Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher Diana Erney will be teaching a free introductory restorative yoga class from 7 to 8 p.m., September 22, at Twin Ponds Integrative Health Center, with an emphasis on preliminary poses and body alignment in order to develop strength, balance and flexibility. Props will be used to assist students as they go deeper into each pose. Regular weekly classes are held from 7 to 8:15 p.m. each Thursday.

A recent study shows that slowing down has big payoffs. Research presented at the last meeting of the American Diabetes Association scientific sessions found that overweight women that adopted a restorative yoga practice—a deeply restful series of poses supported with bolsters and blankets—for a period of six months, lost two-and-a-half times more abdominal fat than women that simply stretched because the restful poses reduce the stress hormone cortisol, which is known to increase belly fat.

Location: 628 Twin Ponds Rd., Breinigsville, PA. To register, call 610-395-3355.