Weight Loss

{"posts":[{"title":"The Ayurvedic Diet: Why There is No Such Thing as a Bad Food","coverUrl":"pvpoevkzziolcsp1ajuh.jpg","slug":"the-ayurvedic-diet","content":{"text":"Ayurvedic medicine has existed for literally thousands of years. If you’re not familiar with it, Ayurveda medicine is a whole-body, holistic practice that encourages a balance between body and mind. \\nAyurveda uses diet, yogic breathing, and herbal treatments to accomplish a healthy, balanced body. This Hindu-derived practice enforces the idea that all diseases are caused by an imbalance in the physical body and stress in a person’s consciousness.\\nThe Ayurvedic diet promotes better physical, mental, and spiritual health. And unlike many other diets, the Ayurvedic diet gives personalized recommendations on what the best foods are to eat for your body type.\\nThat’s not to say there are any \\nbad\\n foods. It just means there are some foods that meet your body’s needs better than others!\\nAnd we’re going to talk about it all here!\\nIf you read this and want more guidance or information on how to integrate Ayurvedic medicine and eating into your life, check out my class on MyYogaTeacher, \\nAyurvedic Concept of Diet\\n! We’d love to have you, and I’m happy to answer any questions you may have about this lifestyle.\\nNot a member of MyYogaTeacher yet? \\nGet your free 2-week trial here and check it out!\\n No credit card required and you get access to all 35+ group classes taught by expert teachers from India.\\nWhat is the Ayurvedic diet?\\nThe basis for Ayurvedic medicine is that there are five elements that make up the universe — air, water, space, fire, and earth.\\nThese elements create different forms of energy called doshas, and each dosha has its own unique responsibilities within the body. There are three of them:\\nVata\\n - Also known as “king of the doshas,” Vata is responsible for all movement processes at a microcellular and macroscopic level. It’s also responsible for circulation, respiration and the nervous system. Vata combines the space and air elements.\\nPitta\\n - This dosha is in charge of digestion and metabolism in the body. It is located in the small intestines, stomach, liver, spleen, and pancreas. Pitta is responsible for all the processes that involve conversion and transformation throughout the mind and body.\\nKapha\\n - Water energy. Kapha aids in lubricating the joints and provides the body with its physical form. Kapha also helps the tissues in the body move smoothly.\\nThe Ayurvedic diet is a component of Ayurvedic medicine that teaches you to eat the foods that promote balance between all of your doshas.\\nIn doing so, you not only eat the foods that are best for your body specifically, but you also create and maintain a healthier mind, body and spirit.\\nHow the Ayurvedic diet works\\nWhile some may feel like eating according to Ayurvedic diet guidelines seems somewhat restrictive, the opposite is really true. \\nNo food is a bad food.\\nBut some foods are better for you than others and are perfect for your dosha, or body type.\\nHere are some of the main characteristics of each dosha so you can get an idea of which one matches you the best!\\n\\nPitta Dosha (Fire energy)\\n\\nMedium height\\nSlender frame\\nGood metabolism\\nCompetitive\\nGood leadership skills\\nVery intelligent\\nShort temper\\nMay suffer from indigestion\\nMay have high blood pressure\\nGoverned by emotions\\n\\n\\nVata Dosha (Wind energy)\\n\\nCreative\\nEnergetic\\nLively\\nThin, light frame\\nProminent joints/bones\\nFlat-chested\\nLittle/no willpower\\nNervous\\nFearful\\nShort term memory issues\\nKapha Dosha (Water Energy)\\n\\nEasy-going/relaxed\\nTolerant, compassionate\\nLoyal\\nHave weight issues\\nLarger frame\\nProne to diabetes\\nForgiving\\nPeaceful\\nGood stamina\\nGenerally happy\\n\nYour dosha determines which foods you should eat to promote inner balance. For instance, here are some Ayurvedic diet food recommendations to go with your dosha:\\n> \\nPitta:\\n Wheat, white rice, oats, barley. Fruits like grapes, mango, pineapple, oranges, melon, coconut, avocado, and plums help balance the Pitta dosha. Stay away from sour foods, salty, or pungent foods like garlic and onions.\\n> \\nVata\\n: Hot stews and soups are great for balancing the Vata dosha. Also, eating moist foods like yogurt, melon, berries, zucchini, squash. Seeds and nuts, ghee, ginger, turmeric, and cinnamon are also great!\\n> \\nKapha\\n: Spicy, acidic, filling foods and most fruits and vegetables are good for keeping Kapha bodies in balance. Also unprocessed meats, grains, eggs, and low fat cheeses. Kaphas should avoid heavy foods like oils, fats, nuts, and seeds.\\nI really want to stress that this way of eating is not about restriction. It’s about eating for your body type!\\nWhich means there are tons of options and opportunities for you to eat and be full. We’re not about being hungry here at MYT!\\nBenefits of eating an Ayurvedic diet\\nBesides helping you feel and be your healthiest, most amazing self, there are lots of science-backed benefits of participating in an Ayurvedic eating plan or adopting the entire Ayurvedic holistic wellness lifestyle.\\nAyurvedic eating prevents disease\\nBecause the Ayurvedic lifestyle promotes the consumption of whole foods and the reduction or complete elimination of processed foods, there is a huge component of eating in this way that addresses disease prevention.\\nStudies show that eating processed foods and foods high in refined sugar or high levels of salt are associated with inflammation, chronic and acute diseases, higher risk for cancer, and even death.\\nEating whole foods high in fiber, vitamins and minerals can prevent and, in some cases, even reverse disease.\\nAyurvedic eating promotes weight loss\\nSeeing as the Ayurvedic diet focuses on nutrient-rich foods, studies show that eating for your dosha (particularly pitta or kapha) assists with weight loss. It can also help stave off cravings and prevent overeating.\\nMindful eating is a huge part of Ayurvedic medicine. This means people who adopt this lifestyle eat more conscientiously and become more aware of their body’s needs. Mindful eating helps people with issues like emotional or stress eating.\\nAnother benefit to mindful eating is enhanced self-control and the development of a healthier relationship with food.\\nThe gut biome and Ayurvedic diet\\nWe’ve discussed some of the health benefits of Ayurvedic eating, but I would be doing you a disservice if I didn’t talk about how this lifestyle affects your gut!\\nIf you don’t know how your gut biome affects your mental, physical, and even emotional health, join my class and let’s talk about it! Your gut biome is the primary location for healthy bacteria, immune function and even the primary source of the feel good chemicals that our body and brains crave!\\nBecause an Ayurvedic diet improves your gut health, you also get:\\nImproved digestion\\nBetter metabolic processes\\nEnhanced detoxification\\nImproved fertility and sexual health\\nAll while still eating foods you love! \\nWhile the Ayurvedic diet is customized for each dosha, this doesn’t mean you will never eat some of the foods that may be listed for you to avoid. It simply means you may want to limit those foods and eat more of the foods that help harmonize your body, mind, and spirit!\\nThe goal of my class, \\nAyurvedic Concept of Diet\\n, is to help you discover the right combination of foods to eat for your body. You’ll learn all about Ahara, the best way to prepare and serve certain dishes, and the proper time to eat various foods. I invite you to join us on this Ayurvedic eating journey!\\nMyYogaTeacher is a great platform to learn about many different forms of yoga. There are many expert and highly experienced yoga instructors from the birthplace of yoga, India, who really care about their students’ health and well-being! Whether you’re brand new to yoga or consider yourself an advanced yogi, there’s a class that’s a perfect fit for you! \\nGet your 2-week free trial here and try it out!\\n\\nNamaste.\\n"},"createdAt":"2021-10-09T17:20:19.353219+00:00","author":{"name":"Hema","pictureUrl":null,"teacherMytSlug":null},"category":["fitness","weight_loss"]},{"title":"5 Ways Yoga for Weight Loss Works for Every Body","coverUrl":"VZWRIX5QWCBCAIYPVBZ2VYSKZY.jpg","slug":"yoga-for-weight-loss","content":{"text":"Yoga may not be the first thing you think about when it comes to losing weight. \\n\\nIf you’re overweight and you want to drop those pounds ASAP, your first thoughts might be HIIT workouts or running...high impact, fat shredding routines.\\n\\nAnd there’s absolutely nothing wrong with those!\\n\\nBut for some folks, those types of workouts can be dangerous, hard on their heart and joints. It can also be pretty deflating when you’re unable to complete those harder forms of exercise because of excess weight.\\n\\nThis is where yoga for weight loss comes to the rescue!\\n\\nYes. Yoga can help you lose weight, tone, strengthen, and build stamina while also protecting your joints. If you’re interested in trying out a yoga class specifically designed for those of you who need to drop some pounds or are just starting out in the world of workouts,\\n try my Yoga for Obesity class on myYogaTeacher!\\n\\n\\nBut, as we’ve said before, yoga isn’t just for a specific body type. It’s for every body type. So don’t think you have to be overweight (or not) to jump in!\\n\\n1. Yoga and food\\n\\nYou’re wondering how these two go together, right? Yeah, I thought so!\\n\\nOne of the major health benefits of yoga is self-awareness, mindfulness. People who practice yoga regularly become much more aware of how they’re feeling physically, mentally and emotionally.\\n\\nThere’s no shame at all in admitting that you grab those bad-for-you foods when you’re stressed, sad, mad, or tired. Or any other range of emotions. \\n\\nFood releases endorphins!\\n\\nHowever, studies have shown that practicing yoga and mindfulness does in fact help you resist overeating and comfort eating. You are more likely to recognize when you’re full, eat slower, and choose food options that are better for you.\\n\\nWhich leads me to #2…\\n\\n2. Sleep more, weigh less\\n\\nDid you know that quality sleep is associated with weight loss? True story.\\n\\nSleep deprivation, restriction, and low quality of sound sleep negatively impacts your weight, mind and emotions. And that is a disastrous combination! We eat more when we’re sleepy and trying to stay awake.\\n\\nThink about it. What do you eat or drink the most when you’re tired? Sodas? Fast food? Twinkies, Oreos, or some other sugar filled junk food? What do you eat or drink when you’re super emotional or need more mental clarity? \\n\\nWhen you don’t sleep well, you often don’t eat well.\\n\\nYoga has a ton of health benefits. One of them is better sleep! Yoga particularly helps those who are overweight sleep better. Being overweight itself can hinder good sleep. Snoring, being unable to get comfortable, aches and pains associated with being overweight. All of those are reasons you may not be getting good sleep. Or enough sleep.\\n\\nThere are several types of yoga for weight loss. There is also yoga to help you sleep better, such as yoga nidra or yin yoga! You can find lots of classes to help with sleep, including mine, at myYogaTeacher. \\nGrab your 2-week free trial here!\\n\\n\\n\\n3. Feel the burn \\n\\nYoga burns calories for sure! Which is exactly what you need to do to get in better shape and lose those unwanted pounds.\\n\\nThere are certain types of yoga for weight loss that are more effective at burning those calories than others. Power yoga, ashtanga, and vinyasa are three of the most common.\\n\\nBut if you’re a beginner and really struggling with weight gain or limited mobility due to injury or excess weight, a yoga class specifically for overweight yogis might be more beneficial for you to begin with. All the poses will have modifications. It’s a slower practice and there’s more guidance with alignment. Also, you may feel more comfortable and confident in a class that you know was designed with your body type and struggles in mind!\\n\\nAs you progress in your practice, you’ll feel much better about trying other types of yoga and poses that are meant to make you feel the burn and sweat it out! You’ll shrink physically but grow mentally and emotionally.\\n\\n\\n4. Yoga reduces stress\\n\\nLong term exposure to stress or stressful situations leads to increased cortisol levels. When cortisol levels are high for extended periods of time, it can lead to obesity.\\n\\nHigh cortisol levels have specifically been linked to excess abdominal fat and increased appetite. Of course, what does almost everyone do more of when they’re stressed? Eat! This act of eating more during stressful times has been proven to be directly correlated with our reaction to high levels of cortisol.\\n\\nHow do we combat stress in a healthier way?\\n\\nYou guessed it. Yoga and meditation!\\n\\nA regular yoga practice will reduce your stress levels, which, in turn, reduces your “comfort eating” and consumption of unhealthy foods. In essence, reducing stress reduces weight!\\n\\n5. Pain management = weight management\\n\\nMany overweight people are in pain. \\n\\nYour cholesterol and blood sugar may be perfect. Your blood pressure is pristine. Your doctor says your heart looks great. But your body hurts.\\n\\nA hurting body doesn’t want to exercise. But exercise helps a hurting body not hurt.\\n\\nIt’s a vicious cycle.\\n\\nYoga helps you lose weight, yes. But it also cures various aches and pains, no matter what that pain is due to. Whether your knees and back hurt because you’re overweight or because of previous injuries, yoga can help!\\n\\nAnd when we hurt less, we move more, right? When we move more, we burn more calories, strengthen muscles, gain more flexibility, reduce pressure on our joints, and are less likely to get injured or be in pain in the future.\\n\\nAnd that’s the kind of cycle you want to be in! It’s the kind we all want to be in!\\n\\n\\n\\nIf you’re struggling with a few extra pounds or…well, more than a few, yoga is there for you. We can do it together in\\n my Yoga for Obesity class\\n, where I’ve created a practice that is perfect for every body type. Not a member yet? \\nGet your myYogaTeacher 2-week free trial here and have access to 35+ different yoga classes every single day! \\n\\n\\n\\n"},"createdAt":"2021-03-11T14:28:17.393193+00:00","author":{"name":"Anusha","pictureUrl":null,"teacherMytSlug":null},"category":["fitness","weight_loss"]}],"categories":[{"name":"Anxiety","value":"anxiety","display":"anxiety"},{"name":"Emotional Health","value":"emotional_health","display":"emotional health"},{"name":"Fitness","value":"fitness","display":"fitness"},{"name":"Meditation","value":"meditation","display":"meditation"},{"name":"Mental Health","value":"mental_health","display":"mental health"},{"name":"MyYogaTeacher","value":"myYogaTeacher","display":"myyogateacher"},{"name":"Pain Management","value":"pain_management","display":"pain management"},{"name":"Restorative","value":"restorative","display":"restorative"},{"name":"Therapy","value":"therapy","display":"therapy"},{"name":"Weight Loss","value":"weight_loss","display":"weight loss"},{"name":"Workshops","value":"workshops","display":"workshops"},{"name":"Yoga","value":"yoga","display":"yoga"},{"name":"Yoga Poses","value":"yoga_poses","display":"yoga poses"},{"name":"Yoga Teacher Training","value":"yoga_teacher_training","display":"yoga teacher training"}],"search":"","category":"weight_loss","pageTitle":"Weight Loss","schema_category":"Weight Loss"}