Yoga Can Be A New Tool In Weight Loss Effort
In the battle for weight loss, many people have turned to extreme methods: fad diets, over-the-top exercise routines, even starvation. And thanks to these extreme methods, pseudo doctors and TV hawkers have become rich while unsatisfied dieters look for the next weight loss answer.
But in chasing after these get-thin-quick schemes, many people miss one of the most effective and convenient forms of weight loss around: yoga.
It may be hard for some people to accept that yoga can be an effective weight loss tool. Thanks to late night TV ads and self-described weight loss experts, a lot of us have been led to believe that strenuous exercise routines are the only way to effectively get in shape and feel the burn. Or they hawk hard-to-believe products (pills, creams, powders, diets) that promise to "melt away the inches but succeed only in melting away your money.
To be sure, diet and exercise have an important role in weight loss. But yoga is an often-overlooked form of exercise that can actually help you lose weight. Now, not all types of yoga can create the kind of calorie-burning rise in heart rate that can result in substantial weight loss. But they are yoga practices that can raise your heart rate to the levels that burn fat and shed pounds, and are especially effective when combined with other types of exercises.
Also, it's possible to yoga as your primary form of exercise with the goal of losing weight. To do this, however, you need to enroll in a yoga class that meets three days a week for at least 90 minutes and includes movements and positions that help raise your heart rate. And when you combine this type of yoga exercise with other types of aerobic workouts like running or brisk walking, you not only lose weight but get stronger as well.
So how can you lose weight with yoga? First, the most sweat-enducing forms of yoga are comprised of a series of fairly rapid pose changes that not only help to tone the muscles but get the heart rate at a good fat-burning level. According to doctors, yoga can not only lower stress levels but increase the level of insulin sensitivity, a process that sends a signal to your body to used the food you consume as food and not hold on to it as fat. In addition, yoga experts point to the way yoga can improve digestion (and thus reduce the likelihood of water retention, bloating and constipation) and improve the circulation of blood to the glands that control appetite as more evidence that it can aid in weight loss.
Yoga experts and practitioners agree that the most effective yoga-related weight loss program may include vinyasa or "flow yoga", a style of yoga which utilizes a series of positions called "sun salutations". Within vinyasa yoga are several styles that require exertion and include several strength-building moves. Among the vinyasa yoga styles are: Ashtanga yoga, a style of yoga that emphasizes synchronized breathing and postures that elevate the heart rate and help create a detoxifying sweat.
Power yoga, a strenuous form of yoga closely related to the Ashtanga form and stressing strength and flexibility. Created in the U.S. in the early 1990s, power yoga is credited with bringing yoga to the body building gyms of America.
Yoga instructors also stress several specific positions that are beneficial to weight loss. This group of poses include: The Cresent: Stand and inhale while raising your arms over your head, extending your fingers toward the ceiling. Bend forward at the waist while you exhale and bring your hand to the ground. Breath in and then exhale w3hile taking a step back and place your right leg in a lung position - your left knee should be bent and positioned over your ankle while your right leg rests on the ball of your right foot. Inhale and lift your arms overhead and look straight ahead. Hold the pose and then return to a standing position, then perform the move again, this time for the opposite side of your body.
The Willow: Stand with feet together and your arms straight at your side. Raise your left leg and place the bottom of your left foot on the inside of your right thigh, while pointing your bended knee out to the side. Place the palms of your hand together in front of your chest and take two deep breaths. When you inhale a third time, raise your arms upward with your fingertips pointed toward the ceiling. Exhale and inhale again, this time while bending your midsection to the left. Inhale as your straighten up and then repeat the movement. Reverse the movement for the other side.
Rocking Boat: Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your feet on the floor. Rest your hands on your thighs. Lean back 45 degrees and lift your feet off the floor so that the lower part of your leg is in line with the floor and your toes are pointed ahead. Inhale and extend your arms and legs (keep your legs together), forming a V shape. Exhale, then inhale and lower your torso and legs a few inches so that they form an even wider V. Exhale and raise your torso and legs again. Repeat this move 3 to 5 more times.
Hover: Place your body on the floor in a push-up style position, with your feet balanced on your toes and the palms of your hand on the floor at your sides. Be sure to place your hands below your should and align your body. Exhale and lower your chest to the floor, keeping your elbows bent back and your arms close to your body. Tighten up your abdominal muscles and hold the pose as you balance a few inches above the floor.
Chair: Stand with your feet placed together and your toes pointed forward, while you hold your arms at your side. Inhale and raise your arms overhead with the palms of your hands facing each other. As you exhale, lower yourself down into a seated position (approximately 45 degrees) and keep your knees behind your toes and your abdominal muscles tight.
When combined with proper nutrition and a regular schedule, yoga can be a welcome addition to your weight loss program. If you are already a member of a yoga class, speak with your instructor to learn what types of yoga can help you lose weight. And if youre not enrolled in a yoga class, consider joining one as a new partner in your health goals.
But in chasing after these get-thin-quick schemes, many people miss one of the most effective and convenient forms of weight loss around: yoga.
It may be hard for some people to accept that yoga can be an effective weight loss tool. Thanks to late night TV ads and self-described weight loss experts, a lot of us have been led to believe that strenuous exercise routines are the only way to effectively get in shape and feel the burn. Or they hawk hard-to-believe products (pills, creams, powders, diets) that promise to "melt away the inches but succeed only in melting away your money.
To be sure, diet and exercise have an important role in weight loss. But yoga is an often-overlooked form of exercise that can actually help you lose weight. Now, not all types of yoga can create the kind of calorie-burning rise in heart rate that can result in substantial weight loss. But they are yoga practices that can raise your heart rate to the levels that burn fat and shed pounds, and are especially effective when combined with other types of exercises.
Also, it's possible to yoga as your primary form of exercise with the goal of losing weight. To do this, however, you need to enroll in a yoga class that meets three days a week for at least 90 minutes and includes movements and positions that help raise your heart rate. And when you combine this type of yoga exercise with other types of aerobic workouts like running or brisk walking, you not only lose weight but get stronger as well.
So how can you lose weight with yoga? First, the most sweat-enducing forms of yoga are comprised of a series of fairly rapid pose changes that not only help to tone the muscles but get the heart rate at a good fat-burning level. According to doctors, yoga can not only lower stress levels but increase the level of insulin sensitivity, a process that sends a signal to your body to used the food you consume as food and not hold on to it as fat. In addition, yoga experts point to the way yoga can improve digestion (and thus reduce the likelihood of water retention, bloating and constipation) and improve the circulation of blood to the glands that control appetite as more evidence that it can aid in weight loss.
Yoga experts and practitioners agree that the most effective yoga-related weight loss program may include vinyasa or "flow yoga", a style of yoga which utilizes a series of positions called "sun salutations". Within vinyasa yoga are several styles that require exertion and include several strength-building moves. Among the vinyasa yoga styles are: Ashtanga yoga, a style of yoga that emphasizes synchronized breathing and postures that elevate the heart rate and help create a detoxifying sweat.
Power yoga, a strenuous form of yoga closely related to the Ashtanga form and stressing strength and flexibility. Created in the U.S. in the early 1990s, power yoga is credited with bringing yoga to the body building gyms of America.
Yoga instructors also stress several specific positions that are beneficial to weight loss. This group of poses include: The Cresent: Stand and inhale while raising your arms over your head, extending your fingers toward the ceiling. Bend forward at the waist while you exhale and bring your hand to the ground. Breath in and then exhale w3hile taking a step back and place your right leg in a lung position - your left knee should be bent and positioned over your ankle while your right leg rests on the ball of your right foot. Inhale and lift your arms overhead and look straight ahead. Hold the pose and then return to a standing position, then perform the move again, this time for the opposite side of your body.
The Willow: Stand with feet together and your arms straight at your side. Raise your left leg and place the bottom of your left foot on the inside of your right thigh, while pointing your bended knee out to the side. Place the palms of your hand together in front of your chest and take two deep breaths. When you inhale a third time, raise your arms upward with your fingertips pointed toward the ceiling. Exhale and inhale again, this time while bending your midsection to the left. Inhale as your straighten up and then repeat the movement. Reverse the movement for the other side.
Rocking Boat: Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your feet on the floor. Rest your hands on your thighs. Lean back 45 degrees and lift your feet off the floor so that the lower part of your leg is in line with the floor and your toes are pointed ahead. Inhale and extend your arms and legs (keep your legs together), forming a V shape. Exhale, then inhale and lower your torso and legs a few inches so that they form an even wider V. Exhale and raise your torso and legs again. Repeat this move 3 to 5 more times.
Hover: Place your body on the floor in a push-up style position, with your feet balanced on your toes and the palms of your hand on the floor at your sides. Be sure to place your hands below your should and align your body. Exhale and lower your chest to the floor, keeping your elbows bent back and your arms close to your body. Tighten up your abdominal muscles and hold the pose as you balance a few inches above the floor.
Chair: Stand with your feet placed together and your toes pointed forward, while you hold your arms at your side. Inhale and raise your arms overhead with the palms of your hands facing each other. As you exhale, lower yourself down into a seated position (approximately 45 degrees) and keep your knees behind your toes and your abdominal muscles tight.
When combined with proper nutrition and a regular schedule, yoga can be a welcome addition to your weight loss program. If you are already a member of a yoga class, speak with your instructor to learn what types of yoga can help you lose weight. And if youre not enrolled in a yoga class, consider joining one as a new partner in your health goals.
