5 Steps to Weight Loss

I received an email from this company, and while I am not endorsing them, I do feel this article has some good information for us to consider... let's take our yoga mindset "off of the mat."

Written by Carly Cummings, President Hyp-Yoga Inc.

1. SLOW DOWN - How hectic has your day been? Frantic - Steady - Frustrating - Long - or Calm? On a Scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the highest) what is your current stress level? Anything above a 3 and your body is not ready to shed any pounds. In order to lose weight your body needs to be convinced by your mind that it is safe. There is no emergency and no need to store fat just in case the world is ending - that's what your body thinks when your life is a constant struggle to survive. Let your body know it's okay, it can use the fat stores it has saved as energy to fuel your everyday activities. In Hyp-Yoga Weight Loss you learn tools to deeply relax the body, shut down stress fighting hormones and free radicals and start losing weight naturally. (Bonus - All of this also reduces the speed of aging on our bodies too!)

2. ENJOY YOUR LIFE - This is the only life you have, and all we really have is this very moment. Since every moment is a gift, we should learn to enjoy it as much as we can. To lose weight and keep it off, we know we need to make exercise a part of our daily life, and that means we must enjoy our exercise. Start making a list right now of activities that you truly enjoy doing and make a plan to do these activities weekly. Enjoying your life also applies to food. Make a list of healthy foods that you enjoy and are accessible to you and start thinking about them often. When you are eating, make sure to eat consciously and savor every bite. This will also allow you to slow down while eating and actually eat less.

3. ORGANIZE - If you are a planner, this is a fun step. If you are not a planner, this is still a necessary step, and doing it with even a little half smile will help. Take a few minutes at the beginning of your week to plan out meals that will reward and encourage your weight loss efforts. Then take a little extra time each morning to plan a daily success strategy. This might mean packing your lunch, eating a good sized breakfast, or putting dinner in the slow cooker. Your foresight will be rewarded not only with healthy meal options, but less stress during your day.

4. ACCEPT A LITTLE HELP...FROM YOURSELF! - You are your own best friend. Your subconscious mind is the part of your brain that controls your autonomic processes such as beating your heart, controlling your metabolism, keeping you breathing, walking and even driving. We also store all of our memories, emotions and learned behaviors here. It makes perfect sense that we would want to put our new healthy eating and exercising activities into this part of your brain where they can more quickly become automatic habits and a part of who we are. "I am an exerciser. I am a healthy eater."

5. EMBRACE THE NEW YOU - You can never go back. A little dramatic, but it's true! The weight loss path is a journey not a destination that ends when the weight is gone. If you go right back to your old habits - anxious living, 4 hours of TV a night, and processed sugar for breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner - it will all come back. It's time to embrace the new you! The healthy you. The you, nature intended you to be. It's time to keep breathing deep, enjoying every moment of your life, eating healthy, exercising regularly, organizing your time, and most importantly - keeping up your motivation through the help of your own powerful mind! -em