Breathing your way to weight loss
Different people swear by different diets - keto, low fat, no fat, low carb, protein, low starch, paleo & juice cleanses. Others focus on exercise and yoga but regardless of what diet you follow and which exercise you engage in - each person’s body goes through weight loss in the same manner.
So where does this excess weight go when we lose it?
Most people think you burn calories by sweating and exhausting yourself - others think it just burns away when you exercise. Remember how we were taught not to compare apples to oranges? So let's just say your weight can't magically be converted into energy - they are two different fruits.
So then, how does our body get rid of that excess mass?
Human fat is made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, the same elements that we exhale while we breathe. Turns out, 84% of your excess body weight is lost through breathing, and 16% of it is lost while urinating. So when we run that extra mile, our rate of breathing increases, causing us to exhale more carbon from the fat molecules.
So is exercising and pushing yourself to the maximum limit the key to weight loss?
Not in the way that you might think…
Often while exercising we hold our breaths and try to push ourselves or deprive ourselves of food and water hoping to use more stored fat. At that point, you’re hurting your body more than helping it. Your muscles need that oxygen to function, and energy is just a by-product of a lot of heavy breathing. So the next time a run seems too long or the yoga pose is very complex, take a deep breath in and let it go because I assure you the pose itself isn’t going to help the number on the weighing scale.
Breathing will be a constant for as long as you live, whether you pay attention to it or not. By becoming more aware of your breath, and making sure you aren’t holding anything back, your workout and body will thank you in the long run.
Wishing you health and happiness
Shruti
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