The Word on Weightloss

As we get older, it’s more and more important to focus on our bodies. Eating whole grains, fruits, and vegetables is just half the battle. As you get older joint, bone and muscle problems could keep you from the trail running, step classes and high intensity workouts that you used to enjoy.

That’s why Yoga is the workout to consider. Known as a natural stress buster, yoga has been deemed one of the most effective workouts for fighting stubborn fat stores, especially the ones that seem to crop up after the age of 35.

It seems contradictory right? For years you’ve heard that if you want to lose weight you have to hit the gym hard, sweat a lot, and take the hardest and highest intensity workouts. While those types of workouts are good for you and they do blast fat and calories fast, they may not work for everyone. Studies have shown that yoga lowers levels of stress hormones and increases insulin sensitivity, a signal to your body to burn food as fuel rather than store it as fat.

Before you run out to the nearest yoga studio, let’s take a look at a few yoga poses that have been seen to encourage weight loss.

• First you’ll need a yoga mat.
• You’ll want to follow a routine and continue your yoga workouts several times a week to see results.
• Try and hold each move for 3 to 5 deep breaths, or for faster results hold for 5 to 8 breaths and increase repetitions.

If you’re just starting out, take it slow and build up to the longer breaths and higher intensity.

1. Crescent (for firming your abs, hips and thighs)

• Stand with your feet together and arms at your sides.
• Inhale and raise your arms over your head, really reaching with your fingertips towards the sky.
• Exhale and bend forward from the hips and bring your hands to the floor, bending your knees slightly.
• Inhale and as you exhale step your right leg back into a lunge with your weight on the ball of your left foot allowing your left knee to bend at a 90 degree angle.
• Inhale and raise your arms overhead, look forward and hold.

2. Willow (for firming sides and abs)

• Stand with your feet together and arms at your sides.
• Place the sole of your left foot on inside of your right thigh making sure your knee bends to the side.
• Touch your palms together at the center of your body for 2 breaths then extend your arms up towards the sky.
• Exhale, and on the inhale bend your torso to the left. Inhale and straighten.
• Exhale and bend your torso to the right.
• Repeat this for 3 to 5 repetitions.

3. Hover (for firming shoulders, arms, abs and back)

• Begin this move on your mat in the push-up position on your toes, arms should start off straight with our hands directly under your shoulders.
• On the exhale, lower your chest toward the floor while bending your elbows back and keeping your arms tight to the body.
• Your abs should be tight.
• Hold a few inches from the floor.
• Inhale, exhale then rise.
• Repeat 3 to 5 times.