Hi LWFY gang, I’ve just gotten done with my weekly yoga class and I feel amazing. I have a really personal connection to the practice of yoga. If you’re familiar with my story, then you know that my weight was related to my struggle with accepting myself as a gay man. As I talk about in my upcoming book (“Lose Weight, Find Yourself!: 6 Steps to Having a Healthy Relationship with Food…Bite by Bite and Pound by Pound”), the reason you are overweight might be totally different than mine, and you very likely may not be gay, but your unhealthy relationship with food is a result of something in your life that is out of balance. Way back over ten years ago, as I was losing my 110 pounds and struggling with my decision to “come out” to my friends and family, I found solace in the peace of yoga. Yoga helped me make necessary changes in my life and continues to benefit me in a number of ways, both physically and spiritually and that’s why I want to share with you.
I went on over to the yoga journal to gather up some facts. While I didn’t necessarily learn anything brand new to me, there may be things that you didn’t know. For instance, yoga is known to improve flexibility, strength, blood flow, mental focus, balance, sleep, breathing; the list goes on and on. In fact, I don’t think there is one negative aspect to yoga! I’m not sure how many activities in life we can say that about. Beyond all of those wonderful benefits listed, the most valuable may be the connection you gain with yourself.
Yoga provides a judgment free zone, while emphasizing inner reflection and the calming of the mind, which results in a big boost in your self-confidence. Yoga teaches us to access a side of ourselves that we can’t tap into without learning how. During yoga practice you’ll experience feelings of gratitude, empathy, and forgiveness, as well as a sense that you’re part of something bigger. Yoga allows you to develop techniques, which extend to the rest of your life outside of the yoga room. These techniques can get the ball rolling to make positive changes in your life and overcome dysfunctional habits (like overeating). You may find that without even making a particular effort, you start to eat better, exercise more, or gain the clarity to accept yourself for who you are, just like I did. Seeing yourself through the eyes of the observer is an extremely useful tool.
As with anything we discuss here at LWFY, the most important thing is to give it a try! Just by reading these words will not bring about the change you seek. Take a chance and get out there. Allow one small step to lead to big changes. You are better than the circumstances that surround you.
Until next time…
Lose Weight, Find Yourself™