Yoga - Earth’s Oldest Exercise Pastime

Long before weight machines, stationary bikes and step aerobics became tools in any weight-management plan, people practiced yoga for spiritual and physical health. The origins of yoga predates written history: archeologists have uncovered stone carvings depicting figures in yoga positions in the Indus Valley dating back 5,000 years or more! While it might not produce the rapid results that fast-paced aerobic exercises or high-tech weight machines do, yoga still has plenty to contribute to your weight loss program in the 21st century.

Although some people may think of yoga as a nonphysical, sedentary activity, “there is a physical aspect to yoga,” said Michael Lee, M.A., founder of Phoenix Rising, a West Stockbridge, Mass.-based school of yoga and movement therapy. “You become more flexible, increase your circulation and tone up your body.”

Yoga exercises put pressure on the body’s glandular systems, increasing its efficiency and total health, according to the American Yoga Association (AYA). These exercises improve your shape by stabilizing metabolism, improving posture and circulation, and toning muscles in the back, stomach and legs. Still, as AYA pointed out, the exercises of yoga will not take off inches as fast as more vigorous aerobic exercises such as running, swimming or kickboxing. So, if you’re looking for a quick weight-loss fix, yoga is not the answer. “It’s not a magic bullet,” said Lee.

AYA spokesperson Linda Gajevsai agreed. “Yoga is different from those activities that focus on increasing your metabolism,” she said. Michael Benton of Austin, Texas-based Yoga Yoga added, “Yoga is about balance in all aspects of your life. It is very much long term, not a quick fix. You see gradual improvement in your health and self image. Even though it’s not a big calorie-burning activity, yoga produces a lot of muscle toning.”

The physical exercises are just one step to truly realizing the benefits of yoga. “Addressing the physical aspect is not enough,” Lee said. Gajevsai agreed, and said those who look to yoga just for the physical aspect don’t reap the complete benefits of practicing yoga. “The physical exercise of yoga is just the tip of the iceberg,” she said. In fact, according to AYA, the system of yoga, which means “to join or yoke together,” is built on three main structures: exercise, breathing, and meditation.

Indeed, physical exercise is just part of yoga. Spiritual and mental concentration complete its whole package. Lee said yoga’s combination of both physical and mental aspects makes it good for weight loss and weight control.

“Some people who have weight issues are using food as a substitute for something in their lives,” he said. “While doing yoga, you tap into what’s happening emotionally and find other ways to fulfill your needs. So, yoga is a total program for addressing issues in your life, and that leads to a healthier body.”

Yoga helps build concentration and strengthen willpower, which helps you stick to calorie or portion allotments, or to a regular daily exercise program. With yoga, you’ll feel better about yourself as you follow a weight-management program, Gajevsai said.

Through the practice of yoga, you can learn to better react to the stressors in your life. While initially this may seem to have little direct impact on your weight loss goals, it can help you develop a better relationship with food. As Lee said, some people have learned to reflexively reach for food as an escape from stress. Yoga, however, can change your desires so that you are more likely to use a breathing or exercise technique instead of food when you feel stressed, he says.

Benton agreed. “People tend to overeat as a reaction to stress. Yoga provides a healthier, more systemic approach to stress reduction than putting something in your mouth.” He added that yoga makes you more conscious of your body, and therefore more prone to treat it well. “Doing yoga also gives you a much better self-image of your body. With that heightened sense of body awareness, you tend to take better care of the body, including making better dietary choices.”

According to AYA, although yoga arrived in the United States in the late 1800s, its popularity did not increase until the 1960s when interest in Eastern culture grew. As more became known about the beneficial effects of yoga, it gained acceptance as an important part in managing stress and improving health and well-being. Today physicians recommend yoga practice to patients with back pain, heart concerns, arthritis, depression, and other chronic conditions.

Yoga is suitable for most adults of any age or physical condition, although AYA does not recommend strenuous yoga exercises for women during menstruation, for pregnant women in their first trimester, or for nursing mothers.

According to AYA, practicing yoga 30 minutes a day can dissipate stress, increase stamina and strengthen the body and will. The exercise, breathing and meditation techniques can contribute to improved physical and mental health and well-being, vital components to any weight-management program.

Belton agreed. “Just making yoga part of your regular daily routine for 20 or 30 minutes can be beneficial.” He added that you can still realize benefits from yoga if you don’t practice it daily. “Even those who come in (to yoga class) once a week see a difference.”

Another benefit of yoga is that you can practice it almost anywhere, anytime, Gajevsai said. “We view the classroom as a place where you go and learn the techniques of yoga, but it’s not where the real work is done.” Once you learn yoga techniques in the classroom, you can apply that knowledge at home, work, or wherever you might be, making yoga an easy part of your daily weight-management routine.

To get started in yoga, the AYA recommends either finding a qualified teacher or buying a good book or tape. The association’s Web site (www.americanyogaassociation.org) offers advice on what to look for when choosing a yoga instructor. Also, the association recommends trying adult education programs, family Ys, and massage and dance studios. The AYA also offers books and tapes designed to make it easy to study yoga at home.