More Benefits of Yoga

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell] Michael Russell

One of the most exciting benefits of yoga is weight loss. Yes! Even such gentle exercise can help you lose weight. It helps in both direct and indirect ways. First, indirectly, your overall health and state of mind will improve; you will be inclined to eat better, healthier food regularly. And, you will have more energy for other activities – like walking or sports that will help you burn calories fast. Now let’s take a look at other ways yoga will help you reach your goal weight.

Many of the yoga positions directly stimulate one of the glands that control your metabolism: the thyroid. The thyroid is part of the endocrine system and is responsible for the chemical process that changes what you eat into energy. It will encourage a sluggish thyroid to produce more hormones and speed up your metabolism. Fat metabolism will increase – that means the fat in your body will slowly be converted to muscle – your muscle tone will improve!

The deep breathing exercises of yoga increase the levels of oxygen in your body – this is also a key factor in weight loss. As your oxygen intake increases, all the cells in your body, including fat cells, will have an increased level of oxygen. This will cause oxidation in the fat cells – they will burn up. You can use the yoga techniques of continuous, deep breathing all day – at work, watching TV – and you will be gradually burning calories.

Yoga reduces anxiety. This is very important for people who tend to snack when they are stressed and for people who are prone to bingeing on comfort food when things go wrong. The practice of yoga will give you a sense of equilibrium that will make you less dependent on snacks and comfort food – this is an effect you will notice almost immediately after starting a yoga program. You will also find that your attitude towards meals is more calm and relaxed – you will eat more slowly and appreciate the food more, leaving you less likely to rush through and over eat before you realise you are even full.

Also, yoga can be used as a snack replacement. When you feel tempted to dive into the freezer for ice cream to get a lift or solace, try turning to yoga instead. Take a deep breath, relax your mind and try a gentle warm-up position, or perhaps something new you learnt recently. Yoga will give you a healthier ‘lift’ and no regrets.

The results might not be overnight. Yoga is nothing like a crash-diet. Instead, it is a holistic approach to your whole lifestyle; your physical and your emotional well-being will improve together – gradually. As you adjust your lifestyle to include healthier eating and more activity, you will notice other benefits too, such as improved concentration and more restful sleep. Yoga will help rebalance your whole body and life so that you weight will naturally adjust to the ideal for your body – and it will stay that way long term without the need to resort to crash diets or intensive exercise programs.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to [http://yoga-guideto.com/] Yoga

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