Category Archives: Weight management

Yoga Journey….what’s yours?

I asked the question…..What journey has Yoga taken you on?..these are some of the replies I received.

“I first started practicing Yoga several years ago, after a friend recommended it to me. I’ve always been quite a tense person, and I found it helped me to relax and focus my mind on other things.
Unfortunately, I suffered from pelvic pain and related issues for a number of years after that, and I took a break from most exercise during that time.
I found that I missed my yoga practice, however, and when I began to recover I decided to find a new class. The thing I love most about Yoga is there’s no expectation from anyone. Everyone has different levels of ability, and different things they want to achieve. You can take the class at your own pace, and you don’t have to do anything that you don’t feel is right for you. There are 2 sides to Yoga – the physical fitness, but also spiritual awareness. I hope that I’ll always have Yoga in my life in some form!”

Sarah

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“I have never been good at any kind of exercise class. I love being in water and swimming but most pools put me off as they are too crowded. I love being outdoors with my dogs but it probably isn’t enough. 
I tried yoga at a few gyms but felt a bit intimidated by other patrons who were Lycra-clad, overly made up and never had a hair out of place! 
I’ve suffered from depression and anxiety for 12 years (since diagnosis and probably many years before) Last year I lost my mum and mother in law and my husband and I moved from London to Ferring where my mother in law had lived for about 9 months to be with my brother-in-law who had moved here with her and suffers from ill health. My 84 yr old Dad is alone for the first time in 60 years and is 180 miles away. So although I and my husband are very fortunate we have a lot of sadness and stress around us. I comfort eat and tend to hide away and avoid people which I know doesn’t help in the long run. So I made the decision to join some classes. In September I found Tina’s website, saw the class was walking distance and joined. Her classes are a revelation. Everyone, there is concentrating on themselves. Everyone tries but no-one judges. I feel stretched, calmed and exercised after each class. I have lost and kept off half a stone, my posture and mobility have improved and I’m more toned but above all, I find the breathing and focus totally calm my mind and body and I ALWAYS feel better. The other thing is that although I’ve had to miss classes because of other commitments or illness I have never made an excuse not to go because I have felt anxious or depressed. Yoga is a safe place that helps me and for someone with depression and anxiety, believe me, that means the world”. 

Linda

Two very different but equally inspiring stories from Sarah and Linda.
Thank you for allowing me to share your journeys in the hope that they will encourage others to give Yoga a try and experience just how wonderful it is.
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Weight Management

Regular Yoga practice can also help in Weight Management. Some poses stimulate sluggish glands and increase their hormonal secretions. The thyroid gland, especially has a big affect on our weight because it affect body metabolism and some poses such as the shoulder stand and fish postures are specific for this. Also by practising Yoga there is a reduction in anxiety which will help to reduce anxious eating. Finally Yoga poses induce continuous deeper breathing which gradually burns many of the calories already ingested.

As yoga continues to stimulate the flow of positive health within you, you will notice other changes, your tastes will alter, you go off food and drink that you once thought you could not live without. Once you start feeling good about yourself, you stop wanting to harm your body with junk foods, eventually you will regard them as toxins. This is Yoga’s way of naturally encouraging you to eat foods that are beneficial to your body.

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40 ways (& days) yoga heals

Day 2
Strengthens muscles: Muscle weakness contributes to numerous problems including arthritis, back pain and falls in the elderly. Many of the physical limitations people associate with aging including weakness and progressive disability are due to loss of muscle (use it or lose it) – dubbed Sarcopenia – degenerative loss of skeletal muscle mass. Studies have shown that even people in their 80’s can make rapid gains in function when they adopt a regime to build muscle. Asana practice not only strengthens muscles, but does so in a functional way balancing strength with flexibility. In addition to strengthening muscles Yoga appears to build endurance and delay the onset of fatigue.

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