Yoga Cures: Simple Routines to Conquer Over 50 Common Ailments and Live Pain-Free (37 page)

sensitive to the needs of our bodies and as a result our desires and cravings naturally shift toward foods

that are nourishing rather than destructive. The more we practice, the more mindfulness settles into our

bodies and our lives and taking care of ourselves in every way becomes second nature.

REAL-LIFE CURES: Durk’s Drastic Weight Loss

Durk, a six-foot-four-inch 250-plus-pound guy started yoga for fitness and stress reduction purposes, and also as a fun way to spend time with his girlfriend. After a few classes this jovial guy developed a desire to prepare more of his meals at home; he wanted a lot of veggies and no longer craved fried foods and lots of meats, which were a big part of his previous diet. His newfound eating habits, coupled with yoga practice three to four times a week, helped Durk drop over forty pounds in four months. His high blood pressure has lowered to a healthy number, and he has even more energy and excitement for life than he did before. And to top it off he can now get his legs up over his heart in a shoulder stand, a tricky pose for heavier people because it involves lifting your hips over your head, and a large torso can get in the way. Shoulder stand is a fantastic pose that corrects a lot of imbalances in the body, including regulating the thyroid gland, which is extremely helpful when on a path toward weight loss. Every day gets more exciting for Durk. With every class he feels easier and lighter in his body and mind. Durk always has a huge smile on his face.

THE OVERWEIGHT/OBESITY YOGA CURE

When beginning yoga with the goal of losing weight, start slow. There is no need to push or force anything or
even begin with a commitment to a seven-day-a-week practice. Prepare yourself to be open; allow your body

and mind space to begin a new path toward lasting, radiant health. Start practicing once a week for a few

weeks to get in the yoga zone, and after a few weeks feel free to step it up to three or four times a week or
more, depending on how you feel. Soon, you’ll be hooked on feeling great with the yoga that you’ll be

practicing every day.

Meditation is important and so beneficial when it comes to weight loss. Try to set a regular time for

meditation practice first thing in the morning. You can even meditate right from your bed. Try this routine
three to four times a week. Do the meditation daily.

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Seated Meditation

Sit up nice and tall, however you can sit most comfortably. Relax your shoulders, so that they are away from your ears. Rest your palms on your thighs (face up or face down, whichever is most comfortable for you) and close your eyes. Start to rest your attention on your breath. Watch your inhales come and exhales go. Settle your mind in the space between. Begin to lengthen and deepen your inhales and exhales, setting a slow, easy pace of breathing. If a thought starts to enter your mind, simply observe it like a cloud passing by. Let the thought pass and come back to your breath. Continue observing your breath for three to five minutes. A stopwatch could come in handy, or you could simply feel it out and see how much time has actually passed when you open your eyes. Either way is useful.

Do this practice for at least five minutes in the morning, five minutes during some part of your day, whether at work, during a commute (in a train, bus, or cab, not if you’re driving), and before bed at night. A regular meditation practice will ease your mind and help you relax your body. Also fantastic for dealing with cravings, urges, and the tendency to binge, purge, eat out of anxiety, or eat rushed. Meditation sensitizes your entire system so you will begin to enjoy your food more. Your sense of taste, touch, and smell will actually begin to heighten. Enjoy the journey!

Now we’ll practice a moving meditation with some sun salutations. Let the breath be the only “yoga pose” on

which you focus. Your body will move into the poses naturally; let it follow your breath. If you notice your body tensing, that’s good because it means you’re paying attention; just simply guide your attention back to your breath. A lot of weight loss is about relaxation, about finding the ease in effort, both on and off the mat. Finding ease on the mat will help you find it in life, and it will change the way you relate to eating.

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SUN SALUTATIONS

Sun Salutations warm up, lengthen, and strengthen your entire body and calm your mind simultaneously.

Standing

Stand at the top of your yoga mat. Feet are parallel and slightly apart, under your hip bones. Your hip bones aren’t at the outside of your hips so make sure your feet aren’t too far apart. You can check by placing two fists between your feet. That’s about the width of your hip bones. Close your eyes and bring your attention to your breath. Lengthen and deepen your inhales and exhales and continue breathing at this nice slow pace for five full breaths. Gently open your eyes.

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Standing Arm Reach

Inhale and lift your arms out to your sides and up, filling up all the space with your breath and your movement.

Relax your tailbone and lift your chest. Keep your shoulders relaxed down your back and look up while keeping

your face and the skin of your forehead relaxed.

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Standing Forward Bend

Exhale and bend your trunk forward over your legs. Let your head and neck relax and hang heavy. If your

hamstrings feel tight, keep a slight bend in your knees to give them some more space to relax and open. Press your fingertips on the ground.

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Standing Forward Bend with Arch

Inhale, look forward, and lengthen out your back, so that it’s horizontal. Let your fingertips graze the ground. If that’s too much stress on your hamstrings, press your hands lightly into your shins to get a nice length in your spine.

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Plank

Press your palms firmly into the ground and step your feet back to plank. Make sure your wrists are under your shoulders and your knees are under your hips. Spread your fingers wide. Tuck your toes under and straighten your legs and arms, bringing your body into a straight line from the top of your head through the bottoms of your heels.

Keep your stomach strong and lift the front of your thighs up. Stay here for five long, deep breaths. If this is too intense gently lower your knees to the floor. Always make sure you can breathe easily during this pose.