Hot Yoga

Bikram Yoga.. also knows as Hot Yoga

Classes usually run for 90 minutes, the room is typically around 105F/40C and 40% humidity.

The room is hot and the work out is intense so your body warms up really fast, and trust me- you sweat.
The purpose of the hot room is to heat up your muscles to help them be more efficient and to increase flexibility.

.

For the last few weeks I have been doing on Monday mornings

And I am actually enjoying it.

The work out is hard - if anyone tells you yoga is easy, or its just stretching.. they obviously haven't done it.

Your legs are shaking, you are sweating, your muscles will be sore the next day.

And besides the physical benefits, a lot of people practice yoga for the spiritual benefits. The class I go focuses on self love - and while at first it seems hokey - maybe its not such a bad thing to spend 90 minutes on monday tell yourself that you love yourself and your body.
The meditation period at the end it relaxing, and rejuvenating.

If you are looking for a new type of exercise I would definitely look for a class.

Before you go here are some things to consider:

-Start with a class suitable for beginners - and make sure the instructors know you are new

-It's definitely beneficial to be in a class with an assistant/adjuster who can help you with your poses

 -Despite some reports you wont burn 1000 calories a session - you will burn lots, like any strength class -but not that much
-And any weight that you've lost immediately after a work out is WATER WEIGHT - all you did was sweat -out a bunch of water and now you are dehydrated.

You should be drinking at least 3 cups of water during your work out

and 3 cups for every pound you lost during your workout!

Remember - like with any new work out program you need to check with your doctor first
Especially since the heat - if you have issues with blood pressure, or don't do well in the heat I would consider doing a non-heated class.

Have you ever done yoga, power yoga, or hot yoga? What did you think?

Hip-to-Waist Ratio

We've all heard of BMI - body mass index. It is a height to weight ratio. Click Here to calculate your BMI.  It is widely used in body composition tests, and by doctors. It is a strong predictor for risk of diabetes, cancer and heart disease.
The problem with BMI is it does not take into consideration fat vs muscle, or where your body fat is located.
That is where the hip-to-waist ratio comes in.
To measure your hip-to-waist ration:
measure around the smallest part of your waist - usually near your belly button.
measure around the widest part of your hips and buttocks.
divide the waist measurement by the hip measurement and you've got your hip-to-waist ratio
According to Health Canada, a ratio less than 0.8 for women, and less than 1.0 for men is associated with lower heath risk.
This measurement is an even stronger predictor for increased health risks than BMI. This is because it gives an indication of where you store your body fat.
We've all heard terms apple shaped, and pear shaped.
Well bad news if you are apple shaped and carry most of your weight around your stomach, and less around your waist. This means that there is more fat surrounding all your internal organs, including your heart. This increases your risk of heart attack, stroke, and diabetes.

So find out your number for both these measurements, BMI and Hip-to-waist ratio. Write them down and talk to your Doctor about the implications. If either of your numbers are higher than recommended by Health Canada - talk to your doctor about an exercise regime and some nutritional advice that will help you become healthier.