Yoga with friends in Costa Rica – if only every day could start like this!
I am always curious to hear how people deal with stress. It is, after all, one of the most important things we need to manage in today’s world.
Excess stress can affect your health in so many ways. Left unchecked, it can cause multiple health problems including high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity.
The mental toll is notable also. Frequent insomnia, headaches, and the inability to focus on simple tasks can be traced back to stress as the cause.
It would be simple to say that we need to eliminate stress in our lives, but realistically that isn’t going to happen. That is why managing it and finding outlets for its release are crucial for staying healthy.
Breathing fully is much easier when you are outside with fresh air everywhere
It’s something we rarely think about, because the body does it on its own. If we had to remember to do it, we would probably be in big trouble.
It’s like beating our heart. It’s an amazing muscle, the heart; it pumps faster or slower as needed by the body without us having to figure out how to do it.
The breath is the same. If we exert ourselves in any way, the lungs respond by deepening the inhales and exhales as necessary to supply enough oxygen to the muscles.
There’s more that we can do with the breath though than to just take it for granted. When used correctly, the breath can anchor us to the present moment, can steady an anxious mind, and can even help us lose weight.
Wait – something as simple as breathing can help us to lose weight?
Absolutely! By using enhanced breathing, we can encourage the flow of oxygen through the system, enabling the body to better use fat for fuel. It is an amazingly easy process that can be done anytime, anywhere.
Remember, fat is basically stored energy. To shrink fat cells, your body will convert fat to energy for the muscles and other tissues using metabolic processes. The waste products from the metabolic processes are water and carbon dioxide, which are excreted in sweat and urine and exhaled from the lungs.
When you lose fat, you literally exhale it.
How to Breathe the Fat Off of Your Body
Do Yoga – Yoga, which translates to “union”, is all about connecting breath to movement. You are encouraged to anchor to the breath as you move through various poses. The very nature of yoga encourages deep breathing, and can encourage fat loss.
Meditate – As you ride the breath into quieter states of mind, you are allowing the muscles of the belly and diaphragm to relax, encouraging a deeper, more calming type of breath.
Reduce Stress – Stress causes us to tense the body, causing more rapid, shallow breathing, tight muscles and a quicker heartbeat. This can lead to anxiety and an inability to resist food cravings that often leads to poor choices and weight gain.
To practice a fat-burning type of breath, breathe through the nose fully and allow the belly to relax. Relax the shoulders and close your eyes if it is practical to do so. Count a slow five as you inhale, and then allow the exhale to be as long or longer. Repeat this at least five times, working up to ten slow breaths each session.
The biggest challenge is keeping the mind from wandering during the breath, as invariably the breath will shorten as the mind disengages. Start slowly and build up the ability to stay focused and centred.
Not only will this help you lose weight, it will soothe your frayed nerves and allow you to relax. Remember, your health should always be your number one priority because without that, life becomes much more difficult to navigate.
Teaching yoga in Costa Rica – breathing and checking in with the body
If you saw someone close to you being mistreated, you would step up in a heartbeat and do whatever was necessary to help them out. We are amazingly heroic in times of need, performing feats of strength and courage that we didn’t even know were in us.
So where are you when your body is crying to you for help?
I honestly see people treat their cars better than they do their bodies. We take things for granted, assuming that our bodies will just figure it out, never paying much attention to the little signs that creep up.
I implore you – start paying attention!
It’s so much simpler to deal with issues when they are small, whether it’s seeing a doctor, watching your diet, losing a little weight or getting more exercise.
Don’t wait until your body is screaming for help and you are forced to do something. Sometimes by then, it’s too late.
Five Signs Your Body Needs You
Something is different – It could be your sleep patterns, your appetite, gaining or losing weight for no reason, or a pain somewhere that lingers and had no cause that you remember. Change is not always good.
You are tired all the time – We lead busy lives. Sleep is usually the first thing we neglect when life gets crazy. But sleep is when your body heals and repairs itself. If you are tired, your body is sending a message. This is one you need to listen to.
You are angry, or sad, or depressed – If you spend most of your days experiencing these strong emotions, your body is feeling it too. Your emotions affect your physical well-being more than you realize. Reach out for help to deal with whatever you are dealing with.
You just don’t feel good – It’s nothing you can pinpoint, but you know that something isn’t right. Overall soreness, fatigue, brain fog and a lack of interest in doing anything could be a sign that something is up. Pay attention and maybe schedule that trip to the doctor sooner rather than later.
Pain – This is the body’s ultimate alarm system. Something is wrong. Do not ignore pain, as it is there for a reason and you need to find out why.
Your body is depending on you to take care of it. It is like a helpless child, having to deal with a tough environment and being neglected at the same time.
Step up and be the loving parent your body needs you to be!
