Everyone knows that yoga improves flexibility, strength and mental focus, but did you know that the practice is also one of the best treatments for that common ailment, JUSTONEMOREITIS? You know when you are driving home from Super Target and a new bag of chocolate covered pretzels magically appears in the front seat, opened, with your hand in it. As you reach for your 20th piece you suddenly realize you are eating, and decide you will have just one more. Then the internal battle: first, the futile bargaining, followed by the “oh what the heck, I’ve already ruined my diet today” and finally - all dialogue is drowned out by the crackle of the empty bag. You are disappointed, and slightly sick.
Logical strategies for preventing this scene may be to eat before you shop, or don’t buy the pretzels in the first place, in other words, exert more self-control. But if self-control is the key to weight loss, why do most diets fail? Because the issue is not self-control but rather self-awareness. Self-restriction leads to rebellion, eventually dissolves your resolution and ultimately, your self-confidence. Individuals who are at peace with food, their bodies and selves, achieve healthy weight and/or nutrition goals, as a by-product of a more balanced perspective.
Yoga reinforces this inside-out philosophy, supporting my nutrition practice and life in general. Through yoga I am better able to relax, and stay connected to my body. This grounding nurtures positive food choices and helps me let go of destructive judgments, which chip away at self-confidence. At first, practicing yoga was more like playing Twister - right foot here, left hand there -and meditation was time to mentally review my to-do list. Gradually, I internalized the flow of a typical practice; I learned to quiet my “monkey mind”, surrender the thoughts, continually returning to my breath. I learned to embody the yoga postures by feeling the physical sensations, rather than scrutinizing my mastery. I guess I can say that now I’m looking at life through yoga-colored goggles.
In the dentist chair I use breathing techniques to remain calm, and apply the principles of quieting, centering and dropping inward to my relationships with exercise and food. Bicycling uphill, I breathe in to the resisting muscles. Mindless snacking? I redirect my attention to my inhales and exhales, and observe. I don’t berate my behaviors; I do witness and explore.
On my sticky mat I focus on what adjustments I can make to realize the full expression of the pose, not how I look. Yoga helps me appreciate my body’s abilities, instead of objectifying them. I want to make healthy choices, out of respect for my body, not because I have to fit into a certain pair of jeans. In general, thanks to yoga I believe I I am better able to nourish physical hunger with food that satisfies, and quell other desires with similarly appropriate responses.
In summary: Should you find yourself regretting, ruminating, or yearning for a better way, I encourage you to try on a pair of yoga-colored goggles. Yoga will help hone the tools you need to transform your “shoulds” to “want to’s” and put an end those inner battles - for good. Peace, shalom, namaste and good health - from the inside out!
Simone Horvitz is a professional a nutrition coach with Strategic Bites, www.strategicbites.com.
