Where Has My Waist Gone? Get It Back With Yoga! Article

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Where Has My Waist Gone? Get It Back With Yoga!

As we age, our bodies shift and one of those shifts often results in the thickening of the waist.

Author: Liz Franklin

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Studies have shown that with age, male and female bodies return to the homogeneous state that they began with. The waist thickens and the hips tend to become squarer, giving male and female bodies more of a similarity.

There is a way to slow this process. A regular yoga practice keeps the muscles of the side body firm, tending to allow one to keep their waistline intact. Twists are a marvelous way to work on the waist. They keep the muscles on the side body strong and flexible.

Another very easy way to keep the waist trim is lateral stretches. Lateral stretches stretch and firm the entire side body. This helps to keep the waist trim. A very simple lateral stretch is to simply stretch your arms above your head with the palms facing in, thumbs pointing back. To deepen the stretch, you can reach up through the fingers, one arm at a time.

Both twists and lateral stretches can help with energy levels. When you first get up in the morning, you have a natural tendency to want to stretch your arms above your head. This is a gentle lateral stretch! It helps get your blood moving and wakes up your body and your mind.

Many people think that yoga is only for young, fit, flexible people. This is completely untrue! While much of the media shows young, fit, flexible people, more and more mature people are finding yoga to be a wonderful way to stay healthy and fit, both physically and mentally.

Selecting an appropriate yoga class is the most important step, other than actually attending that class. Take time to read the description. Look for words like “gentle” and “beginner”. Another option is to look for a “chair yoga” class. These are classes where the yoga poses are done seated in a chair or using a chair for balance. This makes yoga very accessible, as it eliminates the need to move up and down from the floor.

If attending a yoga class is not a possibility, there are many yoga videos available. You might check a few out from your local library to give them a try, or do some searching online. Just remember to look for one that will fit your body where you are at today. Look for a gentle or beginner video or perhaps a chair yoga video to get you started. Another advantage to a chair yoga practice is that you can do it at your desk at work, in your car (when you are not driving!) or any time you are sitting in a chair.

Make some time in your day, every day, for a few yoga poses. Before you know it, you will be looking forward to your yoga breaks and will find that you have a trimmer waist again!

About Author

Liz Franklin created Yoga in Chairs to allow anyone who can sit in a chair to participate in a gentle, but effective, yoga practice. She is a certified yoga instructor and registered with the Yoga Alliance. She offers teacher training to yoga instructors who wish to expand into teaching chair yoga. She also has a set of DVD videos for home practice. Yoga is her passion and her life's work. Her motto is: "Sit Down and Feel Better". Liz resides in Denver, Colorado where she teaches chair yoga classes and enjoys the beautiful outdoors. Please visit http://www.YogaInChairs.com for more information.

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