Yoga For Weight Loss: My Experiments With The 100 Suryanamaskars

My Dear Readers

I personally experiment with as many popular theories (my profession related) as I can. For those who are still unclear about “What I do”, please look up the previous blogs. I have decided to share some of my experiences andachievements as well as my mistakes and short-comings.

Suryanamaskar – a rhythmic series of various yogic postures is the most complete and holistic form of exercise. It simultaneously works on the over-all stamina and the flexibility of the entire body without making one go out of breath. The known benefits of practicing suryanamaskars include regulation of digestion, menstrual cycle, sleep-pattern, metabolism, weight, stress response and an improved skin tone and memory. Weight Loss, Fat Loss and Inch Loss however remain the most sought benefits.

Due to all the hype about “size-zero figure - the 100 -Suryanamaskar remedy” and a zillion questions from clients, patients and colleagues, I decided to put the theory to test (2010).

Having been a yoga student, therapist and practitioner for almost 10 years, I had the pre-requisites - a flexible body, a good stamina and a kind of consistency in my practice of yoga in its various aspects. Also, being well-aware of my nutritional needs, my diet till date usually consists of 1800-1900 calories per day. Being 5ft 5 inches in height, 58 kilos in weight and with a BMI (body mass index) of 21.2 kg/m², my aim was to come down to 50 kilos so that my BMI would be close to the size zero BMI of 18 kg/m². 

The golden rule of yogic practices is to go about them slowly and steadily. I started with my warm-up, stretching routine and on the first day itself I found it quite easy to do about 36 suryanamaskars continuously. By the end of the first month I could maintain the continuity for 50. By the end of 50 suryanamaskars I would be drenched in sweat but never out of breath. Doing 50 wasn’t really a big deal anyway. During my Masters’ training we used to practice 4-7 sets (12 suryanamaskars = 1set) but not in continuity. We also maintained many yogasanas, each for at least 2 minutes if not longer. 

Anyway, by the end of the second month, I built stamina for 65 suryanamaskars at a stretch. After that I found myself pushing harder for every extra-suryanamaskar. I remember the day I hit 75 and experienced a peculiar strain in my back. My back strain surfaced time and again. More often than not I would find it hard to persist beyond 60 – 65. I used to practice 5 days a week on an average. Whenever I took a break for a day or two, I found it easier to do suryanamaskars. By the end of the 3^rd month, I had lost 2 kilos but I had also started to feel washed out after my yogasana practice. I took week’s break.

In the meantime, I came across an extra-ordinary yoga practitioner from Poland, who was pursuing PhD in physical education. He was55 years of age then, didn’t look a day older than 40. He told me that he could do 1008 suryanamaskars at a go, in 2 hours 50 minutes. He demonstrated over 150 suryanamaskars in about 25 minutes before my eyes. Although I found it hard to believe that he could do 1008 (isn’t that a little over the top?), but the ease with which he performed 150 or so, was quite incredible. He also told me how, at once, he had been almost obsessive about attaining Padmasana (the lotus pose) and ended up with broken knees and a year of rehabilitation.

I noticed that as this gentleman increased his speed post 10^thsuryanamaskar or so, he switched to moderate stretching while bending forward and during spinal extensions. I adapted this in my practice and managed 80 suryanamaskars without back-strain. Also, if I practiced sets of suryanamaskars rather than practicing them at a go, I could do 100 without any strain.

By the end of 4^th month I remained 56 kilos. I did not lose any additional weight. I think one’s diet has an integral role to play if one wants to attain size zero. Probably one needs to go on a diet lower than 1800 Kcal. Being in one’s ideal weight range (BMI = 18.5 – 24.99 kg/m²), it becomes difficult to shed extra kilos for the “fashionablyideal” size zero target, by suryanamaskars alone. An overweight person can drop kilos and inches faster till a certain point, but to make the transition from medically ideal to fashionably ideal BMI definitely poses a challenge. Also, an overweight person with a background of sedentary lifestyle requires at least 6-8 months of regular yoga practice for significant changes in flexibility, weight and inch-loss.

So, I did not become size zero in 4 months. Maybe I needed to persist for longer. Probably I needed to couple suryanamskars with a different diet plan. Will keep you posted about my future experiments.

Until Then…..CIAO!!

Faith and Treatment

“Do I need to have faith in your treatment to get better?” I get this question quite often.

The answer is “no you do not need faith as a pre-condition”. 

The forms of alternative medicine that I practice (Various aspects of Yoga, acupressure/sujok, mind-body medicine and energy healing) have a high therapeutic probability.

For example, the possibility of a headache responding to an acupressure point (Li 4) or an “Aspirin” tablet is quite similar. An acupressure point (Gb 31) can usually alleviate general back pain as quickly as a muscle relaxant gel. Some yogic practices like regulated breathing, Yog-nidra can work like a tranquilizer for almost everyone in general. 

Having said that, I would also like to add that, in my field, the treatment has to be individualized at various levels. So, the expertise of the therapist plays a very significant role. The same set of acu-points, meditative techniques etc. might not work for four different people with ostensibly similar symptoms.Many times due to a therapist’s incompetence, alternative forms of medicine are dismissed as a matter of faith.

Coming back to the question of faith - Faith as I understand, is a product of mind, a metaphysical phenomenon that has tremendous influence on our perception and response to situations and circumstances. 

Did you know that 35% of patients get better even on placebos if they have faith in their Doctor and his expertise?

Let’s call “faith” a kind of an interest, liking or keenness, an inclination, positive attitude, an assurance or a kind of open-mindedness. In our general lives if we take up something with an open-mind or with interest, our chances of achieving the goal become higher.  

Interest or inclination gives us extra momentum or motivation to work hard tirelessly, effortlessly and naturally.  

In the absence of interest, formula II, our dedication and hard-work (even if we crib about it) will help us achieve our goal.

So, whether or not you have faith in the treatment, you would need sincerity and patience to respond well to my treatment. 

I say sincerity, because my treatment usually requires one to do a bit of homework, whether that involves introspection, mind-body sensitization, relaxation exercises, self-acupressure, breathing or asanas or permutations and combinations of all these.

I say patience because some of these practices will require more time and effort than popping in a pill.

Treat meditation, asana, pranayama and an acupressure point like a non-invasive and a non-pharmacological medicine. Just like you pop in pills at regular intervals, you are required to take in the prescribed alternative medicine combination.If you follow it with interest topped with a hint positive attitude or faith, you will respond faster. 

Medically, I ask you my friend what do you base your faith on?

• A Theory which has proven itself in practice. (Most of my techniques are a combination of well researched scientific studies with a probability or p ≤0.05) 
•  A convincingly logical possible outcome/explanation. (I’ll be happy to give you one, if you have a question.) 
•  A testimony from a trusted one. 
•  A therapeutic experience which has broadened your perspective.

If you agree with one or more of these, we are on the same page. 

To Health and Wellness, Cheers!!

What I do and how I do it (NO PUN INTENDED!)

I was little more that slightly shocked to find out that many of my friends had at-best only a vague idea regarding what I do. 

Post the “upturned baby” blog, on a more personal note, I received questions like “Since when have you been doing this kind of stuff?”, “but weren’t you into yoga and all?”, “Did you turn the baby the same way you twirled a spoon?” (Yes! I’ll be uploading a spoon twirling video sometime soon). For once I had to apply my own therapy and breathe in a certain way to keep my anger down – Yes! I get angry, just that I don’t hold it for long.

So, this blog is dedicated to the best question of all -
“What do you do and how do you do it? No pun intended!” (As worded by a dear friend)

I practice complementary and alternative medicine. These therapies focus on individualizing the treatment and treating the body in its entirety.Also, the disease is understood from an alternative point of view, in the case of the therapies I practice, through the mind.

I have specialized in:

1) Yoga: It includes asanas/physical postures, pranayama/breath regulation, relaxation techniques and guided meditation. This is a long-term holistic treatment which constantly heals the body and the mind leading to an auto-correction of all that has gone amiss. Consequently, regular practice induces a sense of well-being in general.

2) Acupressure and Sujok: Treatment is done by applying pressure or magnets to certain points which work like a remote control. One experiences instant relief especially in conditions like neck-back pain, general musculoskeletal pains and headaches. I don’t practice acupuncture.

3) Acu-Yoga: It treats symptoms instantly and works on reversing them invariably through a combination of Acupressure and Yogic practices.

4) Mind–Body therapy and Energy Healing: Emotional baggage of some sort or the other is usually responsible for many chronic diseases and painful conditions. Along with the bodily symptoms, the mind needs to be skilfully tricked so that it stops producing certain reactions in the body. Energy healing is an umbrella term for many techniques that involve healing of the metaphysical aspects. I’ll write about how energy healing works another time.

Now I’ll try to describe how I do what I do, i.e. how I go about the treatment.

I treat the disease at multiple levels simultaneously-

1) Physical:The physical aspects of the disease like pain (ranging from musculoskeletal pain to pain due to fractures), stiffness, digestive troubles etc. are managed through acupressure and yogasanas. My patients learn 5, 10, 15 and 30 minute Acu-Yoga routines to delay (invariably) the recurrence of symptoms.

2) Etheric: Application of the magnets (sujok)regulates the electro-magnetic field of the body.One alsolearns to regulate the breath (Pranayama), which induces changes in the etheric layer or the layer of bio-chemical energy, Chi or Prana.

3) Mental/ Emotional: Guided meditation and other experiential mind-body techniques help trick the mind into relaxationresulting inmaximization of the self-healing capacity of the body. This aims at reversal of the disease altogether.

4) Intellectual: Counselling and guidance regarding the Do’s and the Don’ts; I call this intellectual because these sessions are more than just informative, they make one introspect and reflect on themselves.

Apart from doing individual therapy, I design a wide-variety of health oriented “experiential” workshops/training sessions tailor-made to suit the needs of various groups. These groups include, professionals with work related disorders, groups of people with lifestyle ailments such as back pain and similar musculoskeletal problems, high blood pressure, chronic fatigue, stress disorders etc. These workshops simultaneously aim at inducing a sense of wellness so that one feels more functional and “at –ease”.

Click on this link to see a list of my popular workshops
http://pragatioswal.com/workshop.html

Now that you know what I do and how I do it (no pun intended!), my “well-informed” friends, let me say I love you, almost unconditionally.

That’s all folks!