Back
Yoga, Women, & Weightby lonny J. Brown, Ph.D. Different Than Diets If you think that self-deprivation and sweating on a
treadmill is the only way to control your weight, or if you're fed-up with
fad diets and pills, and the roller-coaster effect of losing and
re-gaining pounds, it's time to look at the weight healing benefits of
yoga. Although not traditionally used for weight-loss, the regular
practice of yoga helps your body find its optimal weight through systemic
conditioning. The emphasis is on health, not thinness. In yoga, feeling
good immediately - from stretching, deep breathing, and relaxing
-translates into looking good eventually. By taking a gradual, metabolic
approach to weight normalization, yoga avoids the rebound effect and other
dangers of crash weight-loss programs. Yoga is not an
aerobic/cardiovascular workout, but it promotes heart and lung health and
development, and is thoroughly compatible with all other athletic
activities. Weight is more than an appearance issue for women.
Life-threatening diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood
pressure, and colon and breast cancer are all linked to excess fat in the
system. Yoga is an excellent prevention and/or remedy for many such
life-style-related illnesses. How Yoga Controls Weight The quintessential holistic self-care strategy, yoga
works on several levels simultaneously to create one's ideal body shape
and weight. PHYSICALLY, yoga Ø promotes muscle tone Ø stimulates the glands and balances hormones Ø increases oxygen intake - for burning calories Ø boosts circulation Ø increases metabolic efficiency - burns fat easier BEHAVIORALLY Ø Yoga reduces stress - a common trigger for
overeating. Ø Relaxation becomes the preferred substitute for
the "comfort" of compulsive consumption. Ø The sense of discipline in the name of health
carries over to you food choices. PSYCHO-SPIRITUALLY Doing yoga poses is by nature an introspective
pursuit, and meditation has always been a vital component of the practice.
Developing self-reflection can reveal the underlying causes of food abuse
and lack of exercise. Yoga is self-empowering. It teaches you to care for
and celebrate your body, It builds self-acceptance, self-image, and
self-esteem, through the satisfaction of personal improvement. Even if you
take a yoga class just to lose weight, you may be pleasantly surprised to
find that the practice has enhanced many other aspects of your life. Yoga Positions for Weight Management* Ø Seated spinal twist Ø Boat (belly crunch) Ø Locust (abdominal toner) Ø Lunge (massages internal organs) Ø Widespread Standing Forward Bend Ø Downward-Facing Dog (inversion for digestion) Ø Side Angle Ø Warrior Ø Tree (balance for overall muscle tone) Yoga Weight Loss Tips: Ø Take the long view. Go slowly. Stay in your
comfort zone, but don't be lazy. Do your best everyday. Ø Start in a chair if preferred or necessary. Ø Always modify the poses to suit your aptitude. Ø Practice the passive "restorative" poses
first: Corpse, baby, supported fish, suppine spinal twist, etc. Ø For support and reach, use pillows, bolsters,
blocks and straps. Ø Don't go by numbers of pounds on the scale; go by
how you feel and improve every day. Ø Practice healthy habit substitution: Sun Salutes
instead of snacks! * Yoga Journal, Dec. 2000, Why Yoga Works When Diets
Often Fail pg. 78. Lonny
J. Brown, Ph.D.
is the author of "Enlightenment
in Our Time" (www.booklocker.com/lonnybrown),
"Self-Actuated Healing," and "Meditation - Beginners
Questions & Answers (www.SelfHelpGuides.com) He is also a regular
contributor to America Online's Alternative Medicine Forum (AOL keyword,
AltMed), Holistic.com and many other progressive health Web sites. He
teaches Mind/Body Healing, Stress Management, Yoga and Meditation at
hospitals, schools, and businesses throughout the US., and offers holistic
health counseling by email, phone, and in person in the Monadnock region
of New Hampshire, USA. Dr. Brown's web site also features essays, tapes,
books, and lin! ks to a variety of integrative health sources as well as
Enlightenment web sites. www.holistic.com/lonny
lonny@holistic.com
|
Yoga
Relief From Neck & Shoulder Pain VHS