Massage has always been known to help relieve stress, recover from hard physical activity or injury and even reduce anxiety.
But can it help you to achieve your weight loss goals?
Research shows that massage can have a positive effect on your muscle-building capabilities and fitness levels, which in turn increases your capacity to control or lose weight.
Massage has the following benefits that can directly influence your ability to control or lose weight:
1. Massage has been shown to improve circulation and the supply of nutrients to the muscles. Massage increases the exchange of vital substances between the blood and tissue cells, which increases tissue metabolism. After muscles are exercised, vital nutrients must be supplied to them so that they can recover and rebuild themselves. Massage maximizes the supply of these nutrients and oxygen through increased blood flow, which helps the muscles to grow and burn more calories as a result.
2. Massage helps to shorten the healing time required between your workouts. Waste products such as lactic and carbonic acid build up in muscles during and after exercise. Massaging these muscles help increase circulation and eliminate toxic waste products and in doing so shorten recovery time.
3. Massage can also help reduce the chance of you over-training. It has a relaxing effect on the muscles and a calming effect on the nervous system. By helping you to rest, which is a very important element of any exercise program, massage can reduce the likelihood of you experiencing over-training syndrome {doing more exercise than required}, which is known to limit your ability lose weight with maximum efficiency.
Let’s discuss some of the types of massages:
1) Swedish Massage Therapy
This is the most common type of massage therapy. It is also known as Swedish massage or simply massage therapy.
Massage therapists use long smooth strokes, kneading, and circular movements on superficial layers of muscle using massage lotion or oil.
Swedish massage therapy can be very gentle and relaxing. If you've never had massage before, this is a good one to try first.
2) Aromatherapy Massage
Aromatherapy massage is massage therapy with the addition of one or more scented plant oils called essential oils to address specific needs mainly stress-related problems
The massage therapist can select oils that are relaxing, energizing, stress-reducing, and balancing. One of the most common essential oils used in aromatherapy massage is lavender.
3) Hot Stone Massage
Heated, smooth stones are placed on certain points on the body to warm and loosen tight muscles and balance energy centres in the body.
The massage therapist may also hold stones and apply gentle pressure with them. The warmth is comforting.
4) Deep Tissue Massage
Deep tissue massage targets the deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue. The massage therapist uses slower strokes or friction techniques across the grain of the muscle.
Deep tissue massage is used for chronically tight or painful muscles, repetitive strain, postural problems, or recovery from injury. People often feel sore for one to two days after deep tissue massage.
5) Pregnancy Massage
Also called prenatal massage, pregnancy massage is becoming increasingly popular with expectant mothers. Massage therapists who are certified in pregnancy massage know the proper way to position and support the woman's body during the massage, and how to modify techniques.
Pregnancy massage is used to reduce stress, decrease swelling, relieve aches and pains, and reduce anxiety and depression.
6) Reflexology
Although reflexology is sometimes called foot massage, it is more than simple foot massage. Reflexology involves applying pressure to certain points on the foot that correspond to organs and systems in the body. Reflexology is very relaxing, especially for people who stand on their feet all day or just have tired, achy feet.
7) Chocolate Massage. Interestingly while chocolate spells disaster for dieters it reacts quite remarkably in an opposite manner when applied on the skin! These therapies are effective and have a significant impact improving their skin texture and softening it. Chocolates have Glycerides which deliver moisturizing lipids and fats to plump and firm the skin. This firms and moisturises the skin resulting in that dream come true baby soft skin.
These improvements last from anywhere between one and a half months to two months from a single session!
Also selecting the right products, following the right procedure and training is critical for just as with any other treatment mistakes can cause complications.
So there you have it. Massage has a lot of benefits that can indirectly and possibly even directly help you in achieving your weight loss goals. But it is not only massages that will help you achieve your goal. You can include it with your regular regime of exercise and diet.
Remember, weight loss is all about leading a balanced lifestyle and massage is an essential part of any balanced lifestyle.
And remember, have fun!
Khadija. Palgharwala
Nutritionist.
But can it help you to achieve your weight loss goals?
Research shows that massage can have a positive effect on your muscle-building capabilities and fitness levels, which in turn increases your capacity to control or lose weight.
Massage has the following benefits that can directly influence your ability to control or lose weight:
1. Massage has been shown to improve circulation and the supply of nutrients to the muscles. Massage increases the exchange of vital substances between the blood and tissue cells, which increases tissue metabolism. After muscles are exercised, vital nutrients must be supplied to them so that they can recover and rebuild themselves. Massage maximizes the supply of these nutrients and oxygen through increased blood flow, which helps the muscles to grow and burn more calories as a result.
2. Massage helps to shorten the healing time required between your workouts. Waste products such as lactic and carbonic acid build up in muscles during and after exercise. Massaging these muscles help increase circulation and eliminate toxic waste products and in doing so shorten recovery time.
3. Massage can also help reduce the chance of you over-training. It has a relaxing effect on the muscles and a calming effect on the nervous system. By helping you to rest, which is a very important element of any exercise program, massage can reduce the likelihood of you experiencing over-training syndrome {doing more exercise than required}, which is known to limit your ability lose weight with maximum efficiency.
Let’s discuss some of the types of massages:
1) Swedish Massage Therapy
This is the most common type of massage therapy. It is also known as Swedish massage or simply massage therapy.
Massage therapists use long smooth strokes, kneading, and circular movements on superficial layers of muscle using massage lotion or oil.
Swedish massage therapy can be very gentle and relaxing. If you've never had massage before, this is a good one to try first.
2) Aromatherapy Massage
Aromatherapy massage is massage therapy with the addition of one or more scented plant oils called essential oils to address specific needs mainly stress-related problems
The massage therapist can select oils that are relaxing, energizing, stress-reducing, and balancing. One of the most common essential oils used in aromatherapy massage is lavender.
3) Hot Stone Massage
Heated, smooth stones are placed on certain points on the body to warm and loosen tight muscles and balance energy centres in the body.
The massage therapist may also hold stones and apply gentle pressure with them. The warmth is comforting.
4) Deep Tissue Massage
Deep tissue massage targets the deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue. The massage therapist uses slower strokes or friction techniques across the grain of the muscle.
Deep tissue massage is used for chronically tight or painful muscles, repetitive strain, postural problems, or recovery from injury. People often feel sore for one to two days after deep tissue massage.
5) Pregnancy Massage
Also called prenatal massage, pregnancy massage is becoming increasingly popular with expectant mothers. Massage therapists who are certified in pregnancy massage know the proper way to position and support the woman's body during the massage, and how to modify techniques.
Pregnancy massage is used to reduce stress, decrease swelling, relieve aches and pains, and reduce anxiety and depression.
6) Reflexology
Although reflexology is sometimes called foot massage, it is more than simple foot massage. Reflexology involves applying pressure to certain points on the foot that correspond to organs and systems in the body. Reflexology is very relaxing, especially for people who stand on their feet all day or just have tired, achy feet.
7) Chocolate Massage. Interestingly while chocolate spells disaster for dieters it reacts quite remarkably in an opposite manner when applied on the skin! These therapies are effective and have a significant impact improving their skin texture and softening it. Chocolates have Glycerides which deliver moisturizing lipids and fats to plump and firm the skin. This firms and moisturises the skin resulting in that dream come true baby soft skin.
These improvements last from anywhere between one and a half months to two months from a single session!
Also selecting the right products, following the right procedure and training is critical for just as with any other treatment mistakes can cause complications.
So there you have it. Massage has a lot of benefits that can indirectly and possibly even directly help you in achieving your weight loss goals. But it is not only massages that will help you achieve your goal. You can include it with your regular regime of exercise and diet.
Remember, weight loss is all about leading a balanced lifestyle and massage is an essential part of any balanced lifestyle.
And remember, have fun!
Khadija. Palgharwala
Nutritionist.
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