Some Like It Hot: Moksha Yoga

In years gone by I was what you would call a yoga enthusiast… maybe even a yogini, attending ashtanga, power, hot yoga, and vinyasa flow yoga classes on a pretty regular basis. The result? I felt strong, supple, and relatively balanced.

And then life got busy — we had a baby, and then twins 18 months later (yadda, yadda, yadda), and my visits to my little haven on the mat grew more and more infrequent, until they ceased altogether.

Today, for the first time in over two years, I slipped into my yoga pants and top, grabbed my rolled-up mat (which has been expectantly slung on a hook next to the front door, buried under coats, bags, and children’s snowsuits all this time), and went to a yoga class at the local Moksha Yoga studio.
Get the scoop on Moksha Hot Yoga next.

Natural Stress Relief

So many of us today are over-stressed and anxious as a result of our busy, demanding modern lives. All this stress is toxic!

Not only does it have negative implications on our mental health, but stress also has physiological effects, causing our bodies to be under constant attack from cortisol, the hormone our body produces in response to stress.

You see, we humans were designed to experience only short, transient exposure to acute stresses during “fight or flight” events: such as chasing down tigers or running from a herd of woolly mammoths.

And small bursts of cortisol can be good: a surge of cortisol can result in a quick burst of energy for survival reasons, increased cognitive function, decreased sensitivity to pain, and boosts in immunity.

Stress Overload is Bad for Your Health

But we modern humans are exposed to so many different types of stress so much of the time that we live our lives “on edge” and are consistently pumping heaps of this stress hormone. And in the case of cortisol, if a little is good, a lot is not. High, prolonged levels of cortisol in the bloodstream can have the negative effects of:

• Impaired cognitive function: slower thinking, reduced ability to learn & memory problems
• Decreased muscle tissue and bone density
• High blood pressure
• Suppressed thyroid function
• Blood sugar imbalances
• Reduced immunity and ability to heal wounds
• Increased abdominal fat (which may put individuals at risk for cardiovascular disease)

Relax! It’s Good For You

To maintain optimal health, it is critical that the stress response is followed and countered by a necessary relaxation responseThe relaxation response decreases muscle tension, lowers heart rate and blood pressure, induces a deeper breathing pattern, calms the belly and digestion, and generally brings about a peaceful, content mood..

Simple Ways to Reduce Stress

Exercise is one of several ways that we can manage our stress in a healthy way, and naturally induce the relaxation response. Dancing specifically is a fantastic, healthy way to let go of stress, literally shake off the worries and cares of the day (if only for 60 minutes), giving your body and mind the much-needed break from the stresses we all have in life: release your inhibitions and lose yourself in the movements and music of a night out on the town or in an exercise fitness class or program such as a belly dance class or Zumba Fitness.

Plus, studies have shown that exercise releases endorphins (the body’s natural pain relievers) in the brain, giving you a sense of euphoria. So, get moving to keep your body and mind fit, and that added totally natural, totally safe moment of bliss.

Other things you can to to de-stress include:

• Getting enough sleep: aim for 8 hours per night
• Eat a healthy diet with plenty of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, protein and healthy fats
• Meditation, relaxation or breathing exercises
• Get some green: get out in nature to listen to the birds, feel small next to a giant tree, and breath in fresh air

Make Time For Yourself

If somebody asks you what you’re doing when you’re headed out for a hike, or doing 60 seconds of deep breathing at your desk, tell them you’re activating your parasympathetic (relaxation) response. That should buy you a few more seconds of “me” time.

Get Festive, Get Fit!

The holiday season doesn’t have to be synonymous with packing on extra pounds that you’ll spend the rest of the next year — or perhaps even the rest of your life — trying to lose.

Studies indicate that reducing hunger and increasing activity levels are the best ways to ward off weight gain during the holiday season and all year long. During a season where the temptations of sweets, treats, alcohol, and generally unhealthy snacks are on every spread at every party, it can be difficult to stay on track with a healthy diet. However, with cold weather and a jam-packed schedule preventing many people from exercising as much as they normally would, it’s more important than ever to incorporate sensible nutrition and fitness choices into your lifestyle.

Get Moving

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises that adults get at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity every day, but you needn’t hit the gym to fulfill this recommendation.

Cardio machines and aerobics classes are definitely helpful in meeting daily activity requirements, but building fitness into your daily routine can be just as easy and even more fun. The key is staying active regularly, so schedule in exercise the same way you make time for meetings, classes, or your favorite television program.

Make Exercise a Social Affair

Schedule a few exercise dates each week; you’ll be more likely to have fun and stay motivated if you exercise with a friend. Take the stairs or go for a brisk walk with a pal instead of sitting in a café munching on treats and high-calorie beverages. Get creative: go for a hike with a friend, or play squash or go dancing with your partner.

Shop (and Walk) Until You Drop

While you’re burning a hole in your pocketbook you can also burn some additional calories; take an extra walk around the mall, even when you’ve finished your shopping.

Avoid Being Sedentary

Research indicates that physical activity after a large holiday meal may promote hormones that increase metabolism, so take a walk around the neighborhood to see holiday lights displays, or arrange frosty-weather activities such as ice skating or skiing.

Don’t Show Up Hungry

Before stepping out to a festive dinner party, eat a bowl of oatmeal, brown rice or a slice of whole wheat toast. You won’t arrive hungry and the whole grains are complex carbohydrates that take longer to digest, which will allow you to feel full longer so you’ll  be less likely to nosh on poor food choices due to feeling famished.

Drink Water, Too

People often mistake thirst for hunger, so drink plenty of water – at least eight to ten glasses – each day to stay hydrated. Drinking plenty of water along with your holiday feast will help fill your stomach, which will make you less likely to overeat.

Aim for Eight Hours Sleep

In a study published in the December 7, 2004 issue of The Science Annals of Internal Medicine, it was reported that researchers at the University of Chicago found that sleep deprivation alters the levels of the hormones that regulate hunger, causing an increase in appetite and a preference for calorie-dense, high-carbohydrate foods. This association tangibly links sleep loss to the epidemic of obesity.

De-Stress

As difficult as it may be during the hectic holiday season, keep your stress levels to a minimum. Chronic stress can cause elevated levels of the hormone cortisol, which can – among other things – boost appetite and trigger fat production.

Make a habit of deepening your breath during stressful situations, discharging anxiety and destructive emotions such as anger, panic and fear with each exhalation.

Holiday Weight Gain

Winter holiday weight gain averages only one pound (not five), but accumulates through the years and may be a major contributor to obesity in later life.

Festive Five, a Myth

While it’s commonly believed that most people put on at least five pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day – thanks to rich and frequent indulgences during the festive season — research published by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) reveals that that figure is likely more in the range of one pound. That’s the good news.

The bad news is that their study also suggests that most people never actually follow through on their New Year’s resolutions to shed that extra weight.

Holiday Excess Adds Up Over Time

“This is a ‘good news/bad news’ story,” said Dr. Jack A. Yanovski, M.D., Ph.D., the study’s principal investigator and head of NICHD’s Unit on Growth and Obesity. Yanovski said the adults who participated in the study gained an average of 1.05 pounds over the course of the year, and the vast majority of that weight — 0.8 pounds — was gained in the six weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. A year later, the men and women who participated in the study found that they had not lost the weight they gained, but instead, they returned an average of 1.4 pounds heavier. In a decade, that annual season of excess could add up to ten or twenty pounds.

“These findings suggest that developing ways to avoid holiday weight gain may be extremely important for preventing obesity and the diseases associated with it,” said NICHD Director Duane Alexander, M.D.

Hunger and Activity Key Factors in Weight Gain

Although participants in this study were asked to give feedback on a number of factors that might contribute to their weight gain during the holiday season, including stress, hunger, activity level, changes in smoking habits, or number of holiday parties attended, the researchers found that only two factors significantly influenced the weight gain. You guessed it: level of hunger and level of activity.

Volunteers who reported being much less hungry or much more active during this period were the least likely to gain weight over the holidays, and some even lost weight. Likewise, those who reported being less active and more hungry packed on the most weight during the festive season.

Seasonal Weight Gain Has Lifelong Consequences

Gaining weight is more than a vanity issue, it’s a national epidemic which, according to Dr. Yanovski, may contribute to heart disease, diabetes, and other serious health problems.

So how can you lose pounds, or at least avoid gaining weight, during the holiday season? Making a few simple changes in your lifestyle now (not after January 1) will allow you to enjoy the festivities of the season while fending off the festive fat.