by: Paul M. Jerard Jr.

Please bear in mind that I am not a dietician, or a physician, and
my opinions are those of a Yoga teacher and life-long student of
Ayurveda. Always consult your family physician before changing your
diet.

It may be generally agreed that eating wisely and weight loss do not
often agree. Just look back that the parade of “fad diets” that
didn’t seem to work over the long term and, in retrospect, were not
wise from the onset.

This article will be a “union” of ideas from Ayurvedic principles,
modern fitness concepts, and overall strategies for better health.

It goes without saying that a vegetarian diet is healthy. Only a
decade ago, there were many reservations, among local physicians in
New England, in regard to this concept. How rapidly knowledge,
insight, and opinions change.

Marie, my wife, exposed me to the vegetarian diet. Before that, I
ate what is now called the “Mediterranean Diet.” The diet I eat, to
this day, is a combination of the two. The combination of these two,
“classic” diets, are easy for me to live with and it is not an
effort, at all, for me.

That is the biggest hurdle for most people. Many of us take on a
radical dieting change that we cannot live with. Most of us can
afford to make a few small changes at a time, instead of changing
everything at once - unless you are dieting under the guidance of
your doctor or dietician.

Therefore, I propose a few small changes to your eating habits that
will make sense. You do not have to change them all at one time.

Sit down and focus on eating your meal.

Avoid television, reading, heated conversations, etc.

Thoroughly chew your food at a slow pace and do not put more food in
your mouth until you have swallowed the previous bite.

Be aware of how hungry you are before your meal.

Try to avoid too much time between meals, as this leads to over
consumption and your stomach should never be more than three
quarters full, after a meal.

Exercise tip: Some of you practice Yoga and understand the many
benefits of Sun Salutations, but have you ever tried weight
resistance?

Strength training increases energy expenditure during a weight
resistance training session. The high intensity of strength training
indicates a high utilization of carbohydrates during a training
session.

During the post-exercise recovery period, energy expenditure is
elevated for a period ranging from two to fifteen hours (1). The
increased energy demands are obtained by burning more calories, and
a good portion of the calories are coming from fat stores.

Reference (1) - Melby C, Scholl C, Edwards G, Bullough R. Effect of
acute resistance exercise on post exercise energy expenditure and
resting metabolic rate. Journal of Applied Physiology 75(4):
1847-1853, 1993.

Even if you work every body part just once a week, this method of
cross training will effectively burn calories. When you combine this
with any aerobic activity, you have a powerful combination. Rowing
and bicycling are good substitute forms of resistance too.

Strategies for results: Get help from a qualified Personal Trainer,
Dietician, or a Life Coach. You could do it all yourself, but how
much time do you have to “spin your wheels.” without any progress?
These services exist for those who don’t want to waste time and want
solutions now.


About the author:
Paul Jerard, is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training
at Aura Wellness Center in North Providence RI. He has been a
certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor
of martial arts. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to
children, adults, and seniors in Providence. Recently he wrote: Is
Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be
considering a new career as a Yoga teacher.