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Kimmi08 Offline OP
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I'm involved in an exercise regime for losing weight and really want the real dirt on yoga. How does it help in losing weight or does it? What are its benefits other than relieving stress? Please help. thanks.


Kimberly C. Cannon, Former Bulb Gardening Editor
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The main benefits from yoga are flexibility and strength. As you become stronger and more flexible you move with more grace and fluidity, you sit down and get up with ease, and your posture improves. All of which makes you look better as well as feel better about yourself. I'm sure that you burn up a few extra calories during a yoga practise too.
I love it!

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Hi Kimmie,

I agree with everything claybird says about the physical aspects of yoga. For me, I started doing yoga for relief from back pain but have stayed with it because of the sense of calm and peace it has created for me.

I call my yoga mat my magic carpet. No matter how bad I am feeling, I know I can go to my mat, do my practice (which is different depending on what I need) and walk away a kinder, gentler person - to myself and others.

I don't think the yoga/weight loss connection has much to do with the calories burned. I think it has to do with the awareness you develop. I have a history of weight struggles that began when I was about 11. I struggled gaining and losing the same 10 to 30 pounds for decades. I've done all the diets, aerobics, weights, am a weight watchers life time member, etc...

With yoga, I lost the weight without a lot of struggle and have kept it off. I am kinder and gentler to myself and am much more accepting of my body. I know what my body needs and have learned to pause and ask what I really want before dipping into the cookie jar. If it's a cookie I really want, I eat it and enjoy it without guilt. But if I really want or need to talk to a friend, take a walk, or get in a hot bath, I opt for that. I have learned to eat for fuel and for pleasure. Food is no longer my enemy.

I also recently finished a 20 week tele-course on The Psychology of Eating since food, weight, and the whole mind/body connection are so interesting to me. I think the biggest thing I learned from the course was that the weight is usually just a symptom of something else. When we figure out what we want to be happy and allow ourselves to get happy, the weight issues usually just evaporate!

And don't underestimate the value of yoga's ability to reduce stress. There was just a huge piece in the Wall Street Journal (of all places) about the negative effects of stress on our bodies -- It basically said that stress will make us old, make us fat, sabotage our sex drive, weaken our immune system, ruin our sleep, and be a catalyst for catastrophic events. I took that to mean that if yoga reduces stress, it can reverse all those negative effects!

If there is anything I can do to help you give yoga a try, please let me know...I have lots of book and dvd reviews on the yoga site.

I know I can be an evangelistic on the topic of yoga but it has helped me so much I just want everyone to have a little taste of its power.

Last edited by Mexican Food/Yoga Editor; 04/21/09 06:49 PM.

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Thanks Martha and Claybird. Good information. I'll check out the books on your site Martha. You all take care. Bye.


Kimberly C. Cannon, Former Bulb Gardening Editor
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Right something I think is important is that it's not an either-or thing. You shouldn't do a bike ride OR do yoga. You need to do both. Things like bike riding and dancing around and such are cardio exercises. They get your blood pumping. But you ALSO need flexibility activities - and that is what yoga are.

It's like eating protein and eating green vegetables. It's not either or - you need to do both to stay healthy!


Lisa Shea, Low Carb and Video Games Editor
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I've just started back with yoga after a few years. The most immediate affect it has had on me is helping me sleep better. Since I'm getting more rest, I have more energy to do other exercise.

Another benefit is pain relief. I type at a desk all day, and I'm not getting as many tension headaches as I used to which also made me feel fatigued.


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That is great Trish!

I used to do yoga daily when I started (last March or so) and I loved it. But then I "got busy" and stopped. But when I work non stop 24 hours a day 7 days a week my shoulders start killing me, I get worn down and I'm sure I must work more slowly than normal. So really if I would just invest a half hour a day in yoga I could get more done!

I got strict with myself today and did some yoga in the sun on the back porch - and loved it!


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That's great Trish. It can be such a snowball effect. When you take one positive step, it gets easier to take another and another!


Just a 5 minute break to do a couple of stretches and take a few deep breaths every hour or so can make a huge difference to our productivity!


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I've done yoga the past three days now. Just short 15-20 minute simple stretches but it really does make my shoulders feel much better! It's amazing how even short periods of exercise can really help your body out.


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Yes, just little yoga breaks are so beneficial to the body, mind, and spirit! I try to set a timer for every hour so I remember to take a stretch or two and several deep cleansing breaths to clear the head. Yoga doesn't have to be a big production.


Martha McKinnon

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