Can breathing really affect potential weight loss?

Actually, the answer is yes. If you allow both your subconscious and conscious mind to simultaneously control your heart with properly executed breathing techniques, you can easily improve your performance and health. New Zealand researchers now believe that relaxation and breathing techniques actually work without biofeedback. In fact, they were able to show that several athletes in the study were still more powerful and had more endurance when biofeedback information was not provided. However, that's not the same as saying that biofeedback wasn't needed during the learning process. This kind of information was crucial as the athletes gradually developed the ability to lower their oxygen-consumption and ventilation rates thus creating optimum performance levels and strong energy levels.

The chemistry involved in utilizing a range of established breathing techniques is actually very straightforward. Human body fat is a combination of three elements:

Hydrogen

Carbon

Oxygen Molecules (plus other substances that are stored within the fat cells)

Add extra oxygen to the body fat, it will inevitably break down into two well known substances: H?O— water, which enters the blood stream, goes through the kidneys and is then excreted via urination, and CO?— carbon dioxide, which is excreted via respiration. Breathing techniques are used by a number of alternative medicine practitioners around the world. It is far more popular in Europe, Australia and New Zealand than in the U.S. Practitioners are also found in Canada and Mexico.

A number of instrumental books have been written promoting special breathing techniques for weight loss. Although there are skeptics, there are also many people around the world who swear by the success they have achieved in losing weight via hypnosis to help with improved breathing techniques. The bottom line is that breathing techniques are certainly worth a try. Use them immediately before a race or training session for the breathing techniques to give you optimal results. Another key point is that you must somehow not only be centered and relaxed, but also determined enough to work at your goal velocity. In a race or high intensity workout setting, that is a true juggling act, because determination often produces increased muscle tension and higher heart rates, not relaxation.

For the average person, there are only a few things you need to keep in mind regarding breathing techniques In general, inhale slowly and deeply through the nose. A healthy inhale takes about five seconds. Then exhale slowly through the mouth. Empty your lungs completely. Good breathers focus more on thorough exhalation than on inhalation. Engage your diaphragm for good breathing. The diaphragm is the sheet of muscle along the top of your abdomen that pulls your lungs down to draw in air, and then pushes your lungs up to expel carbon dioxide. With a good inhalation, your lungs puff up as your diaphragm drops. With a good exhale, your diaphragm rises. If you don't feel this muscle moving, deepen your breaths even more. Work toward breathing just six or eight deep breaths per minute. Most of us breathe more than 20 times a minute. As always, with any change you plan to make with your body, speak with your physician or a qualified health care professional if you have any special needs that might interfere when it comes to breathing techniques. If you are unfit or overweight you should consult with your doctor before starting anything new!