As anyone who watches late-night television can
attest, there are no shortage of “innovative” new weight loss programs out
there. Numerous infomercials tout the benefits of expensive machines, videos,
and pills, all of which are “guaranteed” to help us lose weight and look
better.
However, there’s another
form of exercise that offers these same benefits, as well as countless others.
It may even help you avoid the insomnia that causes you to catch those
aforementioned two-in-the-morning infomercials in the first place. It’s not
exactly a new fitness program – current research suggests it’s been around for
approximately 5000 years – but novel ways of approaching it are constantly
popping up.
“It” is yoga, and while
you probably have heard of it, you may not be aware of just how powerful this
ancient practice can be. Recent studies have shown that yoga can reduce back
pain, alleviate insomnia, depression and anxiety, and boost your immunity to
heart disease. But considering the biggest killer in the United States is
obesity, the question remains: can yoga really help you lose pounds and keep
you physically fit?
Check out all the latest
Drugstore.com
coupon code, Coupons, Promo codes & Discounts for 2016.
The skinny on yoga for weight loss:
Skeptics argue that the
average yoga class doesn’t raise the heart rate enough to burn sufficient
calories for weight loss. This is true: even the more intensive “power yoga”
classes offered at many gyms can’t compare to a high-impact aerobics class or
an hour on the elliptical. But a recent study suggests that yoga aids in weight
loss all the same.
At the Fred Hutchinson
Cancer Research Center of Seattle, WA, 15,000 middle-aged adults were followed
for a 10-year period. Some participated in yoga classes, some didn’t. In the
end, the study participants who didn’t practice yoga gained approximately 18
pounds more than those who did practice, even for a short time period – as
little as one 30-minute yoga session a week for four years made a difference.
And those in the study who were overweight to begin with showed even more
promising results: while those without a regular yoga practice gained around 13
pounds in a 10-year period, the overweight participants who incorporated yoga
into their lives lost 5 pounds (without trying any other specific diet or
exercise plan).
If most yoga classes
don’t provide fat-burning aerobic workouts, why does yoga appear to have such a
positive impact on weight? The answer may be the mind-body connection so
important to the practice. If this sounds like a bunch of new-age malarkey,
consider the following common causes of weight gain – all of which yoga can
alleviate:
- Stress: High levels of stress created high levels of cortisol,
a stress-response hormone and favorite of the ineffectual diet pill
circuit. Have you ever seen the commercial where they link cortisol to
belly fat? That’s actually a concrete claim. An overload of cortisol can
cause you to eat more and store those extra calories in your abdomen. By
reducing stress, yoga lowers your cortisol levels.
- Depressio: According to a study in General Hospital Psychiatry,
women with clinical depression are more than twice as likely to be obese.
Practicing yoga consistently is suspected to increase serotonin levels and
decrease monoamine oxidase, two factors that positively affect depression.
- Overeating and
body awareness: The Fred Hutchinson study results, published in
Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, implied that the yogis of
the group were less inclined to overeat or indulge in junk food out of
respect for their bodies. Unlike most forms of exercise, yoga is holistic:
it teaches total body awareness, linking breathing and meditation with
movement, and instilling a respect for the whole self. If you’re more in
tune with your body, you’ll be able to better read your hunger signals -
and probably be less likely to reach for that box of Oreos next time the
urge to snack hits.
Body Benefits: How does yoga rate as a fitness program?
Most of us buy into the
“no pain - no gain” adage. We huff and puff our way through spinning classes,
despite a risk of straining our knees, or we put our joints in harm’s way
through high-impact workouts. When done correctly, these fitness activities can
be perfectly safe – but in our competitive world, it’s easy to push ourselves
right into repetitive strain injuries. Even if your heart is strong from
running marathons, how will you maintain that physical fitness later in life if
your knees give out from years of overuse?
The beauty of yoga is
that it is not only gentle on the body, but it teaches us to enjoy the journey
rather than the destination. By learning better ways of breathing, standing,
balancing and stretching, our bodies and minds can achieve better health
without the risks inherent in many competitive sports and goal-oriented fitness
classes. And, it’s an equal-opportunity activity – even those with restrictions
or injuries can reap the benefits. While those who desire a strenuous workout
can seek out vigorous Ashtanga or power yoga classes, there are also modified
versions of the practice that cater to the elderly, the pregnant, or the sick.
The better shape we are
in, the better our appearance, general happiness, and self-esteem. But getting
fit is not just about fitting into your skinny jeans. What our bodies look like
is only as important as what our bodies can do. One of the main tenants of yoga
is self-empowerment. When learning the poses (or “asanas”), it can be
frustrating at first. Balancing on one leg, getting your limbs to bend into
crazy positions, holding poses that strain your arms in ways you never thought
possible – it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. The more you practice, however, the
easier the poses become, giving you a sense of accomplishment that translates
into all aspects of life.
After all, if you can
twist yourself into a pretzel, what can’t you do?
No comments:
Post a Comment