You feel like you are doing all the right things, but you are still not losing weight - what's going on?  STRESS: Cortisol, Betatrophin and your brain are working against you.  

In this article "Why Does Chronic Stress Make Losing Weight More Difficult" By Christopher Bergland, Psychology Today, some fascinating facts are revealed, providing sound scientific evidence and support for the importance of meeting your well-weight goals with mindfulness, movement and healthy eating.

I love the whole article, and recommend reading it beginning to end, but the two main points I want you to consider:

#1  "What can be done to break the chronic stress and weight-gain cycle? I would recommend a dual-pronged approach of stress management through mindfulness meditation and regular hormones.  Obviously, to reduce body fat and lose weight, you have to balance your calories in-calories out by exercising more and not overeating. Luckily, by becoming proactive about mindfulness, exercise, and stress reduction simultaneously you can create an upward spiral that increases metabolism and facilitates weight loss."

#2  "In 2011, Elissa Epel, who was one of the original researchers to identify the link between cortisol secretion and abdominal fat, conducted a study on the benefits of mindfulness meditation, lowering cortisol, and reducing body fat. Her findings suggest improvements in mindfulness,  stress management, and lower cortisol were associated with reductions in abdominal fat.  Mindfulness, meditation, and exercise appear to be an effective triad for minimizing stress and improving your ability to successfully lose weight."

Wellness is a complete and total concept. Your body and its' systems want to operate in balance and you have to be the one to help yourself - yoga, fitness, nutrition.

Restorative yoga is a type of yoga known for its relaxing, calming and healing effect. It has its roots in the yoga of B.K.S. Iyengar, who developed a yoga that allows students to practice without any strain or pain. This was developed into a whole style of yoga which was considered ideal for those recovering from injuries or illnesses.

Restorative yoga became popular in the United States in the 1970s, mainly thanks to a yoga teacher, Judith Lasater, who was herself a student of Iyengar.  I had the pleasure of completing training with Judith Lasater this November for  5 days! As she says,  we work very hard in our lives, and while we may sleep, we rarely take time to rest. Restorative Yoga poses help us learn to relax and rest deeply and completely. During deep relaxation, all the organ systems of the body are benefited, and a few of the measurable results of relaxation are the reduction of blood pressure and the improvement of immune function, as well as improvement in digestion, fertility, elimination, and the reduction of muscle tension and generalized fatigue.

As well as being popular with students who are recovering from illness or injury, Restorative yoga is considered an ideal balance to hectic and stressful modern lifestyles.

For Restorative yoga, the intention is to relax as far as possible into the postures, using as little physical effort as possible. The mind focuses on the breath in order to cultivate mindfulness and release tension from the body.

Restorative yoga classes tend to be relaxing and slow paced, with a whole sequence using as few as 3 or 4 postures which are held for long periods of time. Props are also used often in order to allow the body to be in the most comfortable, supported position possible. This may include bolsters, blankets, blocks and belts. Gentle music may be played, and the practice may be combined with guided meditation.

Restorative yoga stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, which slows the heart rate, regulates the blood pressure and relaxes the body. As such, Restorative yoga is considered particularly beneficial for those suffering from anxiety, insomnia or headaches, as well as other stress-related conditions.

Restorative yoga is believed to boost the immune system and accelerate the body's natural healing process.

*As defined by Yogapedia