Yoga For Weight Loss

Yoga is a powerful form of exercise that helps build strength and burns calories. However, to truly maximize weight loss, a combination of yoga with other forms of exercise is recommended.

Studies show that yoga decreases emotional eating, reduces cravings, and promotes healthier food choices. These off-the-mat benefits contribute to a person’s ability to lose weight if that is their goal.

Strengthening

The repetitive nature of yoga movements can build muscle and burn calories. For example, the pose plank activates muscles in the shoulders, core and hips. In addition, the balancing poses such as chaturanga and downward facing dog can challenge your balance and increase your heart rate. If you add to your yoga routine and focus on muscle strength gains, you can reap the weight loss benefits.

Yoga also helps you lose weight by reducing your stress levels and improving sleep. This holistic mind-body practice decreases cortisol, a hormone that causes belly fat and can lead to overeating. In addition, it has been shown to boost serotonin and reduce chronic diseases that are related to obesity such as hypertension and diabetes.

Another great aspect of yoga is that it creates a community of people that support one another with their healthy habits. This support can be difficult to find in other types of exercise. Yoga teachers and advanced students can serve as role models to newer students and encourage healthy lifestyles.

The combination of yoga’s physical effects and its positive impact on other parts of your health are what makes it a great addition to any weight loss plan. But as with any exercise, it’s important to talk to your doctor before starting a new exercise program. You can ask your primary care physician or a certified physical therapist who specializes in integrative medicine for guidance.

Flexibility

Yoga poses are designed to strengthen and stretch the body. This makes it more flexible and can help prevent injuries when doing other forms of exercise. When combined with weight training, flexibility exercises in yoga can help develop the muscles necessary for losing weight and building lean muscle mass.

While a regular yoga practice won’t burn as many calories as cardio exercises, it can still help you lose weight. If you’re new to yoga, try starting with two sessions a week and increasing the intensity of your practice over time.

If you choose a more active, vigorous yoga style like vinyasa, you may be able to burn significant amounts of calories in each session. These types of classes will also increase your heart rate and help you build more lean muscle mass, which can aid in weight loss by lowering the overall percentage of fat in your body.

In addition, yoga helps you lose weight by teaching you how to control your diet. Studies show that people who are mindful eaters tend to eat less overall and experience fewer binge episodes.

A yogi’s practice can also foster a sense of self-compassion, which can help you stick to a healthy eating plan and avoid making the same mistakes over and over again. Those who have a compassionate relationship with themselves can more easily resist the temptation to indulge in junk food, even if they feel stressed out or emotionally upset.

Stress Management

Yoga is more than just exercise; it’s also a powerful stress management tool. It helps reduce cortisol levels, which can lead to weight gain and make it harder to lose weight. Yoga also promotes better sleep and a healthier eating pattern, making it easier to stick to your diet.

Yin and restorative yoga styles are also impactful for weight loss, as they focus on relaxation and mental health. These types of poses are more meditative and require longer holds, which encourages deeper breathing that reduces stress and improves mood. A 2022 study found that women who practiced Yin or restorative yoga experienced greater long-term weight loss than those who didn’t practice any type of yoga.

Vinyasa, or flow yoga, is another great option for people who are looking to burn calories and lose weight. This style of yoga is fast-paced and incorporates dynamic movements that help strengthen core muscles and engage the entire body. It also provides a good cardio workout and can increase heart rate, which helps you burn calories.

It’s important to remember that weight loss requires a combination of factors, including diet, exercise and managing stress. Although yoga can help you lose weight, it’s important to stick with a regular practice and eat a healthy, well-balanced diet to see results. It’s also important to avoid injuries, which can make it difficult to keep up with a yoga routine and achieve your goals.

Mindfulness

Unlike traditional weight-loss exercise, which often focuses on calories burned during the workout, yoga can help keep fat off by strengthening and toning muscles. And muscle burns more calories than fat, so that can really help in the long run with weight loss. In fact, a study published in Complementary Therapies in Medicine found that those who practiced 90 minutes of yoga two to three times a week for 12 weeks saw an increase in their muscle strength. Some of the poses that can be most effective for building muscle include downward dog, plank, and warrior pose.

Another way that yoga can aid in weight loss is by improving mindfulness. This can help you recognize hunger cues and make healthier food choices, which is important in maintaining a sustainable healthy diet. It also helps you to stop emotional or stress eating, which can sabotage weight loss efforts.

While there are a few types of yoga that burn the most calories, it’s generally recommended to try different styles and classes to find one you enjoy. For example, some yoga styles like hatha and iyengar are slower and require more physical and mental endurance, but they can still be a great way to build muscle and improve mindfulness. And don’t forget that consistency is key for any type of yoga, not just for burning calories but for maintaining a healthy lifestyle in general.