Weight Loss

Sometimes when women tell me they couldn't do yoga because they are too fat, I want to cry.

We have become so obsessed with weight in the Western World. Everyday there are articles on the problems piling up ( sorry about the pun ) for the NHS because of obesity.

I have struggled with my weight since I was a teenager. Done the diets, lost weight, gained it back, gained some more, lost it again and regained it ... a perpetual circle .. not actually providing me with a long term solution.

If you start reading the reports on BMI, this is Body Mass Index and ideally your BMI should be between 18 and 25, you'll find that the research is finding people with BMI's around 27 ( which is considered overweight) seem to live longer.

Then you start to realise that athletes and sportsmen and sportswomen often have BMIs that would be overweight and even possibly obese ( a BMI of 30 is a sign you are obese) and then you have to start to wonder should you really be fretting about your weight.

Can you do everything you want to do without having to worry about your weight giving you problems? Can you tie your shoe laces, run for a bus, play with your children, walk with the Ramblers?

How fit are you? Do you wake up in the morning full of energy?

Are you worrying unnecessarily? There was a lovely post on Facebook of a mother lying on a beach. Her little boy had taken the photo. Mother was upset and horrified by her large thighs and her big body, beautiful she thought not. So she asked her little boy why had he taken the photo without asking her. "Because you looked so beautiful, Mummy" and her little girl chimed in "You did Mummy, you looked really beautiful".

So you are sure you need to lose weight? You are? OK, let's see what you could do :- )

Start by small changes.

For example:-
Do you take sugar in your tea or coffee? Can you give that up? Or can you cut it down from two teaspoonfuls to one?

Sugar

Sugar is responsible for a lot of our weight problems. It hides in fat-free products. It hides in ready made meals.For the most part it is empty calories and shortly after eating something with sugar, you'll feel hungry again.

You do need to know that sugar free products can also give you physical problems. Sugar and artificial sugars are a very big subject and one that is well dealt with in Slim for Life by Jason Vale The Juice Master ISBN 978-0-00-728492-4 . He discusses sugar, Diet Coke ( I have almost given up Diet Coke after reading this book, and I have given up Red Bull ), aspartame and other chemicals found in processed food and drinks. ( I gave up Crisps after reading this book!)

Jason is into juice recipes and has some wonderful recipes in his book.

You will pick up interesting recipes, including juices in "The Mind Body & Soul Workout Guide" by Diana Brook ISBN 978-0-9928990-0-4 There are fabulous photos of healthy recipes that will have you reach for your blenders and she includes a week's diet plan. She also has a web site www.dianabrook.co.uk

Both books are available from my web site shop.

Yoga

So will yoga help?

It all depends. If you are going to Hot Yoga workouts where the room is around 100 degrees, you will probably have used many calories during the session. If you were to go to a Zumba class or any other energetic form of exercise, you would have used many calories.

If all you do is a Hatha Yoga session, doing a posture, gently coming out of a posture, composing yourself and then going into another posture, you will not be burning off many calories.

But you will be getting a tremendous body awareness and a sense of peace. And sometimes that sense of peace is the very thing you need to stop yourself grabbing food mindlessly.

Mindfulness

More to follow :- )