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About Kara-Leah GrantKL's the founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Yoga Lunchbox, mother to a toddler and passionate about both writing and yoga. She lives in Wellington, teaches yoga and is excited about heading make into the workplace. She also loves to cook while blasting dance music and reliving her go go dancing days.
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[...] presents Will yoga give me a great body? posted at Prana Flow NZ, saying, “You may think that a yoga class is just lying around doing [...]
I love this article, and have shared it with lots of people, as it definitely sums up my experience of yoga. I had a baby earlier this year, and people are constantly commenting on how I “got my figure back”. What I’ve tried to explain, many times, and what most people don’t understand is that I’ve had my figure – my body – the whole time, and it has been perfect throughout, regardless of size and shape. I do think it is thanks to yoga that I’ve come back to my pre-baby shape fairly rapidly, not because I am any more special than anyone else, or because I’ve been dieting and exercising like crazy! Instead like you KL my body tells me what I need, in terms of food and movement, and that is what I do. There is no secret to this stuff!! Just invite yoga into your life, have some fun, and learn to trust yourself…it won’t just be your body that thanks you, either. Being more relaxed, feeling healthy, strong, supple, and connected to the universe definitely makes me an easier person to be around!
Thanks for writing this stuff KL – love your work T xx
Hey Trudi,
I’ve known a few yogis now who’ve had babies… and they report the same experience as you. You sum it up so well when you say “invite yoga into your life, have some fun, and learn to trust yourself”
Thanks for sharing!!!
KL
I have practiced iyengar yoga for 13 years and seen many benefits, I would always say you get the body you work for, the Natural body, even expectant mothers, always say it help with an easy birth
Hey Chakra Man,
I’d have to agree with you – we do have the body we work for as such. Our body is the sum total of everything we do.
Thanks for stopping by,
KL
So well said and well written! Added yoga to my exercise routine about 4 months ago – I have asthma and anxiety and have already seen the improvement in these areas as well as overall fitness and state of mind. Thx for sharing!!
Hey Kate
Great to hear – love knowing how yoga has made a difference in people’s lives.
Hi.
I have always wanted to have a figure, a slender body. But that doesn’t seem to work for me. Right now I am 16 and I don’t think dieting is the answer. So, I decided I want to work towards that with the help of yoga. I am a beginner right now, so I don’t know too much about yoga and how it would help. But your article inspired me, I am going to perform yoga regularly but I want to know will it be beneficial a 100%?
Thank you!
Hey Terry,
There’s no doubt that regular yoga practice can have a profound impact on our bodies & minds – exactly what impact it will have depends on who we are. We all have different bones, different body proportions, different muscle structure, different places we store fat… Yoga teaches us to take right action – looking after our well-being – without being attached to the results – wanting to look a particular way.
As you practice, you’ll feel better and better. Your body will change slowly over time and you’ll become more of who You are.
So will yoga be 100% beneficial? Yes & no – if you commit to the practice 100%, and let go of the results, it will be 100% beneficial. Will it give you what you’re looking for? Maybe not… but by then, you may want something else anyway
Blessings,
KL
I’ve been thinking of enrolling myself in an upcoming yoga class for a little while now, and I wasn’t too sure about it, but now that I know the benefits of it , i’m definately going to start
i’d like to get an early start on my overall health, because i’ll have this body for the rest of my life! afterall, i’m only 14 
Hey Jessica,
Great attitude! I wish I’d started yoga at 14… instead of 25. Would have made a big difference to my life I think. Try a few different styles and teachers until you find the one that works for you.
I wish I started at 25 instead of 40
I guess it’s never too late.
keep at it.
good luck!
Or even 15! Imagine!
Fantastic article! I was searching for a little motivation. I just began doing hot yoga, which seems to take the pressure off my joints (I have rheumatoid arthritis) and I find I am more capable of performing some of the postures. I just finished up day four and reading this bumped my excitement up a little for tomorrow! Thanks!
Glad to be of service!
Hey Tenesia,
I hope you’re able to maintain that excitement & motivation. So worth committing to a yoga practice, as no doubt you’re beginning to discover.
Hello,
How many yoga classes should I receive per week? Right now I receive two per week, I was just wondering if that is enough.
Thanks!!
Hey Nancy,
Great question! And I have one for you… enough for what?
The more yoga you do, the faster you’ll see benefits and results. Two classes a week is twice as many benefits and results as one class. So you decide. Do you want the kind of results you can get from five classes a week, or two classes a week?
I hate life and am extremely dissatisfied and miserable. I have had a terrible life, very traumatic (unbelievably so), and at the moment I have no one who loves or cares about me (I have no family, grew up in foster care).
I went through a lot of gym-junkie workout binge phases, but lately I let myself go. I am in my mid-20′s. I finally decided I am going to get in shape again, but now I have a bad knee (and I hate cardio anyway), and I don’t have a car at the moment, so gym isn’t exactly a solution. I’m so out of shape at this point that for the first time in my life I am seeing fat on my stomach and even a little on my arms, and walking down a flight of stairs has me breathing heavier than normal. It’s really bad. I work with computers, and at home, and lately have become very introverted and just want to be alone, so I just spend all day working or playing on the computer. It’s really terrible, I know. Between my awful diet and complete lack of exercise, I know this is probably a large cause of my current unhappiness and somewhat antisocial behavior. Additionally, my body is basically falling apart and I bet it’s a result of the same.
The idea just popped into my head to maybe try yoga, ad to throw away all the aversions I had to it because it’s “a girl thing”. I guess that’s a result of growing up a bit and becoming more of a mature adult. Reading your blog on this page, you are basically convincing me that yoga is precisely what I need for my life. I hope that it will transform my body (back to what it was) and my depressed attitude toward life. Let’s see how it goes. I just don’t know where to begin.
Hey Guy,
Great idea! Just start… do you know any friends who go to yoga? Best bet is to find your way to a highly recommended kind and supportive yoga teacher who does great work with beginner’s and understands how to work with injuries. Ask around, check the local noticeboards and newspapers, go on the hunt.
If you can’t find a real live teacher, hit the internet as there are loads of resources online, including many free classes. If a teacher doesn’t work for you, try another teacher, and another. Don’t be put off if the yoga seems too ‘easy’ or not enough of a ‘workout’. When you find a teacher you like, invest in their DVD. Baron Baptiste and Rodney Yee both have some good DVD and books for beginners.
If you can though, you really want to find a good teacher to work with in person – it makes the world of difference!
Good luck with your search, and the beginning of your yoga adventure.
KL
Estoy pasando por una fuerte depresión a raiz de ello me inscribí en yoga y danza arabe, llevo poco mas de una semana realizándolo…Mi pregunta es :¿ Veré los beneficios del yoga al realizar otra actividad como la danza arabe, o es mejor que realice solo yoga y deje las clases de danza arabe?..
Espero que me respondan
Saludos y gracias
Hola Maria
Creo que puedes hacer los dos, la danza arabe y yoga. Los dos ejercicios son muy bueno para tu cuerpo. Creo que los beneficios de los dos son similares. Me encanta yoga, siento que es bueno para mi mente y mi cuerpo. No he hecho danza arabe. Hacer lo que te encanta.
Espero que puedes entenderme y mi español!
Saludos! Pip