Suzanne Deason is a yoga instructor and certified Pilates instructor. She has been teaching yoga for more than 10 years, and has won several awards for her Gaiam yoga and Pilates weight loss DVDs. Suzanne especially enjoys helping people use yoga to lose weight because she has seen many family members and friends struggle with their weight through unhealthy diets and radical exercise programs.

“So many of my friends and relatives have the burden of being overweight and feeling out of control because of it,” Suzanne says. “I see so much of their lives and their talent being lost to this constant confusion and source of pain and discomfort. I know that by taking up this practice, it will make a huge difference in every area of their lives.”

Suzanne began practicing yoga when she was nine years old. She says that from the first yoga pose, she achieved a state of peace and contentment that was so profound she has been motivated to continue practicing yoga ever since. Her formal yoga training is in the Iyengar tradition, an in-depth, alignment-oriented teaching that builds a strong foundation for understanding the bio mechanics and purpose of each pose. She incorporates a flowing or "vinyasa" style of yoga, borrowed from the Ashtanga tradition, to give the student an experience of uniting the mind, body and breath.

By focusing on breathing, she helps people develop a relationship with their bodies and be more fully aware of each moment. Suzanne maintains that yoga helps people to become healthier, more internally focused and more at peace. Suzanne believes that focusing on the basic teachings of yoga is especially effective with weight loss: Change your thought, be present and change your action. In order to continue to stay on track with our health we need the support of something to help us connect the mind and body to keep both parts of ourselves moving toward the same goal.