Yoga for Eating Disorder Recovery with Videos

First off, let me say that the treatment of eating disorders runs dear to my heart. For several years of my life I suffered from a string of eating disorders. It was a secretive, dark and lonely time for me. One day I got tired of having an obsessive relationship with food and decided it was time to change for good. I've been living eating disorder free since August 2006. This journey of recovery has not been perfect but I've stayed committed. Over time my relationship with food and my body has evolved.


 I started yoga practice the same year I entered recovery. Yoga and the mindfulness practices have been absolutely transformational. So much so that I've devoted my life to sharing these teachings with others. Through yoga I learned to be more aware of my body, thoughts and feelings. From my perspective, when you are more in tune with your experience in the present moment you naturally find yourself making more intuitive and healthy choices - rather than letting obsession guide you.

According to one study, yoga practitioners have 60% less eating disorder symptoms and individuals who engage in cardio exercise have 40% more symptoms of eating disorder. Many individuals who battle with eating disorders are actively engaging in rigorous cardiovascular activity to try to loose weight or balance the scales from a binge. Before I found yoga, I was a long distance runner and I enjoyed burning off tons of calories in a short amount of time. However, if you really want to create a healthier relationship to food and your body - cardio may not be the best exercise option. 

Yoga practice is geared towards promoting union or balance of the body mind and spirit. It helps you listen to your thoughts, feelings, body signals and even the energy of the world around you. Oftentimes, when an experience is uncomfortable or challenging we want to avoid it. I love the quote by Robert Frost, "The best way out is always through." In my experience recovering from eating disorders and working with those in recovery you have to dive into the dark uncomfortable experiences of life in order to move on from them.  Yoga can help you learn to be in the present moment rather than spending your days lost in thoughts and hoping for change. It's like standing up and saying, "I'm ready and willing to do what it takes to get better." 

If you're interested in starting a yoga practice here are some suggestions:

• Find a well-trained yoga teacher in your area. Preferably one with at least a few years of experience or trained in yoga therapy.
• Consider whether you'd prefer: private sessions, small group sessions or normal public classes. Sometimes students benefit most from one-on-one work while other times the experience of having a community is equally healing. 
• Notify your teacher of the journey your on so that they can support you and customize the practice to meet your specific needs. 
• Practice regularly most research on yoga therapy suggests that "dosage" or frequency of practice is integral. Aim to practice 2-3x per week for a minimum of one hour.

Keri Marino is an internationally Registered Yoga Teacher, Propmaker, and Yoga Therapist.  She owns and operates Yoga Unique LLC offering mobile Private classes, Yoga Therapy and Yoga props. Keri teachers both privately and publicly around the Greenville area. Check out more here: YogaUnique

Why I Practice Yoga

Me in Camel Pose 2009.

My first yoga experience was at home with a Rodney Yee DVD. The first time I came into Down Dog I literally yelped with discomfort. After long-distance running for many years my legs and hips were super tight. I wasn't anywhere near being able to touch my toes and stretching was extremely uncomfortable. Yet, somewhere deep inside I felt drawn towards the practice. Then one day, I got up the courage to attend an actual yoga class at my university recreation center. The teacher was a skinny dude with a calm voice and an observant personality. I had a hard time following along with all the lefts and rights. At one point in the class the teacher walked my way leaned over, giggled softly, and asked me in a non-judgemental way, "What are you doing?"  He helped me find the same position as the rest of the class without skipping a beat. I had a really hard time focusing my mind at first. It was hard not thinking about 100 other things...like how stupid my clothes looked compared to the cute clothes on the pretty girls practicing beside me.

Somehow, by the end of the first yoga class I was actually able to listen. I heard the teacher talk about focusing on your breathing and noticing the sensations in the body. He helped us to be really present and mindful of the experience. At one point or another, my hyperactive self-critical mind stopped controlling my experience.  I did something I probably hadn't really done in years...I actually relaxed.

I left that class and felt light, free, and happy. After that class I kept practicing at home and in yoga classes through the rec center several times a week. I discovered that yoga not only helped me feel better in the short term but also with my long-term health goals as well. Chronic low back pain went away, I started eating healthier, my stress levels dropped, and my digestion was stronger. 

Me in a variation of Side-Plank 2013.

Feeling better was and has always been the main reason I practice yoga. When I take the time to practice yoga in some way (it has many forms) I always feel better about myself, my body, and the world around me. When I feel better I am a better person... I have clearer thinking, lower stress levels, and I am more kind to myself and others. 

Some days when I practice I only focus on breathing and poses. Others I only do meditation or chanting. Many days I do all of the above, it just depends upon what I need to balance me out that day. Yoga has this incredible way of being customized to whatever your needs are. I practice yoga because I want to be a healthy happy person. I want to help others, and the best way to help others... is to help myself. :-)

 Be As You Are.


Keri is an internationally Registered Yoga Teacher, creator of yoga props, and health lifestyle educator.  She owns and operates BAYA Wellness, LLC offering yoga classes, handmade props, and healthy lifestyle services. Keri teachers both privately and publicly around the Greenville area offering on-going classes and special events. 

BAYA... Be As You Are! 

Yoga Therapy Takes A Big Step Forward

Seated forward fold pose may reduce blood pressure.

According to a story in Yoga Journal's March issue "The Yogi Is In." The nationally renowned hospital, the  Cleveland Clinic located in Ohio recently hired a full time yoga therapist and program manager. This is a huge step forward for the yoga therapist to be recognized by the medical community in such a huge way. The yoga therapists at the Cleveland Clinic will be assigned to patients with a wide range of health issues, such as, type 2 diabetes, chronic pain, obesity, multiples sclerosis, and other diseases. Each day more research is emerging supporting the healing benefits of yoga when practiced therapeutically.

Yoga Therapy is practicing yoga as medicine. The practice of yoga is an eight-fold path with many limbs or tools. Examples, of yogic practices would include: meditation, breathing practices, postures, concentration, moral and ethical observances, chanting, etc. These practices all have their own unique healing capacity to influence the body. Some practices relieve stress others increase breathing capacity, calm the mind, boost the immune system, promote weight-loss, balance the blood sugar, and even reduce anxiety. 

To find out more about how yoga heals, check out the testimonials and links below:

www.IAYT.org - International Association of Yoga Therapists

www.YogaJournal.com - Yoga Journal Magazine

New York Times on Yoga Therapy

Keri is an internationally Registered Yoga Teacher, Creator of Yoga Props, and Nutrition/Wellness Educator.  She owns and operates BAYA Wellness, LLC offering Yoga and Nutrition Education Services.  Keri teachers both privately and publicly around the Greenville area offering on-going classes and special events.  Her path as a nutritionist is all about making healthy living approachable... she teaches the components of healthy cooking, eating, and thinking while also offering specialized services like menu planning.  Healthy living is about the whole pictures of wellness... find your path to living well.

BAYA... Be As You Are!

Contact for details: Website  BAYAWellness@gmail.com or 864-430-1275