The Yoga of Weight Loss: Lesson 1 The YOGA OF WEIGHT LOSS 7-week Yoga of Weight Loss Program Lesson One: Introduction, overview, and Laying the groundwork

The Yoga of Weight Loss: Lesson 1

The YOGA OF WEIGHT LOSS7-week Yoga of Weight Loss ProgramLesson One: Introduction, overview, and Laying the groundwork


Welcome : How this program is differentIn almost every weight loss program, there is a missing component; REAL understanding of who YOU are, why YOU eat what you eat when you’re STRESED and how those foods interact with your UNIQUE physiology.

Ayurveda helps us understand our own specific tendencies (Samskaras) which are based on our unique body and mind combination (doshas). These tendencies are inherent to our dosha; they predefine our daily habits and outline the actions we take or foods we consume when we are stressed.

Food can heal and can hurt. It provides feedback when we consume foods we consider to be pleasurable in the way of illness, fatigue and weight gain.

As with Yoga and Ayurveda, the core of this program is the understanding of our own self referral – knowledge of self.


Self Referral? What is it? How does it work?We all eat emotionally - some of us crave foods which are creamy and sweet, others reach for spicy and acidic food, while others may reach for dry and crunchy/salty.

When we are stressed, we tend to consume and in many cases, over-consume foods which trigger our pleasure centers in the brain, causing us to feel less stressed. Food helps to trigger the release of dopamine in our brain, making us feel pleased and rewarded.

We all respond to the flavor of food, rather than the effect after we’ve eaten it. Sure, that steak may look enticing and taste amazing, but if you suffer from hyperacidity or indigestion, your body is telling you something, and it’s NOT “Reach for the antacid”!

Beware! The more we rely on foods to deal with our stress, the more we rely on the release of dopamine in our brain. This makes it very difficult for us to try to change our eating patterns.


The Yoga of Weight Loss

The ideal approach to weight management is with a Yogic approach!

We are all different sizes and shapes – This is our unique physiology This approach gives you fundamental tools to change your patterns,

not just your diet

Consider that we all have different nutritional needs and metabolic abilities

Moderation is the name of the game No falling off the wagon if you follow the 80/20 rule Weight gain and weight loss both take time; Patience, practice and

persistence Follow exercise patterns that are consistent with your ability to

perform then without unnecessary injury Follow your own “fullness” meter, not count calories Food is not your enemy Work on your samskaras Move at the speed of your nature


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Why Do We Gain Weight?Food allows us to cope easily with stress, but over use of foods can result in various physiological imbalances: from an increase in toxins to weight gain. This involves a four step process:

Step 1: Initially, we use food to cope with our stress in small ways. If chocolate is what we like, we might take only a square or two. However, the more stressed we become, the more chocolate we need.

Step 2: Even though we recognize that eating a chocolate bar every day isn’t the best for us, we justify it because its allowing us to better cope with stress, and allowing us to not be so emotional. Step 3: We spend more time consuming poor food choices than healthy ones. Lunch now looks like a who’s who of consumer packaged goods.

Step 4: It’s a simple equation: Stress + Poor Food Choices + Repetition = WEIGHT GAIN The longer we eat food which we know is bad for us, the harder it is to give them up.


Welcome : Who we are related to the ENTIRE universeTM Slide?


Friday Morning Bagels at Interbrand :: Obligatory eating


A quick note about my own Journey through Ayurveda


My Client Cailyn


Our objectives for the next 7 weeks Removing certain foods from our diet in order to allow our metabolism to

recalibrate Detoxify our body using foods and Ayurvedic techniques which are easy to

follow Learn to listen to our body Better understand our stress level; what we are currently doing to manage

it, and how it impacts our journey Food & Activity journaling - gaining a much clearer idea of how foods affect

our health Learn about the Ayurvedic and Yogic approach to eating and weight

maintenance Embrace and increase our yoga practice Bring our physiology back into balance and reduce our weight & body mass Create a seasonal program to maintain weight throughout the year and

throughout your life


The ScheduleWeek One: Overview & Kick-offPractical Lesson: Hot water

Week Two: Basic Ayurvedic ConceptsPractical Lesson: Changing Habits

Week Three: Ama & AgniPractical Lesson: Understanding our Gut

Week Four: Eating for our own Dosha TypePractical Lesson: Recipes and cooking

Week Five: Yoga & ExercisePractical Lesson: Home Yoga Practice

Week 6: Yoga of EatingPractical Lesson: Supermarket Guidelines

Week 7: Daily & Seasonal RoutinesPractical Lesson: Designing our Personalized Maintenance Program


When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use.

When diet is correct, medicine is of no need.

~Ayurvedic Proverb


Detoxification and PurificationAma is the food residue which is left in our digestive system. Ama is a form of toxin, and can accumulate when we are making poor food choices, consuming foods right before bed and if we are not fully masticating our foods.

Basically, Ama is food that has not been fully broken down into the finest molecules of protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Instead, these large complex molecules are absorbed from the gut into the bloodstream where they circulate into the tissues, becoming lodged in the tiny capillaries, or in the spaces between or within cells or cell membranes.

These tiny blockages build up over time and can cause impaired cellular activity, slowed metabolism, and weight gain, reduced circulation, stiffness, aging, and if the immune system becomes involved, inflammation and pain may result (such as in arthritis and various autoimmune diseases).

When we remove Ama from our system, we are able to have a balanced digestive system (the root of our physical health) and enjoy a healthy and appropriate weight for many years.


Overview: What to Expect on the programAlthough there are no “typical”

symptoms, as we are all different, you may experience:

Headache (mild to moderate) Acne (mild to moderate) Lethargy or low energy Loose stool/diarrhea Irritably Flu-like symptoms Fatigue

If symptoms persist for more than 10 days, let us know!

Benefits of following this program are

Weight loss & reduction in body mass

Stronger digestion Better elimination process Clearer skin Stronger nails More energy and stamina Clearer mind and thinking ability Deeper focusing ability Reduction in Joint pain Even temperament


Understanding your fullness level :: Preventing overeating

Level 0Ravenous

Level 1¼ Hungry

Level 2½ Full

Level 32/3 Full

Level 4Stuffed


Staying active is half the battlePhysical activity greatly increases our ability to manage our weight

efficiently and remove toxins from or body. The key is to find an exercise which benefits our health without the chance of injury

Start slowly with activities that you can do – this will allow you to understand what your limits are, without injury

Be active at least 4 times per week, and choose programs where you are sweating but not straining.

Make notes and track your progress. If you cycle, walk, run, jog or even swim, there are applications and programs which can track your progress, and even allow you to post your progress on social media. An extra helping of encouragement from your friends

Stretching is key to preventing injury! Take at least two yoga classes each week as it help you become more flexible and avoid injury. Yoga also helps to remove toxins form the body

Do an activity that’s comfortable for you


Test Results :: What’s your dosha?


Vata Dosha

Vatas are very ethereal and inspiring.

Foods which increase Vata are:Dried nuts, salads, uncooked

grains & sugar


Pitta Dosha

Pittas are very driven and intense.

Foods which increase Pitta are:Alcohol, red meat, spicy foods &

acidic foods


Kapha Dosha

Kaphas are very loving & grounded.

Foods which increase Kapha are:Dairy, wheat, red meat, fried foods

& sugar


Practical Lesson: Hot Water


Notes for DeaconAwareness !!

Identify what foods are causing you an imbalance:

Food Journaling

Essence of Ayurveda is to remove the causative factors

Remove packaged foods, etc – ask the group which foods they should remove

Why when you know this food isn’t good for you, why do you eat it? (Nature of food addiction)

Give bagel example from Interbrand (Social/stress/ Etc)

Setting up your day for eating patterns for the day – Do you really need to eat?

Documents

The Yoga of Weight Loss: Lesson 1 The YOGA OF WEIGHT LOSS 7-week Yoga of Weight Loss Program Lesson One: Introduction, overview, and Laying the groundwork