Bulldog Obesity Exploring the Benefits of Canine Yoga for Weight Loss
Yoga for weight loss: Benefits beyond burning calories
If you have trouble losing weight despite your best efforts, this is because obesity is a complex disease with many causes. A family history of weight issues can make it more likely that you'll have the same issues managing your weight. A diet high in ultra-processed foods, sugar, and fat and being sedentary also contribute to weight gain. Stress and struggles with mental health, including medications to treat certain mental health conditions, poor sleep, and hormonal changes, are all factors that further contribute to weight gain.
There are many ways to combat excess weight, but there is no single solution. If you are trying to lose or maintain your weight, you may want to try yoga. There is good research that yoga may help you manage stress, improve your mood, curb emotional eating, and create a community of support, all of which can help with weight loss and maintenance.
Yoga can also help you burn calories, as well as increase your muscle mass and tone. Yoga may reduce joint pain, which in turn allows you to exercise more and increase your daily activities. These are only some of the many benefits of yoga.
Yoga can help you manage stress that can impact weight gain
Yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word yuj, which means to unite the body, mind, and emotions. It is a holistic mind-body practice that improves many of the causes of weight gain.
Some people may experience stress as physical pain or sleep deprivation, or it may be psychological and cause feelings of anxiety and agitation. Stress leads to an increase in the hormone cortisol. Cortisol increases abdominal fat, decreases muscle mass, causes cravings for fat and sugar-rich food, and thus can lead to obesity.
Yoga can decrease stress and cortisol levels, enhance mood, decrease anxiety and depression, improve sleep, and improve chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes, reducing the need for medications that can cause weight gain.
Yoga is not a band-aid for excess weight, but it may work on the underlying causes. Its benefits extend beyond the calories-in-versus-calories-out equation.
Yoga can improve mindfulness related to eating behaviors
Most of us who crave ice cream after 9 pm or can't stop eating potato chips know that these behaviors hurt our chances of losing weight. We all know that eating vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, etc. is good for our health and weight. While this knowledge is necessary, it seems insufficient to help us stick to our healthy eating plans.
One of yoga's benefits is that it improves mindfulness of the body and awareness of body sensations. This is why yoga is called "moving meditation." Research shows that you don't have to do any formal sitting meditation to get the mindfulness benefits of yoga.
By improving mindfulness, yoga decreases emotional eating, stress eating, and binge eating. These habits sabotage our weight loss efforts and can cause a negative spiral of guilt and shame, which often leads to giving up.
A study published in 2015 showed that practicing yoga led to healthier eating, including lower fat intake and an increase in vegetables and whole grains.
The bottom line: the best diet plan is the one that you can stick with over the long term, and by improving mindfulness, yoga can help you make healthier food choices.
A yoga community can provide acceptance and support
Going to a gym can be intimidating, and may provoke feelings of not belonging for some people with larger bodies. By contrast, yoga culture embodies kindness, support, and self-acceptance.
Yoga teachers and advanced practitioners can serve as role models and inspire newer students to live a healthier lifestyle. Research shows that social networks influence behaviors that affect weight. The yoga network encourages positive health behaviors, and being a part of such a community can make a meaningful difference for weight loss. This type of community can be hard to find with other types of exercise.
Practitioners should look for a safe, comfortable environment. A welcoming yoga group may help you improve your self-esteem and confidence. Find a local studio that feels nurturing and not overwhelming, with other practitioners at your level. Teachers can help beginners or those with physical limitations by modifying poses. You might have to try a few different classes before you find an instructor or a class that you like. Don't give up after the first one!
If you can't find a local studio, there are always online options on YouTube and Instagram, with classes at all levels. There are instructors who understand what it is like to be a larger size, and having an inclusive, body-affirming attitude shows that yoga is not just for "skinny people." Some share inspirational stories of how yoga helped them overcome their own weight struggles, depression, and binge eating. If you are a beginner, consider signing up for a short challenge to get committed to the practice.
The benefits of yoga are universal no matter what your shape or size. It can take weeks or months to establish a yoga practice, and frequent practice is key for long-lasting benefits.
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Fat Bulldog: How To Deal With Bulldog Obesity
Do you have a fat Bulldog? Nearly half of the dogs in the United States are overweight. Unfortunately, Bulldogs are one of the breeds that are prone to obesity. Other breeds that are prone to gaining weight include Dachshunds, Labrador Retrievers, Boxers, Basset Hounds, and Pugs.
Obesity is especially detrimental forbrachycephalicdogs, such asPugs and Bulldogs. The structure of their skeletons and faces already makes it difficult for these dogs to breathe. Excess fat deposits in the chest and airways can further restrict their breathing. This can make them prone to respiratory diseases, includingbronchitis.
If you have a fat Bulldog or one that is gaining a few extra layers of skin rolls, here area fewthings you must know.
Signs Your Bulldog is Obese
To find out whetheryourBulldog is obese, check for the following signs.
Thebody of a fat Bulldog has no defined shape
Bulldogs are naturally thick, stocky,and roundish to squarish in shape. For this reason, it can be difficult to determine whether your Bulldog is in goodshape or not. However, dogsshould have waists that are slightly slimmer than their hips. If your Bulldoglooks like a chunky sausage, then he is definitely fat.
Afat Bulldog is often unable to scratch his own body
A fat Bulldog tends to have rolls of fat deposits in his body. These fatty layers can inhibit your pet from scratching or licking some parts of his body. Your Bulldog may not be able to scratch his ear using his back paws or any of his paws. He may also have a hard time scratching some parts of his body that he normally scratches using his teeth.
Breathing is even harder for a fat Bulldog
As a breed, Bulldogs have the tendency to snort and pant a lot. But if a Bulldog is fat, his airways tend to get narrower and saggier.
Causes of Bulldog Obesity
Bulldogs are notorious eaters,and they can be very greedyforfood. On the other hand, Bulldogs are not known for theirlovefor exercise. The imbalance between diet and lack of sufficient exercise is the main cause of obesity in Bulldogs. High-calorie food and frequent treats also contribute to their weight gain.
Hypothyroidism and neutering can also cause obesity in Bulldogs.
Bad Health Effects: A Fat Bulldog is prone to many diseases
Like an obese human being, a fat Bulldog is prone to the following health issues.
- Increased risk of heat stroke
- Exercise intolerance
- High-blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Liver disease
- Some forms of cancer
- Osteoarthritis
- Increased risk of hip dysplasia
How to Deal with Bulldog Obesity
It can be difficult to make a fat Bulldog lose a few pounds. Because of their physical shape, forcing Bulldogs for hard and long exercises is strongly discouraged. But here are a few things you can do to help your fat Bulldog become fitter.
- Check your Bulldogs weight.Ideally, a male Bulldog should weigh between 50 to 55 lbs while female Bulldog should be around 47 to 50 lbs.
- Alter your Bulldogs diet.Look for high-quality but low-calorie dog food for your pet. Feed your Bulldog small meals throughout the day instead of giving him two full meals per day.
- Choose ahealthy dog treat.Instead of getting treats from a pet store, try giving your fat Bulldog sliced cucumbers, apples (without the pit), broccoli, celery, green beans, or bananas. Make sure to only give a fat Bulldog a treat after you ask him to do something to earn it.
- Rule out hypothyroidism and other possible health issues.When a dog has hypothyroidism, his thyroid gland fails to produce adequate levels of thyroxine, which is the hormone responsible for converting food to fuel (energy). Without enough thyroxine, your Bulldogs body is unable to use the food he consumed for his daily activities. If your Bulldog shows signs of hypothyroidism or any health issue, consider taking him to a veterinarian.
- Exercise your Bulldog.Strenuous exercises are not suitable for Bulldogs,especially fat ones,as they get tired easily and are prone to heat stroke. But there are a few Bulldog exercises yourpet do. Just make sure not to let your pet overdo them.
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Study Sees Beneficial Role of Yoga in Weight-Loss Program for Adults With Obesity or Overweight
According to a new study, participating in yoga as part of a 6-month weight-loss program is doable for adults with obesity or overweight and may also be helpful for weight loss, with no differences seen between people practicing two distinct styles of yoga. Recently published in the journal Obesity, the study was partially funded by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health and led by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh, Duke University Medical Center, and University of Zurich.
Excess body weight is associated with numerous chronic health conditions. Fortunately, losing weight has been shown to reduce the risk of many of these conditions. Adding physical activity to dietary changes can increase initial weight loss by 20 percent and improve weight-loss maintenance. Although most research on physical activity in weight control has focused on weightlifting or aerobic exercises like brisk walking, this study helped fill the knowledge gap on the potential role of two different yoga styles for weight loss.
Fifty adults with obesity or overweight were randomly assigned to practice either restorative hatha yoga or more vigorous vinyasa yoga while following a 6-month behavioral weight-loss program that also included a calorie- and fat-reduced diet and a weekly group session on behavioral strategies to promote weight loss. Restorative hatha yoga focuses mostly on poses for relaxation and the holding of postures. Vinyasa yoga is a more rigorous style of yoga in which an individual moves continuously through poses. Most participants in the restorative hatha yoga group rated its intensity as being similar to a brisk walk, mostly due to holding poses. In contrast, the vinyasa yoga group felt the intensity was higher than a brisk walk due to transitioning between poses and holding poses.
The study protocol directed participants to practice yoga 5 days per week, starting with 20 minutes per day in the first 8 weeks and progressing to 40 minutes and then 60 minutes per day. Four of the days were home-based yoga sessions, and one day involved a supervised yoga session.
People in both the restorative hatha and vinyasa yoga groups lost significant amounts of weight and improved their cardiorespiratory fitness, with no differences seen between the two styles of yoga. The participants total minutes and total days of yoga per week increased from the start of the study to the end, also with no differences between the two groups. Individuals who spent more time doing yogameasured as total minutes and total number of days over the 6 monthslost more weight.
Study participants saw time, however, as a barrier to yoga participation, particularly as the length of the prescribed yoga sessions increased to 60 minutes. Although yoga was prescribed for 5 days per week, individuals tended to do it only 2 to 3 days. Even so, the majority of participants65 percent in the hatha group and 85 percent in the vinyasa groupplanned on continuing yoga after the study completed.
The studys findings appear to support the potential inclusion of either restorative hatha or vinyasa yoga as part of a weight-loss program for treating obesity or overweight. The authors stress that additional research is needed to compare yoga with other forms of physical activity for its long-term effects on weight loss and related health outcomes.
