I
suppose it was only a matter of time before the mass marketing about
diet and fitness and weight loss caught up with Yoga.
After
all, Yoga is certainly going through a period of resurgence - not the
first, as these things typically move in cycles, as does most of the
market.
Typically
though, when you read about Yoga, the topic is peace of mind,
spirituality, relaxation, meditation, perhaps physical conditioning and
strength (both physical and mental).
This
time though, the debate rests squarely on yoga's ability to shed pounds
in a society that is struggling with record levels of obesity on the one
hand, and a severe "thin" image problem held by popular
celebrities on the other.
A
recent study started the heated debate by claiming a link between yoga
and weight loss.
Specifically,
the study found that middle-age people who practice yoga tended to
experience gradual weight loss over a 10-year period, while those that
did not practice yoga seemed to experience fairly substantial weight
gain over the same period.
Since
the study was released, a constant barrage of skeptics have pointed out
flaws in the research that range from self-reported results to missing
many other factors that may lead people to both practice yoga and have
reduced weight.
As
usual, the truth lies somewhere in the middle, at least based on my own
experiences.
It
is much more likely that the positive factors of yoga and meditation
have on your mind and body impact your self-image, nutrition choices,
and overall stress level which are major factors in weight control. We
point to many of the benefits of practicing yoga over at: http://www.yogasuccess.com.
Stress
not only results in unhealthy binge eating and poor nutritional choices,
but actually has physiological impacts on your body that often result in
craving foods that can result in greater weight gain such as sugars,
starches and carbohydrates.
In
the end, what is important is that you are becoming healthier, happier,
experience less stress in your life and enjoy your life to the maximum
possible.
Let
the journalists fight it out over who is technically right, after all,
they are likely all fighting to meet deadlines and beat each other's
coverage of the story.
It's
time I took a break and go practice some meditation.
Discover
A New World Of Peace, Tranquility, Happiness, and Spirituality To Help
You Make Sense Of It All. Visit Us At http://www.yogasuccess.com
- it's Like A Breath Of Fresh Air!