Calm Down and Shape Up with Yoga!

Welcome to Diet and Fitness Podcast, a free audio podcast sponsored by Diet.com. This is your fit, fun, and fabulous host, Lady Diet, ready to give you the skinny on the latest diet fitness health tips and news.

I don’t know about anyone else, but lately I feel like I’ve been seeing spandex-clad women with yoga mats strapped to their backs everywhere. They all seem so calm and relaxed, and I wonder if they’re just getting back from yoga, or they’re just on their way to a class. Either way, if you haven’t tried yoga yet or you’re confused about all those different types of yoga you keep hearing about, listen up! In today’s podcast, I dare to clear up the most common questions about yoga, and give you an idea of why adding this ancient Indian mind & body practice to your fitness routine can have great overall effects on your health!

First, here’s yoga, in brief. While it has to do with the union that occurs between the mind, body and spirit, what we think of as yoga is a set of different postures that create balance in the mind and body while focusing on breathing, strength and flexibility. Many people use yoga in addition to their regular strength training and cardio routines. Yoga only burns about 120 calories in a half hour, but, you can definitely feel the workout your muscles get the next morning!

You’ve probably seen a bunch of trendy yoga products in your favorite stores, but on a basic level, all you need is a yoga mat and some flexible, comfortable workout clothes to get started. A mirror helps so you can see if you’re performing each posture correctly.

And what’s the deal with all these different yoga classes? There’s hatha yoga, power yoga, hot yoga, yoga this, yoga that. How do you know which one to take? All these different yoga classes blend different styles and postures. Some, like hatha yoga, are slower-paced and better suited for beginners. Some have a more athletic approach with poses that flow into each other, such as Vinyasa Yoga. There are so many different yoga classes out there that I’m sure you’ll find one that exactly meets your needs. If you’re curious about hot yoga, it is yoga done in a room set at about 90 degrees Fahrenheit. From my personal experience, it’s yoga intensified, and you sweat like you’ve never sweated before!

Don’t be discouraged if you think you’re as flexible as a tree branch. Everyone has to start somewhere, and flexibility is something that can easily be worked on over time. The instructors are always walking around the yoga room to help you move into the posture correctly. The key is that you keep practicing yoga regularly to see improvement.

If you’ve been curious about yoga for some time, I hope today’s podcast gives you some insight you need to go out and sign up for a class! If a class doesn’t work with your schedule or budget, there are great books and DVDs out there to help you get started.

If you have any comments or suggestions about today’s podcast, or any fun health diet or fitness tip, please feel free to email me at LadyDietPodcast at dietdotcom.

This is Lady Diet signing off…