Problem of Obesity and Yoga

As a girl I was princess of a slim and trim body. Friends’ compliments use to give me pleasure, more or so my personality was bubbly and confident. After the marriage for two years things were going on very well, but with the birth of my first child situation started changing. My body started taking up weight and within a short span of four or five years I was counted among the categories of obese. In fact, I was able to feel the over weight of my body, reduced physical movements and slowness in emotional and mental activities. Food intake had increase drastically. Heart always felt frustration, and feeling of inferiority crept in me. Started loving secluded life, didn’t like to meet friends and the social groups. The biggest shock was that even my husband who used to love me the most started maintaining distance, in other words lost interest in me.

In desperate attempt to lose my weight, started severe dieting, food packages and well advertised weight-reducing gadgets and not to forget diet pills, but these gimmicks and quickies did not brought any relief. In contrary, the moment I stopped them the hip area and thighs became worsened. Fortunately, one day a friend of mine arrived to meet me, initially she was aghast to see me (disshaped), but after knowing (realizing) my depressed situation (condition)she advised me to join Indian Institute of Yoga (situated in Patna, India; a branch of it is also in Washington, D.C., U.S.A.); they have a module for treatment of obesity. Really, after completing the course of six week of yoga session, I felt rebirth of my personality. Actually, yoga is not just physical exercise; instead it’s a disciplined way of life.

The yogic method of correcting obesity primarily involves two things: 1. taking a balanced diet, and 2. practicing a few selected asanas. The biggest advantage of this yogic system of treatment is that the individual does not have to go on fasting and he does not feel any weakness. The reduction in weight is so gradual that the person does not feel any loss of strength. Due to gradual reduction, there is no sagging of the facial tissues or of the bodily skin and muscle. In this process, reduction of weight and body conditioning occur simultaneously. As a result by the time the obese has been restored to normal weight, his body becomes proportionate.

In fact, Yoga increases the concentration of mind and builds your focus and health. It also reduces the stiffness in your body thus making it more flexible. Other to it, yoga has tremendous capacity to deal various problems of human being; the only thing required is a disciplined life. And as I think, this is a must for everybody to have a proper balance between natural and material demands to have eternal happy life.

To slim oneself yoga teaches simple step-to-step practices. First step of asana (posture) emphasizes on Pranayam (Sanskrit word means ‘control of breath’), which is very beneficial exercise. They help enhance your memory, eyesight, and concentration and also bring down your excessive weight. It makes the digestive tract function smoothly and allows quick digestion of foods. Due to these factors, the chance of obesity reduces. Pranayam increases the oxygen intake to the body cells, including the fat cells. This causes increased oxidation or burning up of fat cells.

Next step include simple physical asanas such as Ekpada Uttan and Uttanpada asana, (these asana stretches your body and warms up for further postures) can form one sentence. Gradually, Paschimotann asana, Bhujanga asana, Sarvanga asana, Halasana, Surya asana are added in your routine. Special thing (information) about Surya asana (Sun salutation) is that it includes twelve sub-steps, which is very effective in reducing weight of thighs, hip and abdominal areas. Also activates all the joints of the lower area of the body, enhances sexual potentiality, corrects disorders of the reproductive system, cures piles, and strengthens the digestive system. At the end of every asana it is recommended to practice Shava asana (literally means lying like a dead person; it a relaxation technique). Yoga is not a physical exercise, instead it gives massage to our internal body organs.

Last but not the least, it is prescribed to maintain a proper diet schedule. The first and most important principle is to eat slowly after chewing and crushing the food quite thoroughly. The second vitally important principle is to finish eating (especially dinner) at least two hours prior to sleeping time during night. Third, never eat more than 80% of your capacity at any time. In other words, always eat a little less than you need. Next avoid drinking water while eating. Drink water after half an hour of eating. Take ten to fifteen glasses of fresh water in twenty-four hours. Next, do not eat fatty, fried and highly seasoned food. Avoid hot spices, pickles and sweets. Next, Eat only four times in twenty-four hours, that is, take breakfast in the morning, lunch at noon, some light refreshment in the afternoon, and dinner at night. Avoid eating any thing in between these four fixed hours.

By following the principles and method of eating as described above and by practicing yoga asanas as mentioned above one can be sure of losing a minimum of six pounds of weight every month. *** The relaxation and meditation aspect of Yoga has a broad spectrum. Regular practice of meditation improves concentration and willpower. Meditation also may help stimulate insight into the unconscious motivators of your eating behavior. So the yogic practices reduce anxiety tend to reduce anxious eating. When under nervous strain we tend to gulp our food without attaining much genuine satisfaction.

The weight your gain will be healthy firm tissue, not fat. That is, yoga will tend to produce the ideal weight for you. This is due to yoga’s effect of ‘normalizing’ glandular activity.

Yogic method, though time-consuming, is preferable and desirable for several reasons. It reduces weight in a lasting and permanent way without causing any ill effect to health, beauty and physical/mental condition. It does not cost a penny to correct the disorder. There is no disturbance to normal life, nor is there any possibility of regaining the same weight even if yoga practice is discontinued and only the method of eating is maintained.

It is advised that once the weight has been reduced to normal level, the individual should keep practicing yoga even for ten to fifteen minutes per day. In case yoga practice is stopped for some reasons, the individual should continue to follow the yogic principles and method of eating. By taking a proper and balanced diet, the normalcy in weight will always remain the same.