Let it Flow

I get asked this question a lot “Will yoga or meditation help me lose weight?”

Simply put: No.

In order to lose weight you need to burn and/or decrease calories - modifying your food intake and incorporating exercise is the way to do that. Meditation, typically a sitting practice, will not expend a lot of calories. While there are some powerful and fast moving forms of yoga that will burn some calories, for many people it’s still not enough.

So then how do these practices help me with my weight?
By creating mindfulness. A consistent practice of yoga, meditation (or both!) is a great way to create some awareness - of your body, of your mental state, your self talk, and believe it or not the foods you put in your body.

And not just the foods, but WHY you are putting those foods into your body. Many people I know eat out of stress or boredom (boredom is usually a sign for something else). My friend Jess blogs about it. Heck, I eat out of stress or boredom on occasion. But these two practices have helped me:

• Create awareness - of when I’m eating to nourish vs. eating because I’m hiding from something. And then I’m able to question myself: “Do you really need that big piece of bread and hunk of cheddar cheese or is there something else going on here?” (admittedly I love bread and cheese and it’s what I reach for when stressed).

• Feel cleansed - When I practice yoga and meditation, my tension is gone, my body is relaxed, my mind is more calm. I feel clean. It’s a remarkable feeling! When I have that feeling I’m no longer drawn to not so healthy food choices. Instead I crave fruits, veggies and wholesome foods to keep me full, cleansed and satisfied. (And no, I’m not sacrificing great taste!) Otherwise I feel every bite of food, the bloating, the discomfort, the nagging feeling of “Ugh, why did I eat that?” I don’t have time for that.

While these two practices alone will not burn enough calories, the awareness that is created may have you yearning to modify your diet and exercise lifestyle. They’ve worked for me, and with a consistent practice they can work for you, too.

Bottom line.
Yoga and meditation help by:

• Stilling the mind - or quieting or calming, whatever you want to call it. When we can just sit and be still, we can often find some clarity to issues we face. Example: The reason why you stress eat may come up, finally allowing you to deal with it. Painful or not, let it come up, get support and work through it. It’s the only way to break the stress eating barrier.

• Slowing you down - We live in a society that is constantly on the go - and we eat on the go. There have been studies and articles reporting that when we eat on the go, we’re less satisfied creating a tendency to eat more. Eating quickly does not give you time to “feel full” so you keep eating! Yoga and meditation will slow you down so that you can enjoy and experience your meal rather than rushing through it and wanting more.

• Connects your mind to your body - You’ll begin to connect in to your need to eat and what’s really going on. Stress, boredom, frustration can have us reaching for the sugar, chips or other not so great for us foods. Food is a vice, so maybe it’s time to find a more healthy one. Ask yourself “Do I need to eat?” and you may find it’s not food you need, but a walk, a laugh or the company of a good friend.

Now what?
This awareness will not come by talking about yoga or meditation, you have to do it. It also will not come after 1 class. This connection to body/mind comes with time and I can’t tell you how much time, it’s different for everyone. Be patient, be consistent (consistent could be 5 minutes every day. Please do not think this requires 1 hour of your time daily), be committed. You have to want it.

The other thing to do to create awareness is, as you find yourself reaching for a mid-day snack, ask yourself “Why am I choosing to eat right now? Am I truly hungry or is there something else going on?” Don’t be afraid to check in! So often the answer is “I don’t know”. I don’t buy it. We know, we’re just afraid to admit it.

And if it’s not working as you originally planned seek out support or help from an instructor or support group. And most importantly keep and open mind and leave all of your judgments and your ego at the door. They will not help you here.

Do you practice yoga or meditation? Have you found it to be helpful in managing your weight? Share your story or questions here!

Tags: Fitness and Exercise, Stress, Yoga and Meditation //