Changes I've noticed since I started doing yoga

I'm an "on and off" yogi, I have been since I was a teenager. I've never been great at sticking to things and yoga is one of those things. Only in the last couple of years have I been dedicating myself more and more to a yoga practice. Even then, I have had times where I've stopped for a while. But the more I stick to it there more I realise it's something I want to become a part of my daily routine. I'm not the most flexible or the strongest, and yoga is one of those things I think you can be a beginner at for many many years, but even in the short time I've been practicing I've noticed some great body and mind benefits.

The first thing I notice when sticking to a daily yoga practice is a reduced sweet tooth. I've always had a big taste for chocolate and cakes, but if I can practice yoga consistently (especially kundalini yoga) I find that my taste for sweet foods decreases dramatically and I prefer my sweet foods to be berries or other sweet fruits. I am happier eating nutrient dense meals with lots of fruits and veggies and brown rice and beans. Yoga might not burn a lot of calories but if you dedicate yourself to it you may find you lose weight as a result of changing tastebuds. A lot of other people having discussed how starting yoga has cured addictions to nicotine and drugs. It's worth a try!

Reduced back pain. A few years ago I was having chronic bouts of sciatica three or four times a year after falling off a horse. I had to take weeks off work and the doctor was being completely useless about helping me. I started yoga when I was suffering any sciatica, just general mild back pain, and after a few months of solid practice, I just stopped getting it...that was two years ago and I've never had it since. I used to get quite a bit of general lower back pain and that seems to have gone away too.

A quick increase in upper body strength. If you focus on some upper body poses, you will quickly find a great increase in upper body strength. Planks are well known for being a great workout for arm and plank muscles, and there are many variations of plank found in yoga include side planks, forearm planks and "dolphin pose" which is another pose which works the arms hard. After just a few weeks of consistent practice I find my arms to be much stronger. My arms are probably the weakest part of my body, I have quite a bit of lower body strength but very little upper body strength. I'm never going to be a weightlifter, but being strong enough to lift and hold my own body weight is something yoga has taught me how to do.

Less knee pain. I'm not quite sure how this one works, as yoga can involve a lot of knee bends. I guess it's perhaps the muscles that support the knee increasing in strength. In the past I played roller derby which is very tough on the knees and I took a couple of really nasty tumbles while on my skates. For whatever reason, I have very little knee pain when I commit to a regular yoga practice.

The last thing I have noticed is a reduction in tiredness, despite getting up an hour earlier to commit to an hour's practice of yoga. I sleep better at night and seen to wake earlier in the morning, I have a reduced need for coffee throughout the day and I usually just drink coffee for the taste rather than the stimulant effect these days. Overall my energy levels just seem to stay at a more even kilter throughout the day and I'm truly grateful for that!

Starting a yoga practice can seem like a big challenge, however there are many 10 minute Youtube tutorials. You don't need to start out with an hour every day at 5am and making a big deal out of, starting out with 10 minutes a day and a class once every few weeks is fine. I do recommend at least an occasional class because your instructor will be able to see issues your alignment in ways that you may not notice if you are practicing at home, and this will prevent you from getting hurt. It's also so important to progress slowly in yoga and work up to more complicated or difficult poses slowly. With the rise of yoga competitiveness on Instagram and the like, it's common for people to really want to do something like scorpion pose or just head and handstands before they are ready. Also, everybody has different strengths and weaknesses when it comes to yoga. I am more flexible than strong so some poses are easier for me than others. Practicing slowly, getting to know your body and listening to it are key in developing a strong and lasting yoga practice. If you end up hurting yourself off the bat you can pretty much guarantee you won't stick to it and you won't see the benefits long term.