One of my young teenage students at RRISD practices yoga because he wants to get taller. :) Since he is a teenager, he is almost certain to grow taller over the next few years, with or without yoga.

But did you know that for full-grown adults, yoga can actually make you taller, or at least make you look taller, and by extension, appear thinner?

When we consistently practice yoga āsana (yoga postures), we are strengthening our muscles and also improving flexibility. Through strengthening and improving flexibility, you remove tension from the muscles, which in turn allows you to stand taller.

People often ask if yoga can help you lose weight. The answer is a little bit complicated.

A vigorous yoga practice can qualify as a cardio workout, so if you follow experts' recommendations of 150 weekly minutes of moderate intensity cardio exercise, 3-4 classes per week will do the trick (not to mention the benefits to your heart health including lowering blood pressure and cholesterol).

And for the many people who practice gentler forms of yoga, yoga can support weight loss in other ways. Yoga helps to activate the sympathetic nervous system, which reduces stress hormones such as cortisol, which can indirectly lead to weight loss.

And also, yoga helps improve your mindfulness, which means that your awareness of how you're feeling is improved. This leads to better overall health choices, such as what you eat, how much water you drink, and how many hours of sleep you get per night. All these healthy habits, which are a result of your yoga practice, can lead to weight loss.

The key is *consistent* practice. For optimal health, you need to be doing a yoga practice most days per week. And that's what the 40 Day Challenge is all about.

The 2017 40 Day Challenge kicks off on Sunday, April 2, and it's the perfect time to develop your consistent yoga practice. because we're here to provide motivation and support. Challenge yourself to attend 30 practices in 40 days (either in the studio or at home) to develop a healthy habit and discover just how great you can feel. You might even grow taller! ;)

Click here to read all about the 40 Day Challenge. The link to register is at the bottom of the page.

Please let us know if you have any questions!

All my best,
Zelinda

Our 2016 40 Day Challenge is right around the corner! Studies have shown it takes 40 days to develop a healthy habit. Make this the year you develop a healthy and consistent yoga practice with our 40 Day Challenge!

By the end of the 40 days you'll see how transformational a consistent and dedicated yoga practice can be. You'll experience benefits such as:

increased strength
improved flexibility
reduced aches and pains
more ease
better stress management
improved mental focus
better sleep
more patience
better mood

And please let me remind you that EveryBody can practice yoga, no matter what's going on in your body. It's just a matter of finding the right teacher and the right class.

So if you're one of those people who've been reading our newsletter for months (or years!) but haven't made it to a class yet, or if you used to practice consistently but fell off the wagon, or if you're someone who we see on a regular basis, sign up! The 40 Day Challenge provides just the right amount of structure and motivation to create a healthy, consistent practice.

And this year, for the first time ever, I'm going to get a little crazy with the 40 Day Challenge by offering a money back guarantee. If you meet the goal of 30 classes in 40 days, and you can honestly say at the end of the 40 days that you're not feeling better than you've felt in years, I will gladly refund your 40 Day Challenge Unlimited Pass.We've been running this Challenge for 5 years now, and I can say with confidence that when people stick with it they really feel great. Even I'm signing up this year!

To read more about the 40 Day Challenge click here. To sign up and get your name on the list, click here, or you can write your own name on the 40 Day Tracker sheet the next time you visit the studio. And if you have any questions, just email me.

See you soon!

XO, Zelinda

Does Yoga Help You Lose Weight?

40 Day Challenge Begins February 7th!