Yoga and Weight Loss
by Maia Appleby
Is
yoga a useful activity for weight loss? Well...
yes!
Yoga
can help you lose weight in several indirect
ways. It
sets you up psychologically for weight loss,
giving your whole lifestyle a more solid foundation.
Deep
breathing is known to improve concentration
and strength, the two main ingredients of willpower
(and we all know how important that is!)
Just
a few moments of relaxation and meditation each
day will do wonders for your self esteem.
Yoga teaches you how to do this effectively.
It sounds silly, but a lot of people
truly do not know how to relax. They
try, but their minds tend to wander back to
the problems of their day, and they don't truly
reach the point of true meditation.
A
qualified yoga instructor uses imagery and breathing
techniques to help you wipe all of these outside
disturbances out of your mind and let you focus
on what's going on inside of you for a few minutes. People
who are proficient at this tend to have more
positive body images than worry-warts.
If
you suffer from depression or fatigue, both
problems that often result in weight gain, yoga
can lift your spirits.
It improves your blood circulation, which
increases your energy level, helping you to
reduce any lethargy.
This is especially true if you do a few
poses first thing in the morning. That
extra oomph can keep you going all day, so you
don't hit that wall and fill up on snacks all
day to keep going.
Doing
yoga strengthens your muscles, which inevitably speeds
up your metabolism. Although
it isn't as effective as weight training in this regard,
it certainly will make you stronger and more defined.
The
improved flexibility that yoga inevitably gives you
makes everything easier to do. Your
limber body is then better able to perform daily activities,
and this will make you feel better about living in
general. If
you play tennis, you'll be able to play harder, for
example. Yoga
exercises stretch the spine and hamstrings (the backs
of the legs), as well as the Achilles tendon.
Ultimately, this will improve your posture,
making you stand taller and look leaner, even if you
weigh the same amount.This makes you feel thinner, encouraging you
to keep leading a healthy life.Highly
recommended yoga videos:
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