Yoga for Weight Loss

One of the most common questions I get asked as a yoga teacher is “Will doing yoga help me lose weight?” The answer is definitely, but not in the “weigh” one might think. The ancient wisdom of the healing system of yoga always addresses the root cause of health issues, not just the symptoms. Excess weight is the symptom of a deeper problem or rather an opportunity for improvement.

Yoga increases self awareness. When we are more in touch with our mental and emotional body, we now have more awareness of the reasons why we might emotional eat out of boredom, stress, comfort, or self-medicate with food. Yoga helps us on our journey to getting to the root cause of depression, or our past, or current deep emotional issues so we can free ourselves of using food as a way of escape or cover up those inner feelings of being uncomfortable.  Most of us have a vice of choice to help us to cope with life’s stresses whether it’s food, drugs, alcohol, work, sex etc. Our challenge is to choose healthy coping mechanisms to help us skillfully master the inevitable ups and downs we experience on this roller coaster we call life.  Empowered with this knowledge we distinguish the difference of choosing to eat only when our stomachs are physically hungry and not just when we are feeling empty, lonely or unfulfilled inside.

Yoga encourages mindful eating and better food choices. Once we start practicing yoga, we inevitably become more in touch with our body and especially our digestive system. Our body will begin to show us the difference in how you feel after eating a Big Mac, fries, and a 32 ounce Coke versus after a meal consisting of whole foods with fiber, minerals, and nutritional value. Foods from the earth help us to feel satisfied and energized, not sluggish and lethargic. So it becomes natural for yoga practitioners to notice these changes in their digestive system and thus begin to crave healthy food and reject highly processed, sugary, and fattening foods.

Yoga lubricates joints and reduces pain. Pain is one reason that many of us shy away from regular exercise.  Joint pain in the knees or back make it difficult to walk, run and cycle to lose weight. Many of us who are overweight find ourselves in a vicious cycle of not being able to exercise comfortably to lose weight because the existing excess weight causes pressure and pain to the knee joints. But yoga is the perfect low impact alternative that can get us moving in a therapeutic way. Yoga can actually rehabilitate joint pain, so not only are we moving our bodies and burning calories, we are restoring our bodies to its optimal blueprint, which is pain free. When we have pain in our skeleton system, it is always a space or stability issue. Tight muscles, fascia, and connective tissues, can steal needed space in our joints causing impingements on our nerves within the spinal cord or joint sockets. When we stretch and breathe, we make more space in these areas hence reducing and eliminating this pressure, and of course the pain, associated with it. Yoga also creates strategic all over and core strength, which will maintain our skeleton in its natural upright and spacious position. Yoga restores our body’s optimal blueprint and naturally maintains the perfect balance of strength and flexibility in the body.

Yoga creates muscle mass and burns calories: Yoga is a self sustaining isometric system that incorporates physical exercise with deep rhythmic breathing and meditation, addressing the entire body, mind, and spirit.  There are many styles of yoga, some aimed at total relaxation and others encourage physical activity. Not only does yoga elevate our mood, encouraging you to do more of it, but when we feel better from our yoga postures, we are motivated to move more and lead a more active lifestyle which of course, keeps the weight off. Flowing in and out of and holding yoga postures increases our heart rate, our body temperature, and our energy level. Yoga practitioners essentially lift, move, balance, and bench-press their own body weight while holding postures, which creates an immense amount of strength.  The beauty of the body sculpting effects of yoga is that it creates the perfect amount of muscle mass for our own frame. Unlike body building, which can often overdevelop some major muscle groups more than others, creating muscular and structural imbalances, yoga creates an all-over lean muscle mass that brings perfect symmetry for the muscular and skeletal system. The more lean muscle mass we have, the more we burn calories during everyday activities, leading to an effortless fat burning lifestyle.

Start with baby steps. Try a gentle yoga class, a beginner DVD or a private lesson to learn some modifications that suit your body. Then you may choose to eventually explore a more physically challenging yoga practice to increase muscle tone and burn more calories. Any style of yoga, gentle or intense will benefit you on your journey. Change begins from the inside out and yoga is the perfect way to start our weight loss journey and keep the weight off. Yoga is a lifestyle change, which sets us up for success where many temporary diets, fads and diet drugs set us up for failure. When we address the person as a whole, not just the physical body, we get to the root cause of weight gain, which puts us one step closer to our weight loss goals.

Meghan Donnelly RYT

Owner/Instructor

Inner Peace Yoga

Tulsa, Okla.

Yogis from All Walks of Life

As a yoga studio owner of 6 years, yoga teacher of 12 years, and yoga practitioner of 15 years, I have seen all walks of life come to their mat together as a class, but all for different reasons. Some students are already in shape and lead a fairly healthy life style and yoga is already in alignment with their vision for themselves. Many students have never exercised a day in their life, and maybe hate to exercise, or are even overweight. But they are willing to try yoga as a low impact way to start to get in touch with their bodies or an attempt to improve their health.

Then of course you have your athletes. Some come injured looking for an outlet for healing or an alternative form of joint friendly exercise, others come looking to cross train and up their game to the next level with increased focus and flexibility.  Many women come to yoga as a way to relieve stress and get into shape. Many men show up because they can’t touch their toes, had a major health scare, or pain has affected their golf game and they are desperate to try anything.

Yoga offers something for everyone; gentle styles that focus on breathing, meditation and mindfulness all the way to very vigorous calorie-burning forms of power yoga that focus on strength, stamina and sweat. Some students stick to one form based on their fitness or stress-relieving goals, but often times, they fall in love with the practice of yoga itself and venture into practicing multiple styles creating a balanced body, mind, and spirit. The beauty of the science of yoga is that everyone can do it, and all yoga poses can be modified to meet each unique body where they are today.

The 40 Day Revolution Experience

Hi. I'm Debbie Vinyard, "Type A" poster child. (or should I say "Type A" chick?) I have always been driven my whole life and have to be constantly busy. I have been going to Inner Peace Yoga for years, but not as often as I wanted to go. I decided to make 2012 my year to do yoga more than once a week. Then the Baron Baptiste "40 Days to Personal Revolution" sign up sheet went up at Inner Peace in late 2011 and I immediately signed up. I saw it as my next workout challenge. I have always thrived on exercise goals. In 2010/2011 I ran 2 half marathons with Team in Training, raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I am a Hodgkin's survivor and my clothing company, Happy First, gives to many cancer causes. Last summer I pulled a groin muscle and I could not run for 13 weeks, so I really turned to Meghan and Inner Peace Yoga. That's when I started to see the benefits of Yoga even more. 

                                      

For those of you not familiar with the 40 Day Revolution, it is a 40 day adventure! It encompasses mind, body and soul. The first week we started out slowly, doing yoga 20 minutes a day 6 days a week, meditating 5 minutes morning and night, and being aware of what we eat. We met as a group once a week, led by Chelsea Paxton. What was said in the group, stayed in the group-total confidentiality. By the last week of the program we were doing an hour and a half of yoga a day 6 days a week and meditating 30 minutes twice a day. At first I wondered how I would do all that by the last week, but it was gradual. We didn't have to go to Inner Peace 6 days a week (but I preferred to be there), we could practice at home too and were given a yoga and meditation cd for home. We were also given our own copy of the 40 Day Revolution book-mine is now full of highlighting! We also became part of a private Facebook page so we could exchange ideas with each other. 

I went into this thinking it was one more challenge I could tackle, checking off my tasks as I went. I was mainly going for the yoga component, to get that workout in. I also wanted more balance in my life but wasn't sure how this would all work. The first day we met as a group Chelsea asked us to write down the answer to the question "Why am I here?" I wrote down "I am here to get focus and balance in my life and fitness. I am hoping it will help me creatively." I got all that and so much more. I learned so much about myself-not all of it is pretty!

I don't want to give away too much of the program because I think everyone should experience it. Then reading in the book was so so insightful. Baptiste presented "12 Laws of Transformation". I won't list them all here but my favorite ones were- be willing to come apart, step out of your comfort zone, shift your vision, relax with what is, don't rush the process, and be still and know. (OK I listed a lot, I loved them all). 

I would like to share with you the experiences I had. First of all, I didn't realize what a rules follower I am until this program. I kept asking Chelsea questions because I wanted to do this program perfectly right! (I am a former CPA and loved school and had to make straight A's). What I love about Chelsea is she is so relaxed and forgiving. For morning meditation, she said if we already had a morning devotional or prayer routine, that would "count". Oh good, I didn't have to give up my morning devotional! One thing I started doing differently when this program started (and this is not a 40 day thing, I actually read it somewhere else) was I started journaling three pages every morning as a part of my morning routine. That has been huge for me and I am still doing it. Having this time for myself in the morning has been incredible-it just sets my day right. It is best to do this first thing before checking email, etc. (oops my rules again!) Through this program I realized what a control freak I am! Not necessarily on others (oh maybe we should ask my husband…) but mostly with myself. Others in the group shared that they learned this about themselves too. Had to give up trying to control situations they just couldn't control. One thing that Chelsea said that really struck me was this program was not about willpower but it is about willingness and NOT doing. Wow, not doing, I didn't know how to "not do"! 

The huge area for me about the willingness was to trust the process on week 4. It was the dreaded Fruit Feast. I was really anxious about it from Day 1. And this was totally optional but since I had to check off doing everything right I had to do it! Basically, the fruit feast was eating nothing but fruits and veggies with seeds (like tomatoes, spaghetti squash, avocados) for 3 days, to cleanse your system. At first I thought it was ridiculous-too much sugar I said (I am a big believer in the South Beach Diet, low carbs, low sugar). I was literally dreaming about these upcoming 3 days and freaking out because I wouldn't have protein. Oh and did I mention no caffeine??? Chelsea eased my thoughts and talked me through it and I went to Whole Foods and got excited about it. I didn't ease into the no caffeine, just went cold turkey. Had a slight headache the first day but no big deal. I actually felt amazing those 3 days. Felt light and satisfied. I had baked apples and pears with cinnamon for breakfast, a tomato and avocado for lunch (something totally new for me) and homemade butternut squash soup for dinner. One day I had spaghetti squash at lunch. I felt energetic-we were up to an hour of yoga each day that week and I did great. The only negative is I was somewhat scattered in my thoughts, but wait, that's not unusual! I remember reading the beginning of week 4 and it said "the time it relax is when you don't have time for it". That was so true! I was so busy getting my books ready for taxes but the good food and yoga really helped. My very last meal-I was on my way home from yoga and my husband called and said his relatives invited us for dinner. I said yes and ate fruit while everyone else was drinking wine, eating bread, pasta and steak. But I wasn't going to quit when I had gotten that far. And it was a good opportunity to tell others about the 40 days. Oh and what is weird, is after the three days I really didn't crave caffeine. (But I must admit, I am still drinking it, but now know I don't have to have it!) I did lose a few pounds, but that wasn't the focus of the fruit feast. Overall, this whole program was not a "diet"- we just became more aware of our body and what we needed. And I learned I didn't have to do or eat things a certain way. 

Another thing I learned about myself is how I tend to view situations in black and white; I would be more reactive than I wanted to be. I am working on being more gray about things! I am learning how to slow down and be present. My two new favorite words from this are equanimity-the art of meeting life as it meets you-calmly, without drama or fuss-and synchronicity-the simultaneous occurrence of events that appear significantly related but have no discernible causal connection. The whole synchronocity thing is kind of weird, people and events falling into place.  Another exciting thing is that my creativity is coming through. Just after the first week, I had a creative breakthrough in my business. I think when we slow down and reflect and make room for creativity, it comes!

I am kind of sad this program is over. I love the friends I have made and now I know so many more people at the studio. I loved being in the program and just learning and experiencing. I have carried over what I have learned- I may not be doing yoga six times a week, but I am doing it more and realizing how much I love it and can fit it in, and my morning devotionals are my favorite time (I still struggle with meditating at night, I tend to fall asleep!). I highly recommend this to everyone, you may be pleasantly surprised what you learn about yourself! It is quite the adventure!

Follow my blog, because I'd love to connect with you! 

What's Your Vision For Yourself?

As a yoga studio owner of 6 years, yoga teacher of 12 years, and yoga practitioner of 15 years, I have seen all walks of life come to their mat together as a class, but all for different reasons. Some students are already in shape and lead a fairly healthy life style and yoga is already in alignment with their vision for themselves. Many students have never exercised a day in their life, and maybe hate to exercise, or are even overweight. But they are willing to try yoga as a low impact way to start to get in touch with their bodies or an attempt to improve their health.  

Then of course you have your athletes. Some come injured looking for an outlet for healing or an alternative form of joint friendly exercise, others come looking to cross train and up their game to the next level with increased focus and flexibility.  Many women come to yoga as a way to relieve stress and get into shape. Many men show up because they can’t touch their toes, had a major health scare, or pain has affected their golf game and they are desperate to try anything.

Yoga offers something for everyone; gentle styles that focus on breathing, meditation and mindfulness all the way to very vigorous calorie-burning forms of power yoga that focus on strength, stamina and sweat. Some students stick to one form based on their fitness or stress-relieving goals, but often times, they fall in love with the practice of yoga itself and venture into practicing multiple styles creating a balanced body, mind, and spirit. The beauty of the science of yoga is that everyone can do it, and all yoga poses can be modified to meet each unique body where they are today.

Meghan Donnelly E-RYT

Owner, Instructor

Inner Peace Yoga Tulsa, Okla.

February 2, 2012

Let's Talk Lunch

In this hectic pace we do LIFE in, it’s become so easy and convenient to grab something for lunch on the run… zoom through a drive-thru… or pack one of those low calorie, low budget, sodium packed frozen entrees they try and pass off as “HEALTHY and GOOD for YOU” quick and easy lunch meals.  Okay, let’s be REAL… So called, FOOD that is packed with that much sodium and preservatives, that we throw into the microwave to “nuke and cook” or the “two for deal” that cost you less than, WHAT?  Is that really going to give us the nutrients we need to fuel our bodies in this busy and hectic world we live in today?  “ I say, “NO.”

Now, that you’ve started your day out right with the “most important meal of the day, breakfast.”  Let’s keep our bodies running full speed ahead with a really “GOOD for YOU” lunch that allows you to continue your good pace for fuel that will help get you to the “finish line” a winner and to dinner. 

Lunch should be a meal fit for a King or Queen and your biggest meal of your day, by the way.  One filled with plenty of good protein, fish or chicken about four to six ounces of it, and organic; no FRANKINSALMON or HORMONE injected BIG BREAST is what I am not talking about here… if you are a Vegan or a Vegetarian by all means do as many veggies, green leafy stuff, beans and whole grains as you like.  Most meals should consist primary of good, organic plant-based foods for optimal health.  The mantra here is… “I EAT to LIVE” and not, a “LIVE to EAT” mentally; that is just ENTERTAINMENT for the mouth.  Let’s get that “FIX” from YOGA, how about that for entertaining and good for you. 

Let’s keep it SIMPLE…  Let’s keep the focus on “TAKE IN” and leave the “TAKE OUT,” well, OUT.  Pack your real dishes, a fork and “plate it up” for a “REAL TREAT and GOOD to YOU kind of LUNCH.”   

Thank you, for having LUNCH with me.

 Next time we get together…

 I have so much to SNACK about…

See you then…

~ Cinderella ~

Cinderella CHATS©

What Is Your Addiction?

Hi everyone,

This time we have a guest blog from Jennifer Skaggs on how yoga can help people fight through and overcome addiction. Jennifer’s yoga practice found her in 2005. After living a life full of anxiety and depression, her soul was aching for a shift. It didn't take long before being upside down on her mat was a normal part of Jennifer’s day! She realized what a positive impact her yoga practice was having on her, so teaching seemed like the next natural step. After attending her first of many trainings, Jennifer began teaching right away and hasn’t looked back. Jennifer has learned yoga isn’t meant to become WHO we are, rather just a vessel to living more present, raise our level of awareness, and of course find those tight abs! 

Jennifer is currently a Lululemon Ambassador and has had the opportunity to practice with master teachers such as Shiva Rea, Seane Corn, Vinnie Marino, and Larry Lane, just to name a few!

Jennifer will be teaching a workshop at Inner Peace Yoga on Feb. 19th from 1 p.m.-3 p.m. called "Moving Mindfully into 2012". You can register for that event at innerpeaceyogatulsa.com

Now from Jennifer:

Addiction.

Addiction runs deep in my family. I know it does for many. I have gone in and out of debating with myself about sharing some stories. In the end, there are two reasons I chose to share. One being that some have shared with me over the past year or so that I seem so peaceful and that life must be a breeze for me. (It is, by choice of perception!) The other reason was a conversation I had with a dear friend just before the holidays that led me to sitting here with my computer today. I shared with her, that it is my opinion that we are here to share. Share everything, our love, FEARS, our goals, visions, our tears of joy and sorrow, laughter and our TRUTH.

"Each soul is doing the best they can with the level of awareness they have." Once we can fully understand this, we can see that everyone is just walking out their karma and there is no need to judge or expect anything from anyone. One thing I feel we can do is communicate what we need in OUR space. We can communicate this with NO expectation of the outcome and know by speaking what WE truly need may result in big change or the end of a relationship. Being compassionate starts with ourselves. Are you willing to disappoint another to protect your own TRUTH?

It has taken me eight years to fully learn how to process this part of my life. Actually 30 years as I grew up around strong addictions as well. (as each generation before me) It is the difference between knowing and KNOWING. It is the difference between playing the victim or being the seeker of TRUTH. I choose to shift the generational pattern of addiction. 

We ALL have our attachments and addictions. I am attached to feeling good, yoga, eating healthy, awareness, releasing fears, and well I could go on and on. It literally makes me nervous when I cannot do these things. Definitely a learned behavior. My runner friends get stressed and hit the road for a long run, some meditate for hours. Some pop pills or pour too many drinks, some hold it all in, and others don't eat or over eat. We become addicted to what we do, whether it is healthy or not. Habits become character. 

I can say that the last year of my life has brought many lessons, some I am still sitting with as my worldly self tries to understand and my inner being sinks deeper into the detachment of the outcome. KNOWING that I could never possibly understand the bigger picture, I am not a puppet master, I cannot wave my Jenny wand and "fix" this. It is not mine to fix, yet mine to LOVE. 

I took a hard look in the eyes of addiction at the end of 2011 as I sat across from my own blood in her therapy session at rehab. After her eight year prescription pill addiction, she overdosed in front of her beautiful children. Her soul is so attached to her addiction she is still not willing to own up to her choices. Who am I or who are we to decide what is good for someone else? I don’t know the outcome of her karmic journey or what lessons her soul is aching for. This is such a hard one to fully wrap our worldly minds around. The inner most root of my being understands that there is truly nothing I can do for another in which they will not do for themselves.

We have found the system (DHS) doesn't always work. So what can we do? Physically...not much. The power of intention is our strongest ability. The love I can offer from a distance serves more power to each of us and the world we live in, then the friction that builds when our energies collide. I will continue this practice until LOVE for her is all that remains. 

I am forever grateful to have had this soul in my life. I will keep the door open for change, my HEART open for LOVE, but I will also protect my own TRUTH. She has been one of my greatest teachers. I have chosen this perception. I have chosen to NOT play the victim or to use my past as an excuse for an unhealthy lifestyle. I have chosen to learn, to grow, to evolve. To know the light we must recognize the dark. Recognize, not judge. 

I can thank Yoga for this level of awareness. I too have swam in the same delusions that hold those I love in their addictions. So many people think Yoga is a practice of the body, an exercise, or holds the requirement of touching your toes! Although all these things are a plus, Yoga is of the mind and breath, the body is lucky enough to play along! Yoga simply means to yolk, join, or unite the body, mind, and soul. It’s about an overall personal balance. Achieving the Yin and Yang that is right for YOU. Yoga broke down my walls. Created space for new thought processes, helped decondition my old patterns, communications, and relationships that were no longer serving me. Be open and ready for what the universe has to offer you. Let your walls down by stepping onto your mat, taking a deep breath, and a good look INSIDE yourself. The place where ALL peace and self-preservation dwells.  

Check out my website at www.livepresentyoga.com if you want to read more of my mind chatter! There you will find my teaching schedule as well as yoga events and workshops I am currently planning. I will be teaching a workshop at Inner Peace Yoga on Feb. 19th from 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. called "Moving Mindfully into 2012". You can register for that event at www.innerpeaceyogatulsa.com

Namaste

Jennifer Skaggs

"Changing lives, one breath at a time."