Yoga and Weight Loss
There are many benefits to taking up yoga, but one of the most popular reasons is to lose weight. The important thing to realise from the start is that yoga is not a miracle cure for weight loss – nothing is. However, it is a great way to get in shape, help you feel less stressed about your weight loss efforts, and to feel better in your body.
When you use yoga in order to lose weight it's important that you also watch your diet at the same time. You may also want to use other forms of exercise that are more catered to losing weight than yoga is.
The General Benefits of Yoga
There are many benefits of yoga, and one of the main factors is that it can help you to feel better about yourself and your body. The more you practice yoga, the more toned and flexible your muscles will become, and the less stressed you will feel.
Can It Do Enough to Lose Weight?
Some forms of yoga will not raise your heart rate high enough to get you losing weight. This means that you would need to combine yoga alongside other, more vigorous, forms of exercise to shift those calories.
However, yoga can help you to lose weight if you choose the right type and you practice it regularly enough. It is the raising of the heart rate that helps you to burn calories, which is why certain types of yoga that involve slow poses with a lot of rest won't help you enough. However, they will still help you to tone your muscles and build up strength.
Styles of Yoga Suited to Weight Loss
Some people have made yoga their primary form of weight loss, and have mostly done so by choosing a style that raises the heart rate. Flow yoga, or vinayasa, is based on a series of poses known as sun salutations. Within this yoga type, a number of different styles will get you sweating and help you lose weight, including:
- Ashtanga
- Hot yoga (done in a hot room)
- Power yoga.
It's important to know your limits when choosing any of these styles of yoga. If you are very overweight and out of shape you could find it difficult at first. Make sure to start with a few beginner classes to understand the process properly.
Practicing Yoga Regularly
Lastly, you need to remember that you won't lose weight unless you practice yoga regularly. This means doing a vigorous style for 90 minutes around three times a week. If classes are ever cancelled then make sure you learn the poses, or buy a vigorous yoga DVD to follow, to ensure you keep up with your exercise. If you do, you'll start to notice results in no time.
