During my time with the blog and in my yoga classes in Denia, there are many occasions when I have asked this question or something related to practice yoga to lose weight. Some time ago I wrote this article 8 ways that can help you lose weight yoga. Today I will answer the question in a different way.

I begin with my own story

The reason why you get to be overweight, or simply weigh more than what one would like, can be many. As you see in the picture I was not overweight or anything but he had gained about 7kg more than he had weighed before.

How I did it ? Simple: eating much.

It happened in the first year that I came to Spain from Cuba. I almost could not believe I could eat all the ice cream you want! After years of waiting in lines 2 and 3 hours in the Coppelia (an ice cream shop in central Havana that occupies an entire city block) when touching my turn to enjoy this precious and scarce delicacy, I found it hard to believe that now I just had to go to the market and buy it …

So I ate until I believed

And of course, I gained weight.

Eventually I was becoming aware that he had already eaten enough and that I was noticing. Not only in the body that started out one or two Michelin, but that had less capacity breathing resistance and quickly got tired of walking.

Fight calories

So a year after eating all the ice cream I wanted, I decided to put a stop to that. That’s when he started “the fight of calories.” Not that a calorie fight against each other, no. It was I who decided the best way was to fight: Mind vs calories. So I took the guns (and even shoes skates) and got up from the computer where I spent many hours sitting and went for a run.

As you see in the picture, with skates did not have much success

You can imagine that I could not give a lap of the park closest to him. But I was happy because he had taken the first step. The second was to start eating less.

So, little by little, I was starting to take my meals all that supposed there was a lot of calories and also I removed my precious delicacy food (ice cream, if you do not remember ).

It was a fight against myself. And yes, I lost weight. But God, how much suffering!

The Struggle to Peace

It was not until years later that I opted out completely white flag and surrender. Yoga had come into my life. It was not just the time spent when he was on the mat, but at every step (and I) could see the effects and consequences of regular practice and conscious. Then I realized that the way the fight was not (have been fighting all my life). It was then that peace came …

How I did it? Without looking, it was something that just came to the practice of mindfulness meditation gave me the physical practice of yoga and proper nutrition.

Looking back slightly and in order that my experience will help you on your way, you summarize in 3 basic steps how yoga helped me to have the weight I wanted and much more …

1. Consciousness

The first step that I realized it worked to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight without fighting, and yoga helps me 100%, is full consciousness. The first was to make me aware that I was living a life that was not healthy. But I went further. I saw it, I felt and I believed from the depths of my being. When that happens there is a total transformation. you go back to not eat a hamburger with fries, coke and ice cream dessert with the same taste as before. There is a before and after when you take real consciousness of things. But I do not set myself anything. It emerged as consciousness of regular practice of mindfulness to myself.

Through yoga I got better listen to my body and I learned to interact differently with him. When I started paying more attention to what I ate, my decisions about what to eat became healthier.

Little by little I discovered what made me heavy food digestion (which are most processed food), and started looking for different recipes and foods, some previously not even know existed.

In this inner approach that has given me the practice of yoga it has also helped me to eat when I have really physically hungry (and not a mental hunger), also allowing me realize when I’m already full and I can stop eating.

As I went deeper in practice I observed a transformation to physical, mental and emotional level, where there was less influenced by external conditions and I was focusing more on my own values ​​and internal decisions.

I’ll give you an example: Imagine you go to a restaurant to eat with your coworkers. There is no harmony among all what you choose to eat faster to leave soon. Plus you’re a little stressed thinking about everything you have left to do. So you ask as usual, without thinking how healthy or can not be, finish early and go.

Did you happened something similar? At a time of my life this was part of my day. But gradually I was watching that provided greater awareness and attention to lunchtime: I eat, how I like and even who you like. They are very important aspects to keep in mind always. To me they have worked very well.

Now I prepare my own food with fresh food and if possible ecological. When I go to a restaurant I do not “break the rule” because it is not a rule, it is what I want. Usually, anywhere, as slow, conscious of every bite that goes into my mouth, enjoying the food I did or I did, surely with love. And about the company, because now the people around me are wonderful and eating with them is a joy. The rest was on the way.

Remember: full awareness at all times.

2. Proper diet

“The food that lengthens life and vitality, purity and virtue, strength, health, joy and happiness, tasty and unctuous, substantial and delicious, loved by good and virtuous people (Sathwic ) ”

Bhagavad Gita

At this point about food, I leave some tips Swami Sivananda to adequate food. It is a good summary of what I want to convey:

• – Eat at fixed hours. If you do not feel hungry in food, fasts until the next meal.
• – Kitchen only the amount you are going to eat. Reheated food has very little vital energy.
• – Take raw vegetables at least once a day. This prevents blood back too acidic.
• – Eat slowly and enjoy the food. Chew each bite well. Digestion begins in the mouth.
• – It takes only 4 or 5 varieties of food at each meal. It is difficult to digest complex combinations.
• – Try not to eat between meals.
• – Do not overload your stomach. Half filled with solid food and a fourth liquid. The remaining quarter should remain empty for natural gas development.
• – Avoid talking about problems or negative thoughts while eating. Do not eat when you’re angry. Toxins are secreted by the glands when you are angry and released into the bloodstream. Rest a while until the mind calms down and then take your food.
• – Try to fast once a week. Fasting eliminates toxins, regenerate body functions and provides rest to the organs.
• – Eat to live, not live to eat.

3. Physical Practice

There is something very logical I also became aware one day to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight and good health, had to eat less and move more. In my hands was the decision of how.

As I told you at the beginning, my first steps were jogging. Today and I can not do even chose him because my left knee injured and now after 15 minutes of gentle trot begins to suffer. Then I went with body toning, spinning, etc. Even within the same yoga there are also different styles that I tried in more calories than others such as Ashtanga Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga or Bikram Yoga (the latter is practiced in a room at 40 degrees temperature) are burned.

At this point, I want to make a little high and back to the question that inspired me to write this article.

How often should I practice yoga to lose weight?

When the whys

Now I continue with my experience. One day I wondered why I wanted to lose weight or maintain I thought was right. The answer came alone, I gave my ego . I wanted to look good and I saw good. Ah, yes, I wanted to feel healthy. But to reach that desired health I realized that physical practice was not enough. I needed a balance between mindfulness, conscious body movement, adequate food and peace in being.

Part of the response from the ego to look good sometimes disappears. Mainly in those moments when I connect with my superior I realize that inevitably the body ages (if you do not believe look at your parents or grandparents, they were too young).

We are not our bodies. When I do not identify with it, increases peace.

Gradually I felt the body was no more than an instrument to reach deeper purpose and to stay in shape, in their strength or flexibility was stagnate. Currently the physical practice helps me stay healthy this vehicle is the physical body, “the temple where resides my being” and that fills me with joy. And the weight is no longer my companion each morning. Upon awakening, after physical practice, a time of pranayama (control technique of breathing) and meditation, the feeling is so full that I only have the option to continue with what brings me the day with a smile on face and with great energy and serenity.

And you, why do you want to lose weight? Have you ever wondered what?

My before and after

You see, I also had a “before and after”. It is after is not just physical and that is not static but eventually deepens as I continue journeying along this path of peace and self-knowledge that leads me yoga.

But I tell you something, sweetheart. If you reached this article possibly you want to lose weight with yoga practice. So it’s perfect and it’s great that you chose yoga for your purpose. If you allow me a little advice: practice everything you can. All other benefits come in addition practice and also the awareness that there is something beyond.

So I congratulate you on your decision and I encourage you to give over now.

If this article has helped you inspiration leave a comment. And if you have experience with what I tell you here, please, coméntame too!

A very big hug for you, covering every part of your being (including all the fat you have more) and to fill you with acceptance, understanding and compassion for yourself.

namaste

naylin