If you complete a web search about "massage weight loss" you are inundated with a barrage of links ranging from YouTube videos to non-cited articles that may not be written by a health professional or a massage therapist. In this sea of information where are you to turn? The purpose of this article is to dispel myths and confirm facts about massage therapy and weight loss.
Massage alone is not a miracle weight loss cure as there are multiple components to a successful healing program. Massage is an excellent compliment to weight management along with exercise (yes, that dreaded word), nutritional counseling, acupuncture and counseling.
In the beginning of a new healthy lifestyle massage helps create the mind-body connection and enhances self awareness. Mind-body connection is very important to all healthy paths. People who have a healthy mind-body connection are aware of their feelings, thoughts, actions, have positive self-image and deal positively with stressful situations. Massage helps this connection by creating a space for you to heal through relaxation. It also helps you let go of emotions stored in muscles which reduces bodily aches and pains while increasing your energy level.
Massage is not just a tool for weight loss: it is a tool for life. It helps you manage weight and stress and can increase your body’s ability to heal itself. Below you will find a list of benefits specific to weight loss/management.
Massage Weight loss/Management Benefits:
- Massage improves lymph system circulation. This means that the body is detoxifying. Most of the pain experienced after a workout originates in the soft tissues of the body. Muscle soreness results from a buildup of lactic acid.
- Blood circulation improves, helping to increase metabolism.
- Massage increases Range of Motion (ROM) and flexibility. This can increase effectiveness of exercise and decrease the chance of injury.
- Massage increases muscle tone and helps to repair muscle tissue. This increases the ability to build muscle tone, helping you more burn calories.
- Massage reduces recovery time after a workout, allowing you to work out at greater frequency without injury.
Written By: Melissa Klapperich L.M.T/Reiki Practitioner
Rocky Mountain Healing Center
Resources and for more information visit these websites:
International Massage Association-http://www.imagroup.com/home/index.php?site_config_id=73&page_selection=1227
Family Doctor.org-http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/healthy/mental/782.html
Ezine Articles.com-http://ezinearticles.com/?Weight-Loss-Benefits-of-Massage&id=33223-
Melissa Klapperich is a Licensed Massage Therapist, Reiki Practitioner and Lead Massage Therapist at the Rocky Mountain Healing Center. She has been practicing massage for 5 1/2 years and is a Level 2 Reiki Practitioner in the Usui Shiki Ryoho tradition and is working towards becoming a Reiki Master Level Teacher by the end of the year.
Melissa is dedicated to each persons unique healing process and is a believer in the Mind-Body connection and has seen first hand how important it is. She will take the time to explain anything you ask from why a muscle is sore to how imbalance in one area of the body can affect the entire body. She specializes in Deep Tissue Massage, Reiki Massage, Structural Massage, Injury Rehab, Neuromuscular Massage, Prenatal Massage, Aromatherapy, using intuition, client feed back and structural analysis to customize each massage to meet your needs.
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