When new students join my yoga class, I have them fill out a registration form. One of the questions in the form asks them why they are interested in joining the yoga class and what specific benefits they are looking for. “I want to lose weight” is, as expected, one of the more common reasons mentioned.
Let’s ask this question – is there anyone who doesn’t know how to lose weight?. The formula for losing weight is quite simple and known to everyone – EAT LESS, EXERCISE MORE! So how come people are not able to implement this formula? The answer is simple – lack of discipline and self-control. Because people lack self-discipline, they end up joining some “crash weight loss or crash diet program”. They stay with the program for a short time, maybe lose a few pounds, but don’t have the will-power to stay with the same regimen after the program is over. As a result, they not only regain the lost pounds, but in most cases add a few additional pounds to their weight. All this, of course, leads to more frustration and more stress.
When you think of the above scenario, it becomes clear that losing weight is not just about losing calories. It is more about developing a strong will-power and a highly disciplined approach. This is where yoga comes in.
Meditation in Padmasana (Lotus Pose)
Key to losing weight – meditate, meditate, meditate!
When people ask me how to lose weight, my one-word answer is “meditate”. Their immediate reaction is one of disbelief, doubt, sometimes even anger. “How on earth will meditation help me lose weight?” is the natural response. I add further, “meditate for 20 minutes each day for the next 21 days and come back for further guidelines”. Allocating 20 minutes each day for quiet time is itself a huge step in building self-discipline. Once you sit down for meditation, myriad thoughts will come up in the mind. Most of these thoughts are related to the mundane, day-to-day affairs that you are currently involved in – project that you working on at work, some issues with members of the family or friends, planning a weekend party etc. Every now and then, the thoughts will dwell on events in the past or projections into the future. Realizing that bringing up and dwelling on thoughts is a natural tendency of the mind, we avoid any tendency for self-judgment or self-condemnation. We keep coming back to the present moment and get back to meditation. Over time, the mind begins to realize the value of this quiet time and begins to slow down. This will give you more space to stay calm and peaceful. More such moments will begin to calm you down, allow you to focus better and start making better choices in life. As we know, losing weight is all about making the right choices in various aspects of the lifestyle – what foods to eat; when and how much to eat; sleep habits; habits about spending time on TV, electronics, internet etc.; how to manage stress; what, when and how much of physical exercise routine is best for me etc.
How to establish a meditation practice?
First of all, I must mention that meditation is perhaps the most challenging aspects of the yoga practice. When you start meditating for the first time, you will find it difficult to sit still even for a few minutes. After a few minutes, you will have the urge to shift your position, stretch your legs or arms or just simply get up and walk around. That is where the practices of asana and pranayama come into the picture. It is through these practices that the body can be made stronger, more flexible, detoxified etc., so you can develop the ability to sit for meditation for an extended period of time.
Please visit my blog here for a detailed discussion on how to establish your home meditation practice. Here is another article on my blog titled, “What, why, how of meditation”. The key components discussed are:
- Set a schedule
- Setting a proper environment
- Duration of meditation
- When to meditate
- Posture for meditation
- Potential obstacles in establishing a practice
- Distractions during meditation
- Nagging thoughts
- Physical discomfort
- Sleepiness or dullness
- Use of a meditation app
- Group vs. individual meditation
How do we develop cravings for certain foods?
Let’s say you decided to try a new type of cake. After the very first bite you are “hooked”. You really enjoy the cake and a memory of this experience gets lodged in the mind. This memory takes the form of a desire which slowly, with the help of ego, takes the shape of a deep craving. Many of these desires and cravings get lodged deep in the subconscious levels of our memory bank. Next time you see the cake, your ego will force you to eat the cake, based on past experience, even though you’ve just had a full meal. Unfortunately, we repeat this scenario far too frequently with the obvious result of adding pounds to our weight and inches to the waist-line.
The main culprit in fueling our craving is our ego. It is the ego that clouds and controls our pure intellect and lures us into doing actions that are harmful for us. The ego loves to dwell on past memories and brings up emotions, feelings, desires based on past experience, without any concern for the future outcome of the actions.
How does yoga help?
In this context, it is important that we understand what we mean by the practice of yoga. Most people tend to associate the word “yoga” only with the practice of asanas (physical postures) which is a very limited aspect of the yoga practice. In its true essence the practice of yoga includes all the eight limbs of yoga as defined by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras. For a practical approach, the yoga practice must include asana, pranayama and meditation.
The asana practice, when done with full awareness at the body, breath and mind level, makes us more aware of our body’s needs and limitations. That way when we eat, we are more conscious of when to stop eating after we feel full to a certain level. It is also more important to become aware of the type of food we should eat. It is obviously important to avoid foods that are oily, deep-fried or otherwise lack in nutrition. It is helpful if you could practice a slightly more intense and invigorating asana practice that will help drop some calories as well. Please contact me if you would like specific guidelines on what asanas to include in your practice geared for weight management.
The practice of pranayama helps cleanse the nervous system, improve the functioning of the digestive system and also improve glandular functions. A good, healthy digestive system is very important for weight management. To develop control over our cravings, the practice of meditation plays a major role.
A regular practice of meditation helps us understand the involvement of ego versus the pure intellect in the choices that we make. Meditation helps us in calming the mind and weakening the cravings and desires. It also helps us manage our stress better.
With a regular practice of asana, pranayama and meditation, along with a healthy, balanced and nutrition-rich diet plan, you will not only reduce weight but also bring in a sense of well-being. You will be able to maintain all your vital organs – heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, pancreas etc in optimum health and improve your immune system. With a sustained, balanced practice of yoga, you will not only be able to lose weight but also stay healthy with a steady weight for the rest of your life.
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