Yoga

POST BY MY DEAR FRIEND NATALIYA

 I never thought that yoga would be something for me. I was always a treadmill girl and firmly believed that a cardio workout is the right way to “ bikini body heaven”.

Last month on vacation I met a girl who was a spiting image of Kelly Ripa, and just looking at the way she was built I knew right away “I gotta try whatever she is doing for her workout”. She said Yoga influenced her life big way: happiness, internal peace, leaner muscle, core strength and unbelievable flexibility are some of the benefits that she experienced. 

Two open-air classes of Vinyassa yoga with the Belgian trainer, beautiful scenery of Caribbean Gulf of Mexico, birds signing and a complete relaxation at the end of the session  - I wanted to do more. And I will. Now it is just a question of finding the right class and a trainer that inspires you…

Here is how yoga can help to lose weight:

Great workout. High intensity Yoga like Power Yoga or Vinyassa can burn up to 375 calories an hour for a 130-pound person. Other styles of yoga that have a lower intensity can burn anywhere from 150 calories to 200 calories in a one-hour class.

Yoga teaches mindfulness. Yoga cultivates both body and mind awareness. Many people who have started to practice yoga see their weight drop effortlessly. That happens because we realize how frequently what we eat is dictated by our mind and not by our physical body’s need for energy.

Muscle strength. There are many things you can be working on that help your body and burn calories as you hold a given posture. Every breath should be an opportunity for you to elongate and strengthen your muscles more. This kind of action burns extra calories as well as improving your flexibility, strength and balance.