Yoga benefits
Yoga originated in ancient India and is over 5,000 year old. There are over 300 million yoga practitioners in the world today, and the number is growing as more and more people see its benefits to mind, body and spirit.
Many studies have revealed that yoga practice positively improves physical and mental health. Practicing yoga can help reduce weight, burn calories and boost metabolism. Yoga also helps its practitioners achieve mindfulness, relieve stress and depression.
Yoga for weight loss
Arthur, a 47 year old, disabled veteran weighed over 297 pounds. He needed to use knee and back braces and could stand only with the help of assisting canes. He was told by doctors that he would never walk without an assistant ever again. With the help of a yoga instructor, Arthur managed to lose 140 pounds in 10 months. He went from being unable to stand, to become an avid runner – all through the practice of yoga.
Active yoga practice such as ashtanga, power yoga, Bikram (hot yoga) and vinyasa yoga, help burn calories, boosts metabolism, builds muscle strength, detoxifies the body, improves blood circulation, also helps calm your mind and develop more focus and mindfulness.
The number of calories burned depends on the type of yoga, advancement level, the duration of yoga practice, the pace or intensity and your body weight. According to Healthstatus calories burned estimation, a 170 pound person can burn about 400 calories during a 60 minutes practice of ashtanga and power yoga; from 500-650 calories while practising bikram and vinyasa yoga.
Yoga combined with a healthy diet can work wonders for your physical and mental health. You may need to pay attention to what you eat, how much you eat and how you eat. Foods such as omega-rich fish, whole grains, tofu, soy, seaweed and vegetables are low in saturated fats and sugar and rich in vitamins and minerals. Healthy diets can improve weight loss dramatically. The portion of food that you consume also plays an important part in controlling your weight. A common Japanese teaching recommends people to stop eating after they are 80% full and avoid overeating. Eating smaller portions and eating slowly aids digestion. Practicing mindfulness meditation can help develop skills in selecting nutritious foods, controlling food portion consumption and building a good foundation for a better living.
Yoga and meditation
Research suggests that yoga and meditation are a powerful combination, helping practitioners achieve success, look younger and live longer. Life in modern society can be very distracting and stressful. If you are feeling depressed and stressed about your appearance, your health condition, your financial situation, your relationship and your career, you are not alone. Yoga and meditation can help.
Practitioners have found that even the simplest techniques such as becoming aware of one’s breath has immense benefits. Advanced techniques such as mental reconstruction of complex objects and activities in great detail are very effective in improving focus and boosting creativity and positivity. The ancient Indian breathing technique – Pranayama, which combines yoga with meditation, has been shown to have several benefits for mind and body.
People who have taken up yoga and meditation have reported improvements in their blood circulation. Deeply breathing in and breathing out helps to circulate blood flow through your body, release toxicity and improves organ health.
Practicing yoga improves flexibility and endurance while meditation helps to release stress and anxiety. Yoga and meditation practice keeps your body and your mind healthy and happy.
Yoga motivation
Practicing yoga can transform your life. The following true story is about how yoga saved the life of a stroke victim. And yoga helped the stroke victim to overcome her disability, then become a successful yoga instructor.
1.Facing a strategic stroke
Jane✳ still remembers that night 10 years ago. It was a routine day. After coming home from work, she finished dinner, took a shower and went to bed. When she woke up in the morning, Jane realized that she could not feel half of her body. Her left eye could not blink at all and teared uncontrollably. She tried to pinch her left hand but could not feel anything. The left side of her face and her lips were distorted. She could not eat properly – food and water fell out every time she ate. She was filled with fear, pain and a sense of hopelessness.
Her family was also going through hard times and could not offer her much support. Luckily, with support and help from close friends she got some acupuncture treatment which helped her with the pain but her condition did not improve. She spent 2 years of her life in this state – and went in and out of depression.
2. Getting started with yoga
One day, a close friend took Jane to a yoga class and that became the turning point of her life. In the beginning, she felt frustrated that she was not able to do much. But with support from her friend and instructor, she started making progress. She first learnt how to breathe in deeply and breathe out slowly. Then, she slowly practiced the simplest of moves. When her body got used to this, she slowly tried more difficult routines. She got better and better with more practice. Eventually, she found that she really loved yoga. She also found that she ate healthier and slept better. Over several months of practicing yoga, she recovered fully.
3. Transforming life by practicing yoga
Realizing the benefits of practicing yoga and wanting to share her experience and knowledge with others, Jane decided to pursue a career as a yoga instructor. Her life is a testimony to what yoga can accomplish, and how anyone could get started, regardless of their current situation. As an instructor, Jane is now helping people with various health conditions such as joint problems, enjoy the benefits of yoga.
(* name of the character was changed to ensure privacy.)
Yoga tips for beginners
1. Get familiar with yoga concepts
Beginners may first want to read some books about yoga to familiarize yourself with yoga concepts. Note that while you can learn some concepts from books, I strongly recommend that you take yoga classes from qualified instructors.
2. Practice yoga with good instructors
Good yoga instructors are not only have knowledge about yoga, but also have undergone training on how to teach yoga. Beginners should take classes in person so that yoga instructors can show you how to do your poses correctly. In the beginning, it is likely that you may do the poses wrong, and a good instructor can help you correct your poses. Also, when you practice yoga with a yoga instructor, they can assess your level and recommend the appropriate poses.
Take some yoga classes and work with a yoga instructor in person to make sure that you can practice yoga poses properly. After that you can be on your own practicing yoga. Before taking yoga classes, you should have a discussion with a yoga consultant to make sure which types of yoga will benefit you the most. Take advantage of any free classes offered to evaluate, before signing up.
3. Be patient with yoga practice
At the beginning you may have difficulty in performing some poses and you may be uncertain about yoga benefits. However, you just have to give it a try. You may practice simple poses until you feel more comfortable and then move on to more complicated poses. Work with a good yoga instructor. Your instructor will know how to coach you in practicing yoga effectively.
Benefits of yoga practice will not be noticeable immediately after practicing just a few times. It takes time. You need to believe in it and keep practicing. You do not need to master all the complicated poses to benefit your body, except if you like to do so. Understanding and practicing some basic poses consistently is sufficient to see the benefits over time.
Yoga and meditation should be combined. While practicing yoga, remind yourself that you need to focus on your body and stay focused on the present moment only. Put away any difficulties, struggles and problems that you may have in your life. Practice simple mindfulness techniques such as paying attention to your breathing.
4. Accommodate yoga practice
A few items may help you in your yoga practice. A yoga mat may be a good investment. Depending on the yoga poses that you practice, you may also use yoga blocks and straps, hand weights and so on. Set up a clean room with nice and relaxing music, add some nice fragrance and humidify the room with a nice fragrance and aromatherapy diffuser to create a good ambience.Remember to wear comfortable clothes and use the appropriate tools to get the most out of your yoga practice.1.
