 30 years, and to pursue course
work on the subjects of health and fitness, including
yoga, which he practices regularly. Learn more about
Yoga
and Weight
Loss.
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