How Restorative Yoga Helps You Lose Weight

Learn more about Restorative Yoga at:

http://www.yogawithbarb.com !

http://www.yogawithbarb.com

How Restorative Yoga Helps You Lose Weight

It's hard to imagine burning calories in a restorative yoga class ... students don't break one bead of sweat practicing this style of yoga. However, you can lose weight practicing yoga without any aerobic activity. Sometimes called "the lazy man's yoga," restorative yoga facilitates weight loss in other ways.

What is restorative yoga? !

Restorative yoga is a gentle style of yoga that encourages "release" in a pose as opposed to finding "the edge" as is practiced in more vigorous styles of yoga like Ashtanga. Each restorative pose lasts up to 20 minutes while the student's body is fully supported by bolsters and blankets, and tension collected in the muscles and spine are released with little physical effort.

Recent study proves easier weight loss when practicing restorative yoga. !

The National Institute of Health Study observed two groups of people over a 48-week period. One group did a routine of simple stretches, and the other did restorative yoga. Both groups lost weight, but those who practiced yoga lost twice as much in the first six months! Not only that, they kept the weight off better than the other group, and they lost over 2.5 times the amount of subutaneous fat as the other group.

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One reason why weight loss happens more easily for restorative yoga students is because the practice lowers the level of stress hormone, cortisol. Elevated cortisol has been known to increase abdominal fat.

Restorative yoga promotes mindfulness. !

In restorative yoga, students practice teaching the mind not to react based on ingrained habitual patterns. Students learn to release thoughts that are weighing them down, and to create space between a thought/emotion and reaction to the thought/emotion. They learn to be present in each moment, and to notice thoughts without judging them or becoming upset over them.

Brain studies have indicated that the practice of attending mindfully to the present moment brings about changes in parts of the brain responsible for sensations related to hunger and craving. Restorative practice may actually train your brain to tune into what your body needs in a healthier way. For example, if a person tends to be an emotional eater, she will recognize that something may be troubling her before she reaches for unhealthy foods, and make a better choice.

Who practices restorative yoga? !

While many students who practice a more vigorous style of yoga practice restorative as a complement to a more active practice, it's also available to those recovering from an injury or those who are too intimidated to jump right into a more aerobic style of yoga. Restorative yoga is available to everyone to practice to achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

http://www.yogawithbarb.com

Barb Phillips, CPC, is a registered yoga instructor and the author of, "A Balanced You for Baby Boomers." She teaches restorative yoga in Knoxville and Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!References: !1. Araneta M, Allison MA, Barrett-Connor E, Kanaya AM. Overall and regional fat change: results from the Practice of Restorative Yoga or Stretching for Metabolic Syndrome (PRYSMS) study. Results presented at: 73rd Scientific Session of the American Diabetes Association; June 22, 2013; Chicago, IL. - See more at: http://www.ajmc.com/publications/evidence-based-diabetes-management/2013/2013-1-Vol19-sp7/Restorative-Yoga-Better-Than-Stretching-for-Trimming-Subcutaneous-Fat-in-Overweight-Women#sthash.nwn13xHb.dpuf !2. Journal of Obesity. "Mindfulness Intervention for Stress Eating to Reduce Cortisol and Abdominal Fat among Overweight and Obese Women: An Exploratory Randomized Controlled Study." Volume 2011 (2011), Article ID 651936, 13 pages.

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