Is weight loss your goal? Why yoga in Berkhamsted might be the answer:
We all know that to shed unwanted kilos we need to make healthy food choices and exercise regularly, but did you know that to burn fat we need to relax and unwind too?
Why stress is the enemy to weight loss:
- During periods of stress, the ‘fight or flight’ response is triggered and the body is flooded with stress hormones adrenaline, corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH) and cortisol. These hormones can make you crave sugary, carbohydrate-rich foods.
- While the immediate response to acute stress can be a diminished appetite, when stress becomes chronic it can make you feel ravenously hungry, adding weight gain to your list of concerns.
- Turning to food for comfort can also become a habit – so be mindful of the activities you choose to relieve stress.
- With your adrenal glands pumping out cortisol, production of the muscle-building hormone testosterone slows down. If this is sustained over a long period of time, the drop in testosterone can cause a decrease in muscle mass, meaning you burn fewer calories and store more fat. While this occurs naturally as we age, high cortisol levels can accelerate this process.
- Stress hormones can also lead to the tendency to store visceral fat around the abdomen, which is linked to an increase in both diabetes and heart disease.
How yoga aids weight loss
- Exercising for too hard for too long can actually raise cortisol levels and make you feel more stressed, inhibiting weight loss. While we need to move to burn fat, we also need to engage in gentler activities like yoga to assist the body in de-stressing, facilitating fat loss.
- Stress interferes with good sleep patterns, in turn raising cortisol and making us feel more stressed out. Yoga can be a fabulous activity to promote better sleep. There are specific sequences you can engage in before going to bed that will help you unwind, fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. Breathing techniques from yoga can help you get back to sleep quicker when you wake.
- Relaxation produces brain chemicals which are the antidote to stress hormones. Incorporate a regular yoga or meditation practice into your daily schedule to keep the effects of stress at bay and help you feel more resilient when you are under pressure. As little as 7 minutes a day can have potent stress-busting effects.
Yoga in Berkhamsted: making it work for you
- Classes can be a great cost-effective way to incorporate yoga into your weekly routine. I teach a general class at BAYoga, Tuesdays, 1:15-2:15pm which is designed to help strengthen, shape up and stretch our your body. The pace and intensity of the class is specifically chosen to maximise fat loss – working out at the right pace to burn fat and also stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, helping you unwind. Check out a studio near you to find a class that fits with your week.
- New mums, it’s your turn. Come and enjoy some postnatal yoga with your baby at Carmenta Life, Mondays, 1:30-2:30pm. We will gently strengthen your core, tone and stretch out your body and replenish a weary mind. Top up your energy levels with yoga designed especially for the postnatal period. We will also do some moves for the babies to develop strength, boost digestion and happily tire them out promoting sleep. Sounds good? Book in to secure you’re place. With a maximum of 10 participants you will get hands on attention.
- Can’t get to classes or don’t feel quite ready? Book in for a private session with me. I will take you through some basic moves to prepare you for group lessons or I can design you a routine to do at home. As little as 7 minutes a day will pave the way for more efficient fat loss and help you navigate periods of stress. All you need in your own body and a little space on the floor, I can provide you with your own bespoke sequences.