Australia is now officially one of the top three fattest developed nations. Recent research estimates 67 per cent of Australian men and 52 per cent of Australian women aged 25 and over are overweight or obese — a whopping 31.1 per cent of Australia’s population.
Weight loss and Australia
Strangely, many overweight Australians are either in denial or simply unaware of their condition. Perhaps it’s because they look around and see so many others who are overweight and think it’s normal. Often, the first step towards making any positive lifestyle change lies in acknowledgment of the problem. Then comes acceptance (because what you resist persists) and finally, the will to embark on a course of weight loss action to address the problem. Missing out on either of the first two stages diminishes the chances of weight loss success.
Why are we getting fatter?
After spending time pondering the reasons for our need for weight loss and reading a few official facts and figures, one thing that jumps out is how we have reduced our options for everyday exercise, which is essential for weight loss. We rely on our cars, which means the walk from the house to the car is the nearest some people get to exercise. Then there are the all the labour-saving devices as well as an increase in leisure activities that involve little, if any, physical activity. Plus, many people pay others to clean the house, mow the lawn, wash the car and even walk the dog!
But, while exercise is certainly a significant factor in any weight loss program, perhaps the most important factor is attitude. No one can be forced to exercise: we need some “medicine of the gods” — commitment, inspiration and discipline to help with weight loss.
Exercising for weight loss
When exercising for weight loss, many of us tend to exercise in strenuous, sporadic bursts. According to Ayurveda (the ancient Indian science of healthy living) the most energy-giving and effective exercise is regular (daily), low-intensity (working hard enough to sweat but without over-exerting) and of moderate duration (between 30 and 40 minutes).
Choosing an exercise for weight loss
If we want to be consistent about exercising, it’s important to choose an activity we enjoy. Exercise should be something we look forward to, making us feel strong, stable and energised. Afterwards, we should have that slightly smug glow of someone who knows they’ve just done a good thing. If your exercise routine does not have you feeling tangibly better, then change it. The benefits will be more than just weight loss.
Attitude and weight loss
As mentioned, attitude is everything, and cultivating an attitude of awareness will enhance the benefits of a weight loss exercise program. While the trend in modern fitness centres, for instance, is to work out to loud music or with an iPod, exercising in silence brings awareness to the process.
It’s important to have that conscioussness of what’s happening in our bodies, to our breath, posture, muscles and joints, as well as with our thoughts and emotions. How so? I once heard a wise yogi suggest there’s a strong connection between having a mind that spends a lot of time in the past and being overweight. We literally create a larger physical body to carry all that extra mental baggage! So awareness while exercising anchors the mind in the present, bringing the associated physical benefits.
How yoga can help with weight loss
There’s a common misconception that yoga is for those people who are already healthy, thin and flexible. The truth is yoga can be practised by just about anyone and its holistic approach can play an important role in any weight loss program. Asanas not only tone sagging muscles but work the internal organs and systems of the body, strengthening and toning from the inside out. Weight loss is not the aim of yoga, yet it has earned itself a reputation for being an effective tool in weight management. Medical research has shown that asanas help to reduce cholesterol and liquid fats in the blood as well as assists in weight loss.
Re-sensitising the body through yoga
Through the practice of yoga, our body awareness and intuitive understanding of our dietary needs become more acute. We come to know:
- When to eat
- When to stop eating
- What to eat
- How much to eat
- When to rest
- When to exercise more
When we lose sensitivity to these inner communications, we become body-deaf. In this state, we are prone to eating as a response to almost any discomfort that arises, whether physical, mental, emotional or spiritual. Yoga, the Sanskrit word for union, brings the body and mind into harmony and enables us to hear clearly the needs of our bodies and respond appropriately.
Yoga, metabolism and weight loss
Metabolism is a key factor in weight loss. An appropriate yoga practice can help redress the effects of a particularly sluggish metabolism. Such a practice would initially include a more dynamic, fast-moving set of asanas. Later on, the duration of the yoga practice can be reduced to allow more time for pranayama (breathing techniques), especially bhastrika and nadi shodhana, which are best taught under the guidance of a yoga instructor.
Permanent weight loss will likely require an overhaul of the pranic energy (life force) structure of the body and mind. Yoga asanas build up vitality slowly, rebalancing the nervous and endocrine pathways. While some experts recommend exercising for 30 minutes a day, replacing just 10 of those minutes with 10 minutes of yoga asanas a day will have a noticeable impact on the levels of prana processing through your body.
Guidelines for yoga practice and weight loss
- Practise yoga before you eat, on an empty stomach.
- Practise yoga in a quiet spot, where there’s fresh air and cross ventilation.
- Practise yoga at sunrise or sunset if possible.
- Practise yoga without distractions — turn off your phone(s).
- Practise yoga at your own level, not the teacher’s or other participants of a class. Don’t stretch more than is comfortable. You may need to modify some poses under the guidance of a qualified yoga instructor.
Yoga poses for weight loss
Weight loss pose 1. Konasana — standing sideways bend
Stand with your feet together, arms by your side. Breathe in as you raise your right arm. As you exhale, slide your left hand down the side of your left leg, as far as it will go, and then look up towards your right hand. Hold the pose for 3-5 slow, deep breaths. Then, as you inhale, come back to a neutral standing position and exhale as you bring your right arm down. Do the same on the other side. Repeat 5-10 rounds.
Weight loss benefits: Konasana 1 stretches the sides of the body and the spine, toning the arms, legs, waist and abdominal organs.
Weight loss pose 2. Kati chakrasana — waist rotating pose
Stand with your feet half a metre apart, arms by your side. Breathe in as you raise both arms to shoulder level, then breathe out as you twist your body to the left, placing your right hand on your left shoulder and your left hand against the right side of your waist. Look back over your left shoulder as far as you can, then hold this position for 3 slow, deep breaths. Inhale as you return to the starting position and do the same on the other side. Repeat 5–10 rounds. Alternatively, this asana may be performed in a more dynamic way by swinging rhythmically with the arms, not synchronising the movement with the breath.
Weight loss benefits: Kati chakrasana tones the waist, back and hips.
Weight loss pose 3. Jhulana lurhakanasana — rocking and rolling
Sit in a squatting position with your fingers interlocked and hands holding onto your shins. Rock your whole body back and forward along the spine, breathing normally. If possible, come up into squatting position each time you rock forward. Practise 5-10 rounds. Note: Don’t practise this asana if you have serious back conditions.
Weight loss benefits: Jhulana lurhakanasana massages the back, buttocks and hips.
Weight loss pose 4. Shavasana
Lie on your back in a neutral position, body in a straight line, feet slightly apart, palms of the hands facing the sky, eyes closed. Remain for a few breaths before continuing.
Weight loss pose 5. Pada sanchalasana — cycling
Lie on your back with your legs and feet together, knees close to your chest. As you roll gently backwards, lift your buttocks off the floor and place your hands (fingers pointing towards the spine) on top of your hips. Begin to straighten your legs but don’t shift the weight of your body onto your neck; keep it predominantly on your arms and shoulders. Keep your elbows as close together as you can. Relax your feet. Your body should be at a 45-degree angle to the floor, legs vertical.
Now move your legs as though you are cycling. If it’s too challenging for you to come into this position, remain lying on your back as you cycle. Repeat 10 rounds in a forward direction and then 10 founds in reverse. If you wish, you can go for longer, increasing the speed, and then relax completely, lying completely still for about 10 seconds. Rest in shavasana for a few breaths.
Weight loss pose 6. Naukasana — boat
Lie on your back, arms by your sides. Take a deep breath in, and then, as you breathe out, lift your legs, arms, shoulders, upper back and head off the ground and look at your feet. Keep your arms parallel to the ground, palms facing each other. Hold for up to 5 slow, deep breaths, then relax completely as you exhale. Practise 3-5 rounds. Rest in shavasana for a few breaths.
Weight loss benefits: Naukasana stimulates the muscular, digestive, circulatory, nervous and hormonal systems, tones all the organs and removes lethargy.
Weight loss pose 7. Vipareeta karani asana — half shoulder-stand
As it’s considered an intermediate to advanced pose, it’s not advisable to practise this pose without sufficient prior experience or without the supervision of an experienced instructor.
Move into the same starting position as for pada sanchalasana (see above), but this time keep your legs straight and together and close your eyes while you stay here for up to 5 breaths. To move out of the pose, lower your legs over your head and towards the ground, bending your knees slightly if you need to, and then gently and slowly roll your body down to the ground and relax in shavasana for a few breaths.
Note: Do not practise vipareeta karani asana if you have any of the following: diarrhoea, headache, high blood pressure, menstruation, neck injury or pregnancy. (If you are experienced with this pose, you can continue to practise it late into pregnancy. However, don’t take up the practice of it after you become pregnant.)
Weight loss benefits: Vipareeta karani asana balances the circulatory, digestive, reproductive, nervous and endocrine systems and enriches blood flow to the brain, relieving mental and emotional stress and reducing excess body weight.
Weight loss pose 8. Druta halasana — dynamic plough pose
Once you are in vipareeta karani asana, bring your feet down to the ground and, if possible, touch your toes to the floor and straighten your arms out behind you. If you can, interlock your fingers and straighten your arms. Hold the position for a few seconds and then roll your body back up, coming into a sitting position.
Now lift your arms above your head. From here, bend your body forward into paschimottanasana (back stretching pose), keeping your legs straight and moving your forehead towards your knees as you reach for, or even past, your toes. Practise keeping this whole series of movements smooth, flowing and even. This is one round. Practise up to 10 rounds, then relax in shavasana for a few breaths. Note: Do not practise this sequence if you have sciatica, back or neck ailments or high blood pressure.
Weight loss benefits: This sequence facilitates the breakdown of fats by exercising the liver and gall bladder.
Weight loss pose 9. Matsyasana — fish pose
Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent, feet on the floor. As you inhale, lift your pelvis slightly off the floor and slide your hands, palms down, under your buttocks. Rest your buttocks on the backs of your hands and tuck your forearms and elbows close to the sides of your torso. Inhale as you press your forearms and elbows firmly into the floor, lifting your upper torso and head away and releasing your head back onto the floor.
You can keep your knees bent or straighten your legs out onto the floor. If you do the latter, keep your thighs active and press out through the heels. Stay here for 15 to 30 seconds, breathing smoothly and slowly. To come out of the pose, push your elbows into the ground to lift your head and torso away from the ground, then exhale and lower your torso and head to the floor. Then draw your thighs up into your belly and squeeze, lifting your head to your knees.
Note: Do not practise matsyasana if you have high or low blood pressure, migraine, insomnia or serious lower-back or neck injury. Beginners sometimes strain their neck in this pose. If you feel any discomfort in your neck or throat, either lower your chest slightly toward the floor or put a thickly folded blanket under the back of your head.
Weight loss benefits: Matsyasana stretches and stimulates the muscles and organs in the abdominal region.
Weight loss pose 10. Final relaxation
Proper relaxation at the end of the yoga asanas is an essential part of your program. Lie on your back in a neutral position, body in a straight line, feet slightly apart, palms of the hands facing the sky, eyes closed. Stay in this pose for 5 minutes for every 30 minutes of practice. To exit, first roll gently with an exhalation onto your right side and, after resting here for a few minutes, come up to a comfortable sitting position.
In addition to the above yoga asanas, 6-12 rounds of Salute to the Sun (surya namaskara) is an excellent practice for weight loss.
