“Yoga can be a good source of exercise,” said Jorianne Numbers, MS, an exercise physiologist with Northwestern Medicine. At the most basic level, she said, yoga is a form of movement that helps you burn calories, which is a major part of losing weight (though your exact amount burned will depend on your height, weight, and gender).
But there’s more behind yoga’s relationship with weight loss than first meets the eye. An effective practice also fosters a mind-body connection that makes you more mindful in every facet of your life. “Yoga brings you into a heightened state of awareness,” explained Lara Heimann, physical therapist, yoga instructor, and founder of LYT Method, a yoga certification program. Moving through different poses and holds increases your awareness of your body, and that can translate to other effective weight-loss habits, like eating healthy, which is key for losing weight no matter what exercise you’re doing. (Try this two-week clean eating plan to get started.) “The congruency between mindfulness on and off of the mat is what can make yoga more effective for weight loss than other forms of exercise,” Lara told POPSUGAR.
Yoga has long been regarded as an effective way to relieve stress, and that on its own can be a weight-loss tool. “Having a less stressful life, and fewer stress hormones such as cortisol, can help anyone lead a healthier lifestyle,” explained Liza Janda, a certified yoga instructor at Yoga Janda. Cortisol is an appetite stimulant, hence why we tend to eat (and overeat) when we’re stressed out and to crave unhealthy foods in particular. A relaxing yoga practice can help you deal with stress in a healthier way and even avoid it, and the related weight gain, altogether. (Try this relaxing yoga sequence or one of these stress-busting yoga videos to see for yourself.)
Which Practices Are Best For Weight Loss?
If you’re looking for pure calorie burn, our experts agreed that fast-paced Vinyasa yoga is the practice to choose. “A good Vinyasa class will take you through a variety of movements, with a focus on integrating your core and weight-bearing on your hands and feet,” Lara explained. Imagine a classic flow from plank to tricep push-up to upward facing dog – you’re getting a core burn, working your triceps, then using your arms to hold up your bodyweight as you stretch. This kind of weight-bearing move “increases heart rate and builds muscle,” Liza told POPSUGAR. The more muscle you build, the more calories you’ll burn even after you’re done exercising.
Power yoga is another good choice, Jorianne told POPSUGAR, though it’s more intense and better suited for people who are already in good shape. “In power yoga, there is less meditation and more of a focus on standing poses and faster-paced movement,” she explained. Your heart will pump even harder than in a Vinyasa class, which is good news for losing weight; Liza recommended aiming for a heart rate that’s 55 to 85 percent of your maximum to get the most calories burned out of a class. (Use this guide to calculate your max heart rate and find your target zones.)
And what about hot yoga? “Vinyasa classes burn more calories than the hot yoga,” Lara told POPSUGAR. “Hot yoga makes you feel like you’re working harder than you actually are because your body is just trying to thermoregulate.” Basically, sweating more doesn’t mean you’re burning more calories. “The sweat you produce should come simply from physical exertion,” Liza said, not from temperature.
A more gentle yoga class, such as Hatha, won’t burn as many calories. But it can benefit your mental health and decrease stress levels while helping you be more mindful, all of which have weight-loss benefits as well.
How Often Should I Do Yoga to Lose Weight?
For the best weight-loss results, Liza recommended doing yoga three times a week. Continue to stay active and get your heart rate on the other three to four days as well, whether through cardio, weightlifting, or HIIT workouts of 45 minutes to an hour. (We recommend this dance workout for cardio, this Nike weightlifting workout, and this belly-targeting HIIT circuit, all 45 minutes in length.) And keep your nutrition in mind, too. “Exercise alone without dieting makes losing weight hard,” Jorianne said. “Weight loss occurs when you burn more calories than you consume.”
One type of skin lesion that can
mimic a pimple is a milia. These pale, raised dots
frequently appear around the eyes, but milia can also show up on other areas of
the skin.
“Milia can look like whiteheads,
but they are actually tiny keratin cysts that form in a pore.
Since milia are encased under skin, they can sit there for months
bothering you unless they are extracted,” board-certified
dermatologist
Dr. Heather Downes
told INSIDER.
Milia are harmless, but many people want to be rid of them for cosmetic reasons. Dermatologists typically puncture the skin with a sterile instrument and then use a tool called a comedone extractor to squeeze them out of the skin. According to Healthline, chemical peels and topical retinoids may also be helpful in clearing away milia.
Rosacea can cause red patches and bumps on the skin.
“Patients with rosacea have very
sensitive skin. Their skin gets easily irritated by sunlight,
cold wind, and irritating skin products. As a result, their skin
can turn red and form small. temporary pink bumps and pustules
that look like acne, but are actually bumps of inflammation,”
explained Dr. Downes.
Periorificial dermatitis can cause “breakouts” around the nose and mouth.
Periorificial dermatitis causes clusters of small, itchy, and
sometimes sore red bumps on the face. When the condition affects
the lower half of the face, it may be known by the more specific
term of perioral dermatitis.
If you think you have body acne,
you may want to make sure it’s not actually folliculitis. This is
a condition in which
normal hair follicles become
inflamed or infected,
resulting in small red bumps. It most commonly occurs on the
chest, back, arms, and legs.
“The bumps look like acne, but if
you look closely, you will see the pattern follows hair your
follicles. This condition is usually caused by bacteria but can
sometimes be caused by yeast in the skin,” board-certified
dermatologist Dr.
Jerome Potozkin told
INSIDER.
Prevention includes showering after exercise or hot tub use to remove sweat and bacteria, as well as using gentle antibacterial soap on affected areas. Treatment options range from topical antibacterial agents and anti-yeast medicines to oral medications. The AAD advised that if you keep your immune system healthy and stop doing whatever is causing the folliculitis, it will usually go away.
Sebaceous hyperplasia can look like large pimples.
These benign growths often appear
reddish with a hint of yellow or white, Dr. Potozkin explained.
They tend to be inherited and
most commonly appear on the face of older
adults, though they
can occur at any age.
Molluscum contagiosum can cause doughnut-shaped bumps on the skin.
Though acne pimples are caused by
bacteria on the skin, similar-looking lesions can actually be
caused by a viral infection.
“Molluscum contagiosum is a viral
skin condition that can cause doughnut-shaped pink or
skin-colored bumps on the skin. When small, these may be confused
with pimples,” Dr. Bard told INSIDER.
“Some might mistake keratosis
pilaris for acne, but it’s a genetic condition that occurs when
the skin doesn’t exfoliate normally and the keratin blocks the
pores, causing these tiny bumps,” Dr. Debra Jaliman, dermatologist and assistant professor of
dermatology at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, told
INSIDER.
The bumps caused by keratosis pilaris are often light-colored and tend to crop up on the arms. Dr. Jaliman advised that the condition can be treated using lotions that contain keratolytic agents such as salicylic acid. Keratolytic agents cause the outer layer of the skin to loosen and shed, helping to exfoliate areas affected by keratosis pilaris.
Your pimples might be an allergic reaction.
Some skin products can clog pores
and cause acne, but even many non-comedogenic products may cause
rashes and allergic reactions that can look like acne.
“An allergic reaction could cause
red bumps that may look similar to pimples. An allergic reaction
tends to itch, while acne doesn’t cause itching,” explained Dr.
Jaliman.
Dr. Jaliman advised that people with sensitive skin should avoid products with fragrance, as it’s a common source of skin sensitivity and skin allergy. Preservatives used in makeup can also cause allergic reactions, and some people may experience skin problems as a reaction to certain foods or allergens like pollen.
Chickenpox can cause a rash that looks surprisingly like acne.
“Chickenpox is quite commonly
mistaken for acne. That is because it causes an itchy rash along
with small blisters that are filled with fluid,” Dr.
Hardik Soni, emergency
medicine physician and medical director of Ethos Spa, Skin, and
Laser Center, told INSIDER.
If you’re prone to pimples on your body, you may mistake chickenpox for just another breakout. However, the virus will usually eventually cause fever, aches, and pains. Though the symptoms of chickenpox are usually worse in adults, the condition does normally resolve by itself in about a week without any special treatment. It may be worth visiting your doctor anyway to confirm a diagnosis and get advice for alleviating your symptoms.
Dr. Soni told INSIDER that staph
infections often cause pimple-like boils, bumps, and redness that
can be easily mistaken for acne. Unlike normal pimples, staph
infections can process to pus-filled blisters or large patches of
irritated skin.
Though most staph infections are minor and will clear up on their own, some can lead to life-threatening conditions such as septicemia or an infection of the inner lining of the heart. If you suspect you have a staph infection or have a skin lesion that isn’t getting better, head to your doctor for a diagnosis.
A type of skin cancer can look like pimples.
One of the most alarming types of
acne-mimickers is a type of skin cancer called basal cell
carcinoma.
“Basal cell carcinoma is the most
common skin cancer and is often mistaken for a pimple. Pimples
usually resolve over days to weeks. If instead, it lasts several
months, you should see a board-certified dermatologist as it
might need to be biopsied to rule out skin cancer,” Dr. Downes
advised INSIDER.
The good news is that basal cell
carcinoma is considered a low-risk skin cancer. According to the
Skin Cancer Foundation, it is only life-threatening
in exceedingly rare
cases.
“The risk of it spreading in the
body
is close to
zero. It is just
locally destructive to adjacent tissues,” explained Dr.
Downes.
The typical treatment involves
surgically removing the affected area. Even though basal cell
carcinoma isn’t usually an aggressive type of cancer,
it can result in scarring if left
untreated for too long. Get any suspicious marks or bumps checked
sooner rather than later to catch skin cancer early.
Kale is a highly nutritious food that is also a favorite with individuals looking to manage their weight. It is a versatile leafy green that can be included in meals raw or cooked, although slightly steaming it has been studied to provide maximum nutritional value.
Here are some nutritional facts and health benefits about this superfood.
Kale is one of the most nutrient dense foods available. It has a plethora of vitamins and minerals that possess a number of health benefits. Everything from vitamins A, B, C and K to manganese, calcium, copper, potassium, magnesium, iron and phosphorus is present in kale.
Yet, despite its nutrient density, kale remains one of the most healthy low-calorie foods available. All nutrients come with a mere 33 calories in one cup of raw kale. Of these, there are 6 grams of carbs, 2 of which are fiber, and 3 grams of protein.
2. Ideal for weight management
Given its low calorie count, kale is often considered a good choice for people looking to lose weight. It is known to be a good option for dramatically increasing the total nutrient content of the diet without adding in the calories.
Kale does contain some fat content, a large portion of which is part of the omega 3s known as linolenic acid; linolenic acid is considered a healthy fat to include in the diet. Together these features make kale a most suitable food to consume when trying to lose or manage weight.
3. Vitamin K content
While kale does boast a vast nutrient profile, its vitamin K content deserves special mention. This is because kale is one of the best sources of vitamin K with one cup of raw kale yielding almost seven times the recommended daily amount.
Vitamin K is essential for blood clotting as well as for proper absorption of calcium for healthy bone development. Low intakes of vitamin K have been linked to a higher risk of bone fracture, while adequate vitamin K consumption improves calcium absorption and contributes to improved bone density.
4. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties
Like other leafy greens, kale is also very high in antioxidants.
The different flavonoids present in kale combine both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits in a way that kale becomes a leading dietary choice for preventing oxidative stress and chronic inflammation.
Among these kaempferol and quercetin are instrumental in neutralizing inflammation. The vitamin K content in kale is also crucial for helping regulate the body’s inflammatory response. And being an alkaline food, kale can also help cleanse the blood.
5. Cancer prevention
A combination of inflammation and oxidative stress are risk factors for the development of cancer. In kale, the concentration of flavonoids and carotenoids have clearly been linked to many cancer preventive benefits.
Plus, the chlorophyll content found in kale and other green vegetables is not readily absorbed by the human intestinal tract. Instead this chlorophyll helps inhibit the absorption of carcinogenic elements. In this manner, the chlorophyll in kale binds to these carcinogens and prevents their absorption, thereby reducing the risk of cancer.
6. Cardiovascular support
The fiber, potassium, vitamin B6 and vitamin C content in kale can all support heart health. To lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, an increase in potassium intake while reducing sodium intake is recommended.
At the same time, kale contains substances called bile acid sequestrants which bind bile acids in the digestive tract and prevent them from being reabsorbed. This feature helps in lowering cholesterol levels which in turn can reduce the risk of heart disease over time.
7. Diabetes management
It has been studied that individuals with diabetes exhibit lower or improved blood glucose levels when they follow a high fiber diet. Kale has a fair amount of dietary fiber that can help improve glucose level readings and there is also an antioxidant known as alpha lipoic acid which is beneficial in lowering glucose levels, increasing insulin sensitivity and preventing oxidative stress in individuals with diabetes.
Inclusion of kale on the menu can contribute to a healthy daily intake of alpha lipoic acid.
8. Vision health
Kale offers good supplies of lutein and zeaxanthin which are carotenoid antioxidants needed for good eye health. These carotenoids help prevent damage to the eyes from excessive exposure to ultraviolet light, as well as protect the retina against oxidative damage. At the same time, lutein and zeaxanthin are also known to reduce disability from glare, enhance contrast and reduce photo stress recovery times.
It has been studied that individuals who consume enough lutein and zeaxanthin have a much lower risk of age related eye disorders such as macular degeneration and cataracts.
8. Vision health
Kale offers good supplies of lutein and zeaxanthin which are carotenoid antioxidants needed for good eye health. These carotenoids help prevent damage to the eyes from excessive exposure to ultraviolet light, as well as protect the retina against oxidative damage. At the same time, lutein and zeaxanthin are also known to reduce disability from glare, enhance contrast and reduce photo stress recovery times.
It has been studied that individuals who consume enough lutein and zeaxanthin have a much lower risk of age related eye disorders such as macular degeneration and cataracts.
10. Evidence based detox food
Detox foods work to cleanse the liver and remove toxins from the system. In this respect, kale and other leafy greens that are high in chlorophyll are very beneficial. Plant chlorophylls can extract environmental toxins from the blood stream and neutralize heavy metal, chemicals and pesticides.
At the same time kale also yields fiber and sulfur, both of which are needed for detoxifying the body and keeping the liver healthy. Sulfur compounds in particular are required for supporting and completing Phase II detoxification in humans.
This cat tent is super easy to make – you really just need a t-shirt, some wire hangers and a piece of cardboard. As a bonus, it really only takes five minutes, so if your cat ignores it you didn’t put too much effort in. 😉
Step 1: What You’ll Need:
a cat
a medium t-shirt
a 15 x 15-inch piece of cardboard (mine was 13×15 and a little wonky)
two wire hangers
tape
safety pins
something to cut the hangers with and help bend them – I used a large pair of pliers. 🙂
Step 2: Cut the Hangers
Cut off both squiggly ends. I untwisted mine and then cut, but that’s not really necessary.
Step 3: Shape the Hangers + Reinforce the Cardboard If Needed
Shape the hangers so they look like the above – try to make them smooth and pretty uniform. You want two graceful curves that will go from corner to corner of your piece of cardboard.
I also took this time to tape on a couple supports to the cardboard and tape all around the edges for a little more stability. This is really only necessary if you’re using a piece of cardboard with a crease in it.
Step 4: Poke a Hole in Each Corner
You should be able to use the end of the hanger to do this!
Make sure it’s at least a half inch in from each edge and not too large.
Step 5: Tape the Two Hangers Together
Cross the two hangers in the middle and make sure all the ends touch the surface you’re working on. Tape them together really well so they don’t shift.
Push the ends through the holes you just made in the corners.
Step 6: Bend the Ends and Tape Them Down
Bend at least an inch on the bottom of each hanger so it sits against the bottom of the cardboard. Tape the ends down flat against the cardboard – make sure you tape it well so it’s nice and smooth and won’t snag the shirt when you pull it over!
Step 7: Check and Make Sure Everything’s Lined Up
At this point you can bend the wire so that it looks nicer – fiddle around with it and use the pliers if you need to straighten it out a bit. 🙂
Step 8: Create a Tent!
Pull the shirt over the tent frame and position it so the neck hole is in the front middle and the bottom of the shirt is trailing behind the tent frame.
Flip the whole thing up so the bottom is facing you and the hole is pointing upwards.
Fold up the excess from the bottom of the shirt and tighten it up so the neck hole is taut and safety pin the bottom in place. Then pull the sleeves tight and safety pin them in place too.
As you can see in the last image, it should be pretty tight over the frame. Keep tucking and safety pinning until it’s ready!
As you can see in the last image, it should be pretty tight over the frame. Keep tucking and safety pinning until it’s ready!
(Yes, I know it would make sense to cut it, but I decided to leave it whole and safety pin it instead so it would be easy to remove and wash. :D)
Step 9: Give It to Your Cat!
I put a paper bag inside as a floor since it’s been pretty hot here and a blanket would be waaaaay too warm. I also put a little catnip inside as a bonus.
Mws R Writings 
