Does anyone use yoga and or pilates for a healthy body and Weight Loss?
Did you find it hard at first to stick with this type of excercise? Did you also follow a healthier eating schedule?
I have the DVD’s but can’t get motivated. My back is bad too so I have a waist band to support my back. What do you think about using this type of workout for weight loss? Does it only just tone you or can you Loose Weight too?
Thanks
I teach Yoga and Pilates. They are the best thing for you- all natural forms of exercise, they will STRENGTHEN your lower back safely, tone you up and make your stronger. (Yes they help you loose weight. Your heart rate will increase when doing it correctly for longer than 30 minutes at a time which will burn calories. It will also tone your muscles. As your muscles become more massive, you will also Burn More calories..its a win/win situation.) I have a student that took my Yoga class 1/week for two months, and gradually added up to three classes a week by her 5th month. She lost about 8″ all around, gained 200% in upperbody strength and lost about 7 pounds. And she wasn’t even a big girl to start with. Just a little flabby here and there.
Healthier eating schedule is VERY important…especially with Yoga. Yoga is mind/body process which foucuses on get rid of the toxins in your body. The less toxins you put in, the better your results. I would say drink only water or Herbal Tea, ever. That’s the rule I go by. THat alone makes a huge weight loss difference for a lot of my students. Additionally, avoid unnatural foods, and try to eat AFTER your Yoga or Pilates workout.
Now as far as DVDs go… they are not really good for beginners. You need to find a class or two- preferably one that meets 3 times a week so that you have a living breathing human in front of you to show you how to do the exercises. Yoga without proper alignment is pointless, and you can’t be SURE of proper alignment without a qualified instructor present. Same goes for Pilates. Not to mention that variety in your class will keep your body “on its toes” since variety is key in any workout. Videos obviously only repeat, so they will become useless after a time.
Good luck!
