By Tania Hackner
Yoga has long been touted as a relaxation technique that tunes the body, mind, and spirit into working in harmony. But many fitness experts and yoga teachers now say that yoga also leads to effective and lasting weight loss where other techniques have either failed or shown minimal results.
Any weight loss program includes regular exercise and a healthy diet. But what's even more important is sticking to the program. This is hard for most people as hectic schedules hinder exercise time, and day-to-day stress brings on emotional eating. Here's where yoga can help you.
Yoga is first and foremost a very effective form of deep relaxation. Even the most basic breathing exercises and poses (asanas) which define your first yoga session will help you clear your mind and better deal with stress. This positively affects your state of mind toward yourself and your life. As you are more relaxed, you will find it easier to control and eventually eliminate emotional binges and snacking between meals. The deep breathing exercises (pranayama) enhance concentration and inner strength, which help you stick to a diet or an alternative exercise routine.
Yoga tones and strengthens every muscle in your body. It also stimulates glands that secrete hormones which increase metabolism and alleviate depression. As you reach more advanced levels of yoga, you get more nimble and find it easier to work off excess fat. The pranayamas increase oxygen intake, thus facilitating smoother functioning of every organ in your body. An hour of yoga leaves you feeling rejuvenated, which means that you feel better throughout the day and tackle even mundane household chores more energetically, thus burning more calories.
If you are obese or excessively overweight, yoga is only an indirect way of getting in shape. It preps your mind and body for weight loss. So, if you initiate the other required steps in addition to your yoga sessions, you will soon be on your way to a lighter you and much healthier lifestyle.
Good health is not a struggle, nor it is an extraordinary feat. Healthy living is about understanding what your body needs and what is good for it. Re-discover good health in a simple way with Tania Hackner and make good health a way of living!.For more information and advice on yoga please visit us at http://www.whatyouneedtoknow.co.in
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posted by Cheryl Levesque @ 4:13 PM
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