Yoga healthy habits!

6 tips on how to create healthy habits with yoga. By Hannah Angni

We all have habits and routines we’ve grown accustomed to. Whether it’s how we start our day or how we go about it — the bottom line is that there’s a pattern.

Even the most spontaneous people around engage in cycles that put their lives in order. But despite those things, how come it can be challenging to start new habits?

Creating new habits isn’t always easy, especially when they are health-related. Being health-conscious is a matter of choice. There are so many awesome things out there that we love but aren’t always good for us. So, imagine how difficult it would be to discipline ourselves by holding back and setting limitations.

No need to worry though because starting a healthy lifestyle is more of an advantage rather than a punishment. It’s a way of improving our quality of life by being caring toward our health and wellness. That is why in this blog post, we’ll give you tips on how to create healthy habits with the help of yoga practice!

Yoga’s impact on our health and overall wellbeing

It’s probably no surprise to you that yoga is often mentioned in topics surrounding health and wellness. Out of the many types of exercises, yoga has always been popular. It’s a type of workout that helps improve our physical, mental, and spiritual health.

Some might know yoga as a relaxing exercise that is all about flexibility — well in fact, it’s so much more than that.

The combination of deep stretches and steady breathing techniques touches several aspects of the mind and body. It strengthens our muscles and joints, expands our range of motion, boosts our immune system, increases focus and concentration, and much more.

Those reasons alone make it an ideal physical activity to help you get started with your healthy habits.

Once you start engaging in yoga practice, you will come to develop the kind of attitude necessary to adopt a healthier lifestyle.

Tips on how to create healthy habits with yoga

Yoga practice may seem like just one of the many healthy habits you should start. But the truth is, yoga itself can be the very motivation you need to sustain this type of lifestyle. Listed below are the tips on how you can use yoga to start your healthy routines and activities.

1. Yoga encourages you to engage in physical activities

It’s easy to imagine yourself running on a treadmill or climbing up a mountain. However, engaging in physical activities for real may not be easy for everybody. Some say they’re too busy with work, others say they don’t have the means, while some are too afraid that their physique isn’t made for it.

The great thing about yoga is that it doesn’t promote itself as a workout, it also encourages us to partake in many other physical activities. It enhances our strength, endurance, and flexibility which makes us less susceptible to injuries. With that, we become more confident to do more intense exercises, workouts, and even sports.

2. Yoga helps manage your weight

Weight loss can be difficult. It requires a lot of effort and sacrifice including going on diets and exercising. Fortunately, yoga is an ideal workout for those who are looking to shed some pounds.

Keep in mind that yoga alone can’t be relied on in terms of losing weight. It is just one of the many things you should do to make it happen. However, yoga contributes significantly to the process by increasing muscle mass and burning calories as well as increasing our metabolic rate. Yoga doesn’t just benefit the body though, it also affects the mind.

By practicing yoga regularly, it teaches us how to control our appetite as well.

3. Yoga boosts your energy and productivity

Sometimes, we feel exhausted and drained. There’s not enough energy or motivation to do anything because we’re either overworked or burnt out from the pressure of life. Lots of people resort to lazing around not because they want to, but because they do not have enough energy to do anything interesting or productive.

Yoga practice allows us to boost our energies and sharpen our minds. Doing the various yoga poses accompanied by breathing exercises clears our heads and helps us rejuvenate ourselves. It actually stimulates proper blood flow and circulation, therefore increasing the energy we need to move up and about. The more energy we have, the more productive we can be. We can finally perform at work better, be motivated to do house chores, and plan out the healthy habits that can change our lives.

4. Yoga helps you make new friends

The social side is an important aspect of health and wellness. It also helps encourage us to participate more in activities that make us healthy. In a yoga class, you will find people from different walks of life but share the same goal of being fit and healthy. Meeting strangers and turning them into friends make your journey of health and wellness more meaningful and enjoyable.

Having buddies to work out with encourages you to do more activities with them. This is also good for your mental health because the sense of self-belongingness is important in every person. Isolating yourself from people is not always ideal. It is good to have people around you who are supportive and are sharing the same goals as you.

5. Yoga relieves stress and other negative emotions

Stress is common especially in the workplace and at home. However, leaving it unmanaged can lead to worse conditions such as anxiety or depression. An exercise like yoga can help reduce stress levels by letting your mind and body immerse themselves into relaxation. The simple act of slow and deep breathing is essential in calming yourself down.

Once yoga is a part of your routine, you will be able to develop a more positive attitude. You will learn how to handle stressful situations better and avoid instances when you wallow in negativity. The less stressed you are, the healthier you can be.

6. Yoga teaches the importance of mindfulness and self-care

We can’t start a healthy habit if we do not know ourselves or know how to care for ourselves. It is incredibly essential that we understand what our mind and body need. Indulging in yoga will develop our mindfulness, allowing us to determine what must be done to improve our well-being. It also teaches the importance of self-care and self-love.

If we truly cherish ourselves, we will be able to create and sustain healthy habits more easily. We have a stronger foundation that will serve as a reminder of why we have to live healthily.

Start creating your healthy habits with yoga!

Adapting to a healthy lifestyle is definitely challenging but exciting. There will be many obstacles to overcome but what’s important is that you have the intent to push through them. Just remember to focus on your goals and to get the right support that you need. This is not a race nor is it something you should put yourself too much pressure on — this is about changing your life in a way that’s beneficial for you.

Practicing yoga is a good start but will continuously play an important role in your journey to health and wellness.

Find out more about Hannah Angni and starting your own yoga healthy habits at sweatboxyoga.com.sg