What is Mind-Body Fitness?

Mind body fitness involves much more than working out. As a yoga teacher, I see many folks come to class initially to get a fit body, but find out that yoga offers much more.

My initial venture into yoga was just that, a venture into the fitness world. What yoga ultimately did was help me to quit smoking, start walking daily, eat better and eventually run a marathon. How does yoga do it? By incorporating not just your body, but your mind, into the activity.

Yoga helps us to gain patience. In some types of yoga, you hold poses for an extended period of time. Letting us take that moment to focus on breath, focus on feelings and focus on what resides inside of us. Some poses will prove difficult and you will gain patience with yourself to work through difficulties.

Yoga helps us to gain insight. Again, when you take the time for yourself, time to look at your inner self, you will gain insight. A new goal might come to mind, or perhaps the solution to a problem you have been pondering for ages.

Yoga helps us to gain fitness. Yes, yoga does help you become fit. You will gain strength and stamina as you work through the poses. Your aerobic capacity will be helped with some forms of yoga too!!

Yoga will help you to seek wellness in other areas of your life. Yoga will help you to WANT to walk instead of drive, it will encourage you to EAT HEALTHY instead of eat junk, it will help you to seek BALANCE in your life rather than being that hamster on the wheel…

So what is mind body fitness? It is a combination of activities for your body, that may encourage other changes in your physical self that help to improve your mind self….

Would you like more information on fitness of the mind or body? Please visit www.paths-to-fitness.com or if you are local to the Winona, MN area, visit www.yogafitnesswellness.com for class schedules and updates!

jennifer