Researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center surveyed 15,500 men and women to assess their weight and yoga histories between the ages of 45 and 55.

For purposes of the study, regular yoga practice was defined as practicing at least 30 minutes once a week for four or more years.

20-Pound Gap

Statistics showed that the subjects who were of normal weight at the age of 45 and did not practice yoga consistently gained about 10 pounds, while those who performed regular yoga routines lost 3 pounds during that same 10-year period — a difference of 13 pounds.

There was a wider gap between people who were overweight at the age of 45. The non-yoga group gained about 14 pounds, while the yoga group lost 5 pounds — a difference of almost 20 pounds.

It is not likely that yoga’s fat-fighting potential is due to the physical activity itself, according to the study’s lead author, Alan R. Kristal, DrPH.

“During a very vigorous yoga practice you can burn enough calories to lose weight, but most people don’t practice that kind of yoga,” he notes.

Body Awareness a Factor

“From my experience, I think it has to do with the way that yoga makes you more aware of your body. So when you’ve eaten enough food, you’re sensitive to the feeling of being full, and this makes it much easier to stop eating before you’ve eaten too much,” Kristal explains.

“Most people practice yoga in a way that’s not aerobic enough to burn a lot of calories, so it has to be some other reason,” adds study co-author Denise Benitez, owner of Seattle Yoga Arts.

“People who regularly practice yoga develop the inner resources to stay with a little bit of discomfort,” she says, hypothesizing that those inner resources help people to stay with the discomfort that is caused when they deny themselves junk food.

In order to accurately measure the effects of yoga on weight maintenance and loss, these preliminary findings will need to be replicated, Kristal cautions.

Yoga Tips

The following tips for enhancing one’s yoga practice, offers Benitez, may be particularly helpful for those who wish to maintain or lose weight:

1. Practice in a room without mirrors and pay more attention to your internal experience than to your outer performance.

2. Learn to feel sensations more and more subtly, so that you become deeply involved in and curious about small movements — sometimes called micro-movements.

3. In your poses, find an edge for yourself where you are challenged but not overwhelmed. At this edge, practice maintaining a clear, open and accepting mental state.

4. Give yourself permission to rest when you feel overworked.

5. Pay close attention to what you are saying to yourself as you practice, and make an intentional effort to appreciate your own efforts and innate goodness.

6. Go to class faithfully, arrive early, and talk to a few people before class begins.

7. Buy your own yoga mat and bring it to class.

8. Realize that the development of qualities like patience, discipline, wisdom, right effort, kindness, gratitude and many others will arise from your yoga practice. These qualities create a steady and soft mind.

9. Find a teacher who offers a balance of gentleness and firmness and whose teaching inspires you to practice from your highest self.

10. Recognize that simply attending class is a major statement of courage, self-care, and positive momentum. Realize that you are inspiring others as you become more true to your deepest desires.
Rita Jenkins is a health journalist for Daily News Central, an online publication that delivers breaking news and reliable health information to consumers, healthcare providers and industry professionals: http://www.dailynewscentral.com

Copyright 2005 Daily News Central

Written By: Rita Jenkins

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. I cover this, in detail, in my e-Book,

Being in the best shape you can be is also connected to positive thinking. Therefore, use self-improvement sources to keep you on the right track toward optimum health.

About the author:

Paul Jerard is the director of Yoga teacher training at Aura in RI. He’s a master instructor of martial arts and Yoga. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness. an e-book he wrote called: “14 days to Change Your Life,” helps people learn better nutrition. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org

Written By: Paul M. Jerard Jr.

This is not necessarily staggering results but it gets better! Both men and women who were overweight at the beginning of the period and who started to practice yoga lost about five pounds, while those who were yoga free gained an average of 14 pounds within the next ten years. Now that is news! Imagine what the results would be for people practicing yoga 2-3 times a week.

The researchers have not concluded why the yoga participants lost more weight especially when most of them were not in advanced levels. More studies are needed at this time to give us more insight into the topic.

Participating in regular yoga classes and even getting good enough to venture into some advanced classes, has so many benefits. Here is what yoga can do for you.

* Physical Benefits: Creates a toned, flexible, and strong body…yes, it helps to build muscle which will also help to improve your metabolism. It also promotes cardio and circulatory health.

* Mental Benefits: Helps you relax and handle stress more easily. Teaches you to quiet all that chatter in your mind so you can focus on how you want to direct your energy. Encourages positive thoughts and self-acceptance. This alone can do a lot for those emotional/stress eaters out there.

* Spiritual Benefits: This is a nondenominational value that helps to build awareness of your body, your feelings, and the world around you. It also helps you to learn patience, forgiveness, and the value of gentleness. We all could use some regular reminders of this!

So why not join a yoga class? It can add so many benefits to your life and now you can add weight management to the list! Take action and sign up for an introductory class today!

About the Author

2005 Meri Raffetto

Meri Raffetto is a Registered Dietitian and a recognized professional in the area of nutrition and wellness. Learn about her online Balance Weight Loss Program and sign up for her free monthly newsletter to receive nutrition tips, inspirational stories, and healthy recipes.

Written By: Meri Raffetto RD, LDN

Additionally Yoga can improve your range of motion in your hips, reducing lower back pain. A study done at The American College of Sports Medicine, suggest that yoga increases lower back flexibility and decreases pain. It was a small study conducted on older women age 44-62. Persistent back pain however should always be professional diagnosed before embracing on any exercise program including yoga. Yogas backbends and forward bends may exacerbate some back conditions.

Yoga can also calm your body and your mind, which can help people who suffer from insomnia. Sat Bir Singh Khalsa, PhD., an instructor of medicine, division of Sleep Medicine at the Harvard Medical School recently published a study. He found a half hour to 45 minutes of daily yoga practice with a focus on meditation and breathing, helped chronic insomniacs sleep through the night. The subjects increased their overall sleep by 12%.

Yoga breathing can help lower your heart rate and calm your nervous system. The breathing techniques can help alleviate serious anxiety and depression and reduce stress. Practicing yoga for an hour and a half three times a week can make your heart healthier in just six weeks. A recent study out of Yale University School of Medicine had 33 men and women who practiced yoga at that rate. This lowered their blood pressure and improved their blood vessels ability to expand and contract by 17%. Researchers believe the improvements are based on the stress-reducing benefits of yoga.

About the Author:

Copyright Diet-Newsroom.com, All Rights Reserved.

This article was written by Kim Black of http://www.diet-newsroom.com which specializes in diet, health, fitness and exercise topics.

Written By: Kim Black