An avid surfer, ocean enthusiast, and adventurous traveler, Tim Senesi brings his own style of yoga practice to Southern California and now via his YouTube channel, Tim Senesi Yoga.
Tim has a passion for teaching and practicing yoga, studying yoga philosophy, and for life itself. While he may be best known for his challenging Vinyasa classes and precision in teaching alignment, Tim has much more wisdom to offer all yogis.
You can find and subscribe to TimSenesi’s yoga classes on his YouTube channel, Tim Senesi Yoga, get inspired via his blog, by signing up for the weekly letter at timsensiyoga.com. Follow him on Instagram @timsenesiyoga and Facebook at Tim Senesi Yoga.
THE SURPRISING WAY YOGA CAN HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT
One of the most common questions people ask me is, “Can yoga help with weight loss, and if so, can you make a series of videos that will help?”
I like to encourage people to take a holistic approach to weight loss. The type of yoga one practices is important, and diet is even more important, but we need to aim for an overall balance of the body, mind, and spirit to best support a healthy lifestyle that will help the body find its optimal weight.
This is why I’ve created the 7 day Total Body Yoga Workout for Weight Loss 7 Day Series on my YouTube channel, Tim Senesi Yoga.
Yoga will help us to have a more connected experience with our body. The practice will allow us to look at the reasons why we over or under eat and eat junk during stressful times. It will also help us to sleep better, which has a direct effect on metabolism. Our body is a reflection of what’s going on in our minds. We find healing by being present in our body, but when we trash our temple or the inner body, it’s not so cozy to hang out in. We become even more disconnected and further mistreat the body.
Often there is an inner craving of the ego that we try to satisfy with all kinds of things, food just being part of the long list. Ultimately, it’s a bottomless pit that we can never fill with food, or anything else. Killing yourself in the gym and then continuing an unhealthy relationship with food by overeating and binging on junk is all just part of the ego manifesting itself in its destructive search for more.
The remedy is self-care, conscious eating, yoga, and meditation. Through yoga and meditation, specifically by taking a step back from identifying with our mental patterns, and watching them without identification, we can start to observe what programming or repetitive thought is responsible for making us skip our morning yoga, binge on junk food, or if you’re like me, over-eat, because we were trained to eat everything on our plate before we got up from the table, or some reason like that.
We shouldn’t judge our thought patterns. All we have to do is observe them when they pop up. Instead of taking action, like when we’re stressed and crave an In-n-Out burger to get rid of the stressful feeling, we just watch the feelings and thoughts come and go, then make a decision from our higher consciousness about what will heal and bring the body into balance. Most importantly, in this mindful practice, we become more compassionate and loving toward ourselves, which affects how we treat our bodies, and how we treat others.
Regular yoga practice will definitely aid in weight loss, but even more impactful than what we do with our body is the fuel we give it. Weight loss is about 70% diet, or what and how much we eat, and 30% exercise. We can all benefit from adding more vegetables and leafy greens into our diet. We should focus on getting a solid amount of these each day.
Start by eating avocados. They contain monounsaturated fatty acids, which means they are likely to be stored as slow-burning energy rather than fat. This means they leave you feeling full and satisfied, helping to keep your hunger at bay. If you can’t get avocados, try adding extra olive oil or MCT oil to your salad for the same effect. In addition to that, make the switch to eating as many fresh, organic, local vegetables (non-nightshade and without seeds due to the inflammatory nature) and greens as possible, and having a big salad each day.
Get rid of all beverages that aren’t water or herbal tea. Of course, you can still have your cup of coffee or caffeinated tea, but we need to be drinking plenty of water each day, especially when we’re exercising more. Our bodies need water and fresh, clean oxygen.
Lastly, get outside for 20 minutes a day, ideally in the sunlight if possible. Go for a walk, ride a bike, or jog if it feels appropriate for your body. Find some type of movement you can enjoy outside. Breathe in the air and be conscious of it moving in and out through your lungs the whole time. I know we all have busy schedules, but spending time outside more regularly is essential for our health. Most people, even here in sunny Southern California, are vitamin D deficient, even though vitamin D is essential for our emotional and physical well-being.
Keep these tips in mind as you commit to practicing yoga daily, and you’ll be on the path to health and wellness. Namaste.
