Yoga and Cardio for Weight Loss
by Laura Dayton
Make Yoga Part of Your Exercise Routine
Yoga, in its many forms, has been around more than 2000 years. For some, yoga and meditation are part of a religious practice. For others, especially in the Western world, yoga is a popular form of exercise. Where ever it is practiced, its purpose is always to achieve balance between the body and mind.
Hatha Yoga
Achieving that balance means aligning the body so blood flows easily and nerve pathways are clear. Breathing, or practicing the life’s breath, is very important in yoga. For many of us, a few minutes performing a proper deep breath and a relaxing exhalation is as soothing as a long soak in the tub.
Today’s stress levels are taking a toll on health, and almost all medical professionals speak highly of yoga for stress relief. While you can achieve a high degree of relaxation in just one session, more is always better.
Yoga and Meditation
Not all yoga teachers include meditation in their classes. Others base their entire class on meditation, usually guided by the instructor. Until you’ve done it, it’s hard to describe the level of relaxation and feeling of renewal that comes with meditation, but if it’s hard for you to concentrate on your inner feelings you may take a while to go really “deep” with the meditation aspect.
Yoga for General Health
Yoga is excellent to keep the body flexible, for back health, stress relief and improving balance. It works many of the core muscles of the body and can help improve posture and strengthen the abdominal muscles. It is also good for the body’s circulation. All of these things make you healthier overall, and general good health is necessary for weight loss. But in and of itself, yoga is not a weight loss exercise.
Yoga and Cardio
Many yogis (people who practice yoga) love the practice and feel it solves all aches and ills. It will certainly help with weight loss by keeping the body in good balance; but for most people yoga by itself will not lead to weight loss. However, if you couple yoga with a consistent program of cardio exercise pounds should start to melt away.
Yoga and exercise for weight loss fall at two ends of the spectrum. For yoga you need to relax, but exercise for weight loss requires you to be hyped up with your heart rate pumping. You need to move fast, with effort and determination. For weight loss, you need to run not walk on the treadmill, you need fast-slow interval training, you need effort levels that challenge and make you work.
For weight loss, you need to workout at a level where you really, really want to quit. But instead, you push past it for another ten minutes. Just watch them on Biggest Loser, losing pounds isn’t always fun and hardly ever easy.
The Big Picture
Eventually, the best workout would include yoga, tai chi or a gentle stretching class, cardio exercise like running or cycling, and weight or resistance training. For women, resistance training grows in importance with age, so a young woman who combines yoga and cardio can achieve the best of all worlds. Weight loss, strong core muscles, flexibility, good circulation and a relaxed attitude that will show in the glow of your complexion and lack of frown lines!
About the Author: Laura Dayton is the author of several books and one of the country’s leading authorities on women and exercise. Her newest book WOW: Women Only Workouts is completely revised for 2009 and can be purchased at (). She contributes to UjENA Bikini Body Fitness on a weekly basis.
Disclaimer: The information on this site is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, or for medical diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician, or a qualified health care provider before starting a new diet, treatments or exercise programs – or consult with your physician about questions regarding a medical condition. If you are pregnant, always seek the advice of your physician before starting a new diet, treatments or exercise program.
All Content Copyright 2009 .
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