Seratonins, Endorphins and Oxygen...Oh My!

It's all about the Oxygen. Ever wonder why the less active you become the more weight you gain even though you haven't changed your eating habits? It's because the less you move, the less oxygen you intake. The less oxygen circulating in your system, the less fuel increase your blood flow. That blood flow is what moves (gets rid of!) excess weight and fat. The reason yoga is so effective is that a primary focus of the discipline is on breathing. Big breaths...in and out, maximizing lung capacity. And when you increase physical activity, the activity that bulks up your muscles, the cardiovascular activity that forces you to take bigger breaths...well, that is increasing your oxygen intake.

Adding to this equation is that exercise (like sex!) increases your seratonin (neurotransmitter) and endorphin production. These are the chemicals in your makeup that make you feel good. Higher levels of seratonins and endorphins ALSO positively impact your ability to lose weight. Wow. So if you breathe more and feel great, you'll be more primed to lose weight.

So the next time you DON'T want to bend and stretch, or go for a walk, or decide whether or not to buy our new workout DVD just for 50 plus "Getting Started" (I know...a shameless plug, but it is a really good workout and a great holiday gift), just remember that it's all about increasing your oxygen intake. At the very least take a deep breath in for one, two, three, four, five....and out for one, two, three, four, five, six....