Yoga is a Safe Solution to Weight Control - (By Paul M. Jerard Jr.)
One more study tells the world, that Yoga can
help with weight control and weight loss.
The latest study was held by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in
Seattle, Washington. The study involved 15,500 healthy, middle-aged, men
and women.
This is a group that typically has dfficulty with weight loss, since the
number of calories needed declines, and the energy levels needed to burn
calories, is not what it used to be.
Unfortunately, this is a fact that I have become painfully aware of during
the past few years, and cutting back on food was my unwanted last option.
Although, I cross train almost daily, it took me one year to lose 16 pounds
of extra weight.
Back to the study: Yoga practice was defined as practicing at least 30 minutes
once a week for four or more years. Comparatively speaking, this is truly
“bare minimum,” and many Yoga teachers used to say that this amount
of Yoga will do nothing. How times change; Yoga has been keeping people fit
for approximately 5,000 years, and its many health benefits are still a mystery
worthy of more studies.
Alan R. Kristal, Dr.P.H., the study's lead author at Hutchinson Center's
Public Health Sciences Division said, "Men and women who were of normal weight
at age 45, and who regularly practiced Yoga, gained about three fewer pounds
during that 10-year period than those who didn't practice Yoga." Until all
the studies are in, it would be safe to say that adding Yoga practice to
your weekly routine, and eating wisely, will contribute to weight control
or weight loss.
When seeking a Yoga teacher, find one who is compassionate, yet will encourage
you to practice more frequently. The results you will gain from regular practice,
of three to four Yoga classes per week, will be extraordinary, especially,
if you practice Yoga for years.
Yoga
is very low impact - in comparison to many aerobic exercise routines, and
can be practiced for longevity. Your knees, spine, hips, and shoulders, will
thank you for the condition Yoga will keep them in. Many of today’s
“standard” forms of exercise do not have the same “bragging
rights,” as Yoga.
With respect to eating, take the time to identify hunger and cravings. You
will notice that they are not the same thing. Being a chocolate lover, it
is much better to eat a piece of chocolate, now and then, than to buy a dozen
chocolate donuts. This is not to justify, or surrender, to chocolate, but
to eat it in moderation, and not every day.
Based upon what I have said so far, it is all about identification, control,
and moderation. We have to stop “mindless eating” habits. Recently,
researchers found that women who received a 1200 mg. calcium supplement,
on a daily basis, reduced their number of premenstrual food cravings by 54%.
On another note: When you have anxiety, your body produces more of the hormone
cortisol, which may increase the volume of carbohydrates you eat.
Carbohydrates temporarily increase our levels of serotonin, making us feel
relaxed for the short term. Learn the art of substituting foods for more
nutritionally dense variations. Therefore, use self-improvement sources to
keep you on the right track toward optimum health.
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