What Food Labels Really Mean

 What food labels really mean:
by Suzanne Andrews

1. FRUIT: If there are four numbers in the price look-up, this means that the produce was grown with pesticides.
2. STICKER BEGINS WITH A 9: If a price look-up sticker begins with a 9, this means that the produce was grown organically.
3. LOW FAT, LOW SUGAR, LOW CALORIE If an item is labeled "low" in a particular element, it means that you can eat several servings without exceeding the recommended daily limit. Low-fat products have fewer than 3 grams of fat per serving; low-saturated fat items have less than 1 gram per serving. Low-sodium means the food has 140 milligrams or less per serving; low-cholesterol means 20 mg. or less and fewer than 2 grams of saturated fat. Low-calorie products have fewer than 40 calories per serving.
4. TRANS FAT: This is partially hydrogenated vegetable oil and responsible for LDL cholesterol which is the “lousy cholesterol.” LDL causes heart attacks.  If the label says no trans-fat, there still can be ½ a gram of trans-fat and if you eat a lot of that food, the trans-fat can really add up.
5. NATURAL: The food manufacturer decides how to label their food natural. If the food does not contain added coloring, artificial flavors and/or artificial ingredients they can decide to call it natural.
6. ORGANIC: This means that no growth hormones, pesticides, DNA altering was done to produce this food. If the label says, “made with organic ingredients that means that at least 70% was made with organic ingredients. If it says 100% organic, that means that at least 95% was made with organic ingredients. 

Source: Health US News

Suzanne Andrews founded Functional Fitness in 2008, the most popular fitness series for boomers and seniors broadcasting on over 159 Public Television stations throughout the US and Canada.

How Medical Yoga Speeds Weight Loss

by Suzanne Andrews

How Medical Yoga Speeds Weight Loss

I’ve been practicing yoga way before it became popular. I did my first yoga pose 30 years ago and I was hooked so it was only natural to incorporate yoga into my patient's treatment plan to help them decrease stress. What followed was surprising - my overweight patients who had tried diet after diet unsuccessfully were losing weight.

Even my paraplegic patients who were in wheelchairs lost as much as 50 pounds and another obese patient bound to a wheelchair, a 60 year old male, lost 145 pounds. The most challenging part is convincing them to do the yoga, but once they see the results, there's no stopping them. Dr. Marcella Bakur Weiner, Ph.D. states, "Simply put - we deplete ourselves by constantly thinking, worrying and wondering. Then when clear thinking is needed, we may lack the focus and reserve to a satisfying functional life. Medical yoga offers a way of gaining control above the over - expansion of your emotions and removing all the distracting debris in the overactive mind."

What is Medical Yoga?

Medical yoga's unique approach to weight loss focuses on both physical fitness and physiological fitness of the mind, body and spirit offering cutting edge weight loss techniques. With its focus on gaining control over stress eating medical yoga offers a distinctive solution to promote weight loss through scientifically researched therapeutic yoga techniques.

How Does Yoga Help You Lose Weight?

By recognizing that meditation is undoubtedly the most important step one can do to lose weight, medical yoga centers on the most important aspect of successful weight loss - our minds. Meditation increases self-awareness, so that we are in tune with what we need to do. Instead of eating mindlessly, one becomes aware of their actions, resulting in a "domino effect" empowering the mind's ability to fine tune what the body really needs instead of what it wants. By combining stress releasing meditation with modified yoga poses, the plus size person eliminates cravings for food that sabotage a weight loss plan and is able to participate in yoga poses designed especially for the larger sized person.

For myself, there is a personal side to offering medical yoga for the larger size population because with my 5'2" frame, I was a very uncomfortable size 18 and I wasn't able to participate in the unattainable yoga poses made for the slimmer population. By combining medically proven stress releasing techniques I changed my relationship to food and began eating to achieve fitness of the mind, body and spirit.

Release Stress and Lose Weight Now with Beginners Dynamic Yoga for Stress Release and Weight Loss which includes doctor recommended meditation for weight loss made exclusively for plus size. Used in medical centers as a weight loss aid to eliminate stress related eating and instructed by licensed occupational therapy practitioner, Suzanne Andrews.

Suzanne Andrews is a licensed Occupational Therapy Clinician with 30 years exercise expertise. Airing to over 49 million on Public Television, Suzanne Andrews, a licensed Occupational Therapy Clinician, (they specialize in function) creates evidenced based fitness programs for specific health conditions. Originally created in 2008 with it’s first run on WDSC TV, Functional Fitness with Suzanne Andrews broadcasts on 113 Public Television stations.

How to Get a Firm Belly

by Suzanne Andrews

(This is week one of my three-month FREE fat burning course!)

It seems that we place a lot of importance on taut, flat stomachs. Everywhere we look, we see commercials promising to help us "Get a firm belly", or "Get sculpted abs.”

What they don't tell us is that there is no such thing as spot reducing.  But don’t despair because excess fat comes off wherever you have an excess of it.  So if you have too much fat on your belly and you do all the right things to burn that fat, it will come off.  That being said, if you firm up your abs, once the fat comes off, you will see a great set abdominal muscles that are no longer hidden by fat.

But as a medical professional, I advocate being fit for far more important reasons than getting into a little black dress.

Research connects belly flab with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is a serious disease and until I got my diabetes educator certification, I had no idea that 60 percent of diabetic (2) lose a limb! With exercise and proper diet, those odds can be greatly reduced.

Measure your waist to see if you have a dangerous level of abdominal fat. For optimal health, men should have a waist circumference below 40 inches. Women should have a waist circumference below 35 inches.

Here are some proven techniques to help you get a firm belly and reduce dangerous abdominal fat:

Consistent Movement and Eating Right

There are foods that can help you get a firm belly, too. Unused sugar turns into fat, but foods high in protein, vegetables and fiber are slenderizing. Look for a diet plan comprised mostly of vegetables, some fruit, lean protein sources, and unsaturated fats.

Exercise doesn't have to be done at a gym. You can burn calories while you participate in activities that you consider fun or fulfilling. For example, gardening burns several hundred calories per hour. Swimming is also a great fat-burner, and fun to boot. You could also take long walks down nature trails.

Cardio exercise will kick your fat-burning metabolism into overdrive. All it requires is persistence; if you can find an activity you like, and stick with it, the pounds will melt away. It's also important to vary your routine for maximum calorie burning, and to ward off boredom.

There are several exercises you can do to tighten your belly. The downfall with a lot of ab exercises is that they are usually demonstrated on the floor and this puts a lot of pressure on your spine.  That’s why I designed Vertical Ab Toner in the Total Strength and Conditioning DVD. The entire workout can be done seated on a chair or standing. It’s also important to note that if you have osteoporosis and you do workouts that don’t offer a modified level, you run the risk of fracturing your spine so it’s important that you choose your exercises carefully.

Order HERE!

Next Week: How Relaxing This Way Burns Fat!

Suzanne Andrews founded Functional Fitness in 2008, the most popular fitness series for boomers and seniors broadcasting on over 159 Public Television stations throughout the US and Canada. Read Suzanne’s inspiring comeback story of how she survived a near fatal accident, From Deaths Door to Producing a National Fitness Series. Feel free to send Suzanne a message here.

Look and Feel Ten Years Younger

by Suzanne Andrews

How This Type of Workout Makes You Look and Feel Ten Years Younger

How do you look and feel 10 years younger? The holidays can age you when you want to look younger and feel energized. It's important to integrate stress releasing breathing exercises into your workout routine as you will end your workout feeling exhilarated, not exhausted.

Heightened physical awareness occurs when your body systems is in a state of optimum health, (homeostasis)  and all the body systems, including the mind, are at their peak.  After all - the mind and body are married, and intimately united; when one suffers, the other empathizes.

Fitness begins in the mind and resonates in our spirit. How do we mind our mind? Our mind constantly chatters and converses with itself, discussing likes and dislikes, projects and incidents from the past. This is the way we are much of the time. Thinking – that tremendously useful tool has become our prime energy expenditure, consuming our attention at every turn. Simply put – we deplete ourselves by constantly thinking, worrying and wondering. Then when clear thinking is needed, we may lack the focus and reserve to a satisfying functional life.

FUNCTIONAL FITNESS: BRAIN POWER MEMORY BOOST 

Suzanne Andrews, President popular fitness series for boomers and seniors broadcasting on over 159 Public Television stations throughout the US and Canada. Read Suzanne’s inspiring comeback story of how she survived a near fatal accident, From Deaths Door to Producing a National Fitness Series. Feel free to send Suzanne a message here.

Suzanne Andrews founded Functional Fitness in 2008, the mos

Exercising These Muscles Can Eliminate Back Surgery

by Suzanne Andrews

Does your back ache? Most back pain can be treated without surgery. As a rehab clinician, I’ve seen many people who’ve had unsuccessful back surgery and often wonder why a non-surgical approach wasn’t recommended by their doctor first?  

Numerous studies suggest that physical therapy is very effective at treating back pain with far less risks. 

When you go to the physical therapist, you may be surprised that they don’t just focus on your back muscles when treating you for back pain.  

Your back pain treatment will include working your glutes, hamstrings and your abdominals utilizing therapeutic techniques because these muscles support your back and your pelvis.  It’s important that you don’t just go to a gym and work these muscles yourself as the pacing and form are crucial for best results and to decrease injury risk. 

You can see the correct form and pacing in the Get Stronger Bones DVD which has a Back Stretch and Strength and a walking workout that works all the necessary muscles safely. In addition, the Total Strength and Conditioning has a vertical ab workout you can do sitting or standing. 

Meanwhile check out this free video I made for you to work your glutes to help you get a pain free back!

Make sure to subscribe to my You Tube channel for more.

                                            GET STRONGER BONES                                TOTAL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING

Suzanne Andrews founded Functional Fitness in 2008, the most popular fitness series for boomers and seniors broadcasting on over 159 Public Television stations throughout the US and Canada. Read Suzanne’s inspiring comeback story of how she survived a near fatal accident, From Deaths Door to Producing a National Fitness Series. Feel free to send Suzanne a message here.

How Can You Fight Arthritis Naturally?

by Suzanne Andrews

Arthritis is often accompanied by chronic debilitating pains that can make life difficult at best, sometimes intolerable. Today we understand better the origins of this disease, and we know that with some treatment you can smile again.

 Arthritis is not an illness. Rather, it is an irreversible degeneration of joints cartilage. It is most often found in the joints of the fingers, hips, knees, and back. The severity and the evolution of arthritis can vary, and sometimes even lead to a total destruction of the joint, which will inevitably result in a replacement of the joint.

 It is, therefore, important to pay attention to any symptoms and pains as early as possible, and start a natural treatment to slow the progression.

There are two main origins of arthritis, the first one is the wearing of cartilage due to aging and it should occur only late in life. The second is an accelerated aging of articulations due to nutritional imbalances and to lifestyle. In the second, we can include pathological and physical sources of arthritis that resulted from shock or trauma. Joints can also be worn by repetitive motion in one's professional life or activities.

Pain is the first symptom of arthritis. Its intensity varies, sometimes bearable and mild, sometimes acute. Usually in the beginning the pain is present after an exertion, a long walk; for example, but it is bearable. It can go away with a little rest. As time goes on, the joint can become more and more painful, even during rest. In the later years, research has proven that inflammation is at the source of the disease.

Own Arthritis Relief Walking Workout on DVD

How can you fight arthritis?

Exercise is not the enemy of arthritis, far from it. It is essential to keep moving. You should choose programs that are not too taxing on the joints and avoid tennis jogging and skiing. A group of researchers in Cleveland Ohio have noticed that people with chronic arthritis were suffering fewer symptoms after 10 weeks of daily practice of exercise, when compared with sedentary people. The improvement was directly linked to the movement; it improved blood circulation in the joints and strengthened muscles and tendons around the joint. According to a new Cochrane Systematic Review, exercise programs designed to improve strength and stamina are perfectly safe for rheumatoid arthritis. Their research found benefits associated with dynamic exercise programs that were designed for chronic arthritis patients.

The goal of arthritis exercise is to reduce inflammation, eliminate pain and increase your ability to function. By increasing blood flow and providing important nutrients to your joints, Functional Fitness keeps the muscles around your joints strong, and supports your joints so you function at your best. Functional Fitness also lubricates your joints by encouraging your body to produce a natural lubricant called synovial fluid and that reduces joint friction.

Suzanne Andrews founded Functional Fitness in 2008, the most popular fitness series for boomers and seniors broadcasting on over 159 Public Television stations throughout the US and Canada. Read Suzanne’s inspiring comeback story of how she survived a near fatal accident, From Deaths Door to Producing a National Fitness Series. Feel free to send Suzanne a message here.

Is Stress Making You Gain Weight?

by Suzanne Andrews

Unless you have a magic Genie who does everything for you,  you come across stressful situations every day. From hectic work schedules to strained family life and the pressures of the daily grind, stress can wear out even the strongest person. Some who struggle with weight loss use food as away to ease the stresses in their life. I used chocolate!  This leads to weight gain, which leads to more stress, creating a vicious cycle that is difficult to break.

 BUT you can change the way you react to stress. A patient of mine who has fibromyalgia confided, “ When I’m stressed, I want fattening foods because they make me feel better.”  In reality, fattening foods eaten daily make you feel worse. They lower your immune system, make you gain weight, cause painful joints and a host of diseases.  

When I recommended that  losing weight could make her painful joints go away, she dismissed the advice immediately and blamed everything on the disease. Did you know that just 1 lb of weight causes 4 lbs of excess pressure on your joints? The first step to losing weight is taking responsibility for your actions. Once you recognize and admit what is stopping you from success, you can do what is necessary. 

Simply put - fat is toxic and makes you  old and sick. I'll say that again, fat is toxic and makes you old and sick! Have you ever heard a person who has lost weight say they feel worse and want all that weight back on? 

I was 60 pounds overweight and can relate to joint pain and low energy from excess weight. I lost it the old fashioned way.  Now that I'm in menopause, it's coming back.  So instead of blaming everything else, I'm designing a weight loss program for menopausal women and will show you the results in the future. My program includes sensible exercise and healthy nutrition. There is so much unscrupulous information on the internet and as a medical professional, it's my duty to give you accurate, evidenced based information - so you won't ever get "LOSE 30 POUNDS IN 30 DAYS" from me:) 

According to Psychology Today, "25 studies in 26 years confirms that exercise  makes you happier" and helps alleviate mild to moderate depression without the side effects of medicine. Really, if all the benefits of exercise came in a pill, everyone would take it - including myself. But pills cause side effects and can damage your liver so whenever you can improve your health naturally - that's the best and least expensive option. If you're on medication it is always best to see your doctor.  Since I have many doctors who recommend my exercise DVDs, go ahead and inquire if Functional Fitness with Suzanne Andrews is right for you. Let your doctor know that the workouts are on PBS TV and on DVD. (DVD has more footage as we are on tight time constraints on TV).

 Healthiest blessings,

Suzanne Andrews founded Functional Fitness in 2008, the most popular fitness series for boomers and seniors broadcasting on over 159 Public Television stations throughout the US and Canada. Read Suzanne’s inspiring comeback story of how she survived a near fatal accident, From Deaths Door to Producing a National Fitness Series. Feel free to send Suzanne a message here.

Why 95% of Diets Fail (and 6 Ways to be in the 5%)

by Suzanne Andrews

   Would you like to achieve amazing weight loss results while outsmarting your body and still eating what you want? Learn how now in today’s Functional Fitness blog. 

   How many times have you gone on a diet, only to give up because of hunger and frustration before your goals were met? Chances are, you've done this a few times and you've known others who had similar experiences. 

   That's because when you diet, you set yourself up for failure. 

   95% of diets simply do not work. Let's take a look at the reasons why, and then learn how to attain that most coveted goal of all dieters: long term weight loss that leaves you healthier and happier. 

   First, the reasons why most diets fail: 

   Reason 1: Diets are Temporary. 

   A diet is a temporary solution to a long-term problem. Dieters often find themselves thinking in the short-term. "If I can just get to my goal weight," they tell themselves, "I'll be able to eat my favorite foods again!" 

   That's exactly the thought process that leads to failure, because returning to old habits leads to regained pounds. If you want lasting weight loss, stop dieting and make some permanent lifestyle changes you can comfortably live with. 

   Reason 2: Diet is Only One Half of the Weight Loss Equation. 

   Trying to lose weight through diet alone is like trying to swim using only one arm. Can it be done? Yes, if your 20 something and don’t have any metabolism issues. 

   Exercise should be a part of your healthy weight loss plan. Without it, you'll experience a very slow weight loss, or you'll have to cut so many calories that you'll

end up feeling hungry and deprived. Don't do that to yourself. Exercise doesn’t have to consist of insane moves to be effective for weight loss. As a producer of Functional Fitness with Suzanne Andrews on PBS TV, I get to hear lots of feedback from viewers like Julie, a 53 year old lady who emailed me and said, “I started doing your show and at first I thought, the exercises were too slow for me and not fast enough to lose weight but somewhere along the line, something amazing happened.  My clothes got too big, my blood pressure got better and my doctor (who insisted on I do your workouts)took me off my blood pressure medicine!” That’s because all of Suzanne Andrews Functional Fitness programs are medically designed with years of proven results and research in every workout. 

While you won’t find our workouts free on You Tube because all the doctors, physical therapists and occupational therapists who’ve contributed to each workout are highly regarded experts in their field. On the other hand, at only 19.99 a DVD, we make each Functional Fitness program very affordable as you don’t pay the $280.00 plus fee or ($400.00 plus a month co-pay once your deductible is met) that these experts charge for a session with them. The savings in medical bills, pills and sick days far out weigh the cost of your healthy functional lifestyle! 

   Reason 3: Diets are not Satisfying 

   Some diets require you to eat low-calorie foods that contain very little fat. Others require you to eat very small quantities of food. Others encourage you to eat plenty of protein but drastically cut your carbohydrate consumption. 

   None of these diets will satisfy you for very long. The healthiest and happiest eating plans are those that contain a mixture of lean protein, heart-healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates. 

   Add plenty of fiber and water, and your body will be more satisfied with the fuel you put in it. 

   Reason 4: Diets Can be Expensive. 

   Healthy food typically costs more than junk food, but special diet foods can really strain your food budget!

   The expense of special bars, shakes, and supplements is pretty appalling, not to mention unnecessary. Diet plans that require you to buy pre-packaged meals are the most expensive of all, and they often contain additives that can sabotage your weight loss. 

   Don't waste your money on special foods. Get your nutrition through whole, natural foods that you can cook for yourself. Your budget - and your waistline - will be thinner as a result. 

Suzanne Andrews Functional Fitness Tip: Cook a bunch of foods at once and put it in correct size portions.  Freeze what won’t be eaten in 3 Days. You’ve just saved your stomach, your waistline and your budget with preservative free natural foods. 

   Reason 5: Diets don't Easily Fit into Your Lifestyle. 

   Have you ever watched your friends and family eat normally while you had to settle for a liquid or prepackaged meal? Do you spend an inordinate amount of time trimming, weighing, and measuring your food while everyone else digs in? 

   It's hard to feel like one of the crowd when you're following an inconvenient diet. That's another reason why so many dieters give up in despair and frustration. 

   Your lifestyle is an important consideration. Don't choose an eating plan that requires a radical departure from the norm. 

   Reason 6: Too Much Dieting Can Cause Weight Gain. 

   When you go on a diet, your body reacts by squeezing every bit of nourishment from the foods you do eat. After the diet ends, your body still processes food with

increased efficiency, causing you to pack on the pounds even though you're eating "normally". 

   This is a survival mechanism that helped our ancestors survive times of famine. Diets are the new famine, and they can actually leave you weighing more than you did  before the diet! 

   How to Succeed 

   For weight loss to be safe and permanent, it needs to come as the result of a lifestyle change. Find a healthy eating plan you can stick with for the rest of your life. Add exercise 5-6 days a week that doesn’t make you feel like you got hit by a truck or that you have to keep up with a 20 year old. You’ll stick to an exercise plan and won’t injure yourself (which could really set you back). 5- 6 days of working out is best because consistency is key.

   With those bases covered, you're free to live your life without constantly worrying about your diet. The weight you lose will stay gone, and you will enjoy greater health and happiness. 

   You can achieve amazing weight loss results by outsmarting your body with a sensible eating plan and following the program millions of women and men over 40 follow on PBS TV with Suzanne Andrews Functional Fitness. 

Get started today and be on your way to a happy healthy you.  See results in 30 Days!

 Suzanne Andrews founded Functional Fitness in 2008, the most popular fitness series for boomers and seniors broadcasting on over 159 Public Television stations throughout the US and Canada. Read Suzanne’s inspiring comeback story of how she survived a near fatal accident, From Deaths Door to Producing a National Fitness Series. Feel free to send Suzanne a message here.

6 Steps to Weight Loss Over 50

by Suzanne Andrews

Has the dreaded "middle age spread" added inches to your waistline? If so, you're not alone. Sedentary jobs and slowing metabolisms cause many middle-aged individuals to gain weight.
It can be discouraging to find that the foods you ate in your youth without a second thought are now making the scale creep higher and higher. But you don't have to take it sitting down! Here are some effective weight loss tips for people over the age of 50.

   1. Skip the crash diets.
When you were younger, your hormones did a lot to keep you healthy. After the age of 50, you will need to focus on good nutrition to get the same effect. Avoid starving yourself or limiting your diet too strictly.

You need vitamins and minerals now more than ever. Eat a variety of colorful vegetables, fruits, lean meats, and low-fat dairy products.

Increase your fiber intake to at least 30 grams a day for optimal digestive health. Dehydration can lead to stiff joints, aches and pains, so make sure you're drinking 64 oz of water each day as well.

   2. Protect your bones.
Calcium deficiency can lead to a loss of bone density and full-blown osteoporosis. Generally Men and Women over 50 and men require 1,500 mg of calcium daily to stave off the loss of bone density. 

IMPORANT TIP:  Vitamin D is crucial for calcium absorption. Men over 50 and postmenopausal women require 400-800 i.u. of vitamin D every day. At the age of 65, this requirement increases to 600 - 800 i.u. per day.

   3. Combine cardio exercise with strength training.
Cardio exercise will strengthen your heart and lungs and keep your joints supple. Strength training exercises counteract muscle and bone deterioration, and can prevent fractures at vulnerable sites like the wrists and hips.
Ideally, adults over 50 should engage in weight-bearing cardio exercises, such as walking or dancing, for 20 - 30 minutes, 4 - 5 times a week. They should also do strength-training exercises 3 times a week.
The appropriate amount of exercise varies according to each individual's level of wellness and fitness. I find that starting my day with a workout sets me up to stay on course the rest of the day.  While it's not' always easy to get up early, the good health results are worth it. 
If you've been diagnosed with low bone mass (osteopenia), get your doctor's approval before doing exercises that require you to bend or twist your spine. That's why in the Get Stronger Bones DVD all the exercises are osteoporosis safe and done at the correct speed for building bone density.

   4. Take injuries seriously.
Injuries can affect anyone at any age, but older adults need to take steps to ensure that a simple strain doesn't turn into something more serious.
Exercise is an important part of a healthy weight loss routine, so you don't want an injury to keep you on the sidelines. Exercising too is not recommended and it doesn't produce the best results as your working momentum more than muscle!
If you experience acute pain during or after a workout, take a break and assess the injury. A strained muscle might require a few days of rest, massage, gentle stretching, and an anti-inflammatory medicine like ibuprofen.
Sore joints might need rest, anti-inflammatory medicines ad  any bone injury should be looked at by a doctor. Also, if you have a disease that decreases your body's healing abilities or weakens your immune system, play it safe and go to your doctor for advice.

   5. Get plenty of rest.
Adequate sleep is important for many reasons. It allows your body to rest and renew itself, keeps stress hormones at a minimal level, and helps your muscles and joints
recover after a workout.
While insomnia is a common complaint among older people, it's not a normal part of the aging process.
If you have trouble falling or staying asleep, adding regular exercise to your daily routine can help. Daily exposure to sunlight has also been linked to improved sleep quality.
If you think you might need a sleep aid to help you sleep, try a natural alternative like yoga instead.  Yoga is great at helping people sleep better. Sleep aids make people forgetful and groggy the next day.

   6. Set realistic goals.
Weight loss is possible for people young and old, but the sad truth is that it might not happen as fast as you'd like once you reach a certain age.
Don't expect a rapid reduction in weight. Instead, set a goal of 1 pound per week. Keep a food and exercise journal to track the number of calories you consume and
burn each day.
If you're doing everything right and still not losing weight, talk to your doctor to find out if underlying health problems or medications could be interfering with your weight loss.

You can stop dieting, start eating and start living with Suzanne Andrews Functional Fitness DVDs!

Suzanne Andrews founded Functional Fitness in 2008, the most popular fitness series for boomers and seniors broadcasting on over 159 Public Television stations throughout the US and Canada. Read Suzanne’s inspiring comeback story of how she survived a near fatal accident, From Deaths Door to Producing a National Fitness Series. Feel free to send Suzanne a message here.

Yoga & Weight Loss

by Suzanne Andrews

   How would you like to get rid of weight, aches, anxiety and stress from your life with easy, gentle mind body techniques?

   Yoga has become a prominent part of many popular workout routines. It's commonly touted as a cure for everything from stiff joints to breathing problems. But will yoga help you lose weight?

   Meditating seems counter-intuitive to someone who wants to build strength and shed pounds. But yoga has many qualities for weight loss that other programs miss. Here are some of the ways yoga can help you lose weight and increase your sense of well-being.

   Stress Releasing Yoga Burns Calories.

   Yoga puts you in touch with your body's needs. when you practice yoga, you learn to clear your mind of the distractions that prevent you from really listening to your body. By getting back in touch with your needs, you can learn to differentiate between hunger and cravings.

   The more you learn about your body and its amazing abilities, the more you will want to take care of it by avoiding junk food and radical diets.

     Yoga is a real stress-buster. By practicing mindful breathing and quiet meditation, you can bring your mind and body to a peaceful state. This decreases anxiety and can even reduce your body's production of the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol sends our bodies into self-preservation mode, which translates to increased fat storage.

   Learn to relax and breathe during yoga and you will eventually learn to incorporate those skills into the rest of your life.

   Yoga Helps You Snooze to Lose

   By producing more lean muscle mass, yoga can help you burn more calories even at rest which a great way to speed up your weight loss.

   Yoga Makes You Mindful

   Perhaps one of the most valuable lessons yoga teaches us is the lesson of mindfulness. Yoga practitioners learn how to be "in the moment", focusing on their breathing and their posture rather than worrying about work, family, or other stress triggers.

   You can apply this mindfulness to your weight loss plan as well. Learn to focus on your food and your enjoyment rather than choking down your meals while watching TV.

   By taking your time and keeping your mind on your meal, you will tend to eat less and be more satisfied.

   Remember: you don't need to contort your body into a pretzel to benefit from yoga. As the original modifier of yoga poses who lost 60 pounds, I've seen the benefits of gentle stress release and weight loss yoga first hand.  It just goes to show that slow and steady can help you win the weight loss race.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER

 See a preview of  "Beginners Dynamic Yoga for Stress Release and Weight Loss" to learn all you need to know to begin loving yoga and improving your well-being today. 

Suzanne Andrews founded Functional Fitness in 2008, the most popular fitness series for boomers and seniors broadcasting on over 159 Public Television stations throughout the US and Canada. Read Suzanne’s inspiring comeback story of how she survived a near fatal accident, From Deaths Door to Producing a National Fitness Series. Feel free to send Suzanne a message here.