The time to stretch out with yoga is now. As we welcome 2009 with a fresh start, part of your resolution might include getting fit with the ancient stretching and breathing exercises known as yoga. Yoga isn’t all just posing and breathing,  it’s also about having the right equipment to practice with.

With yoga as an ongoing trend in health and fitness, the equipment is as important as the studios, instructors, and clothes in terms of overall performance. When you are preparing to go to yoga class, make sure to wear yoga pants or shorts that are loose fitting or stretchy so you can move freely without bunching or being uncomfortable.

Pair the loose pants or shorts with a tank top, t-shirt and/or a sports bra depending on coverage you are comfortable with. No special shoes are required, barefoot is the way to go, so slip on flip flops on your way to the studio.

Beyond having comfy clothes for your yoga experience, the next step is to get a good yoga mat. Probably the most important part of yoga is to stay balanced and poised in the positions within your own space and buying your own mat is the safest, most sanitary way to ensure a positive energy throughout your workout.

If yoga is as new to you as it is to me, a ball could be helpful for stabilizing your body during seated poses until your balance completely develops with experience. There are many sizes of yoga balls based on height so you can sit and move without straining to reach the floor. At-home exercise books and tapes often are geared toward including a yoga ball and some are included in a beginner’s yoga kit with further instructions.

ZERO BODY fat may make Mick Jagger and his fellow Stones the poster-boys
of cocaine chic, but the average Joe should target to achieve healthier
 body fat percentages.

Athletes and other high-level performers like Sir Mick  typically
are at the low end of this scale. Working out daily with a dance
instructor, who helps him plot out his stage moves, keeps Jagger fit,
but there are other less creative ways of fighting body fat.

Everyone has a unique metabolic rate that can affect how quickly
he or she loses or gains weight. If your metabolic rate is lower
than average, you can gain weight even on a diet.

How much fat you have also depends on your resting metabolic rate ,
 which is essentially how many calories your body burns sitting still
just to maintain basic bodily functions. The numbers can vary from person
 to person by as much as 1,000 calories a day or more, which is why some
people can stuff their faces and still say thin while others start storing
fat after each meal.

Still, they give you a basic number to work on and help you figure out
how many calories you burn in a day naturally and how many more you need
 to burn through added activity to stay trim. Once you exercise, the
 metabolism goes up and helps you shed kilograms.

“Some people have a foolish way of not minding, or pretending not to mind, what they eat. For my part, I mind my belly very studiously, and very carefully. For I look upon it, that he who does not mind his belly will hardly mind anything else.” – Samuel Johnson (poet, essayist, biographer, lexicographer)

Nowadays, people are so conscious about their health and body figure. Many people regularly visit the gym for weight training, cardiovascular exercise, or to simply have friends who share their passion for fitness. Many fitness gyms offer the latest in weight and cardio-machines. Others specialize in special fitness programs or routines like Pilates, Tae-Bo, Belly Dancing, Hip-Hop Exercises, and even Pole Dancing.

But lately, Yoga and Tai Chi classes have been gaining popularity especially among women and above-40 fitness buffs. These Indian and Chinese methods of meditation and exercise are popular due to the health benefits experienced by those practice them. Many health buffs claim that they now enjoy a stress and anxiety-free lifestyle because of their Tai Chi and Yoga lessons.

Studies show that these kinds of exercise do have beneficial effects on the mind and body. These religious-philosophical movements gave emphasis to the state of Zen. According to Buddhism, the term “zen” refers to the attainment of a stage of “awakening.” This belief was introduced in China by a Buddhist monk named Bodhidharma in A.D. 520. According to studies, people who cling to the teachings of Zen endeavor to achieve “satori” which is also called “nirvana”. “Satori” in general can only be reached through a meditation called “zazen” which, in turn, leads to a state of mushin or “no mind”. Mushin is the ability to see things more clearly mentally. It means that one's judgment will not be blurred with negative thoughts. Although this belief originated from the south, many Western students and practitioners of Yoga and Tai-Chi are satisfied with the health and vitality it brings

Everyone comes to yoga for different reasons. Sometimes these differences are slight, other times they’re vast.

For instance, are you interested in an intense physical workout to throbbing music, or are you on more of a spiritual path towards (quiet) enlightenment? Are you attracted to yoga because of its health benefits, and if so, is it physical or emotional health you are most interested in?

Are you interested in the philosophy and rich traditions of yoga, or are you on the other extreme and wouldn’t be caught dead reciting a mantra?

Whatever your personal needs and proclivities, there’s a yoga for you. If several flavors of yoga are offered in your area, do your research online or in the library to find which style would be the best fit for you.

Once you know what it is you’re looking for, you can set some goals. Call the teacher of the beginner yoga class you’re considering and ask if your expectations are reasonable.