Yoga For Weight Management
Source:
Dr. James Rouse
Yoga is gaining ground as a mainstream movement and physical practice. A regular yoga practice, three to four times a week, is linked to mindful eating and decreased risk of obesity. A recent study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that there was a strong association between mindful eating and practicing yoga. That is, people who practiced yoga were more mindful of their eating habits. Mindfulness in eating means being aware of our food portions and food choices. It also means eating in a relaxed environment.
For an opposite perspective, think of mindless eating. Mindless eating may be sitting on the couch with a bag of chips or a huge bowl of popcorn and just stuffing the food into your mouth while watching television. It may also be driving in the car and eating whatever we can get our hands on.
Yoga cultivates mindfulness in several ways. First it helps to calm us down. It helps us to just slow down and focus on something as simple as our breath. It helps us stay focused and to be aware of what is going on in our bodies. When we can transfer these lessons from the yoga mat to the dinner table, studies confirm that we will gain less weight. The research also shows that although there is a strong association between yoga and mindful eating, the same is not true for other types of physical activity like running or walking and mindful eating. Adding yoga to our existing workouts may help us achieve our overall wellness goals and prevent the so-called "middle-age spread."
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