Yoga Can Help You Manage Stress
There are many ways stress can contribute to weight gain and particularly unmanaged, chronic stress. Yoga can help lower chronic stress levels.
Breathwork and meditation are the cornerstones to yoga practice. And both contribute to boosting energy, improving mood, and lowering stress levels, says Sundar Balasubramanian, PhD, assistant professor at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, whose research focuses on how yogic breathing can promote well-being in people with chronic and other disease.
Stress can make weight loss very difficult because it can cause cortisol to rise, stress-eating, and trouble sleeping, Balasubramanian explains. Deep breathing helps undo stress and reverse some of these negative effects that can make weight loss more difficult .
There are physiological changes that happen in the body in response to breathing exercises, Balasubramanian says. Studies have shown how mindfulness exercises reduce the amount of cortisol in our bodies.
A review published in December 2017 in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology that analyzed data from 42 studies suggested that yoga was associated with lower levels of evening cortisol, waking cortisol, resting heart rate, and cholesterol levels.
Learn The Basics And Start Slow
Before a person specifically focuses on weight loss and yoga, its important to learn the basics postures and the proper alignment to avoid any injury, says Gans. If you have never done yoga before, ideally one would take a beginner class or two in person to learn the basic poses.
However, since in-person is not so much an option these days, looking for a beginner online class is recommended.;
Once you become more familiar with the postures you can seek out more active type classes, such as vinyasa, power or ashtanga, which may burn more calories than more gentler practices, says Gans. I always recommended building slowly, so start with one class per week and add more as you feel comfortable, possibly up to four times per week.
Is Yoga Good For Weight Loss
The development of yoga has benefited many people in losing weight in a healthy way. Yoga for weight loss is a debatable topic. Many people believe that Yoga alone does not promote weight loss. Yoga, when combined with healthy eating, has proven beneficial as it helps to lose weight along with keeping your mind and body healthy. Yoga increases your mindfulness and how you relate to your body. You will start seeking out food that is healthy instead of binging on food that can increase your fat accumulation.
Losing weight has two important aspects, healthy eating, and exercise. Yoga poses for weight loss demand these aspects.
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Tone Up With Yin Yoga
Strengthening of the muscles is a core component of toning up.;
Since the core focus of yin yoga is on stretching and developing flexibility, it sets the base for a stronger body.
Training your fascia to improve flexibility leads to a more toned body.;
Wanna know more? In this article, discover which one is more important for weight loss, exercise or healthy eating
Try Something More Intense
In particular hot yoga can be a great weight loss tool, other than providing great cardiovascular and endurance benefits. According to research, 90 minutes of hot yoga burns up to >700 calories for a 90 minutes session, says Silvia Carli, MS, RD, CSCS, sports nutritionist at 1and1Life.;
She suggests aiming to try a hot yoga class two to three times per week, and building up sessions.
Try joining a virtual studio
I suggest signing up for an online membership from a virtual studio that you resonate with to make sure you are being consistent, says Olney. Look for local studios with virtual yoga memberships. Not only will this help you stay on track, but it is a great way to support yoga teachers who have taken a major hit this year with all the studio closings and restrictions during the pandemic. Local studios need your support as much as you need theirs.
Or, consider yoga for weight loss on YouTube.
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Yoga Helps You Lose Weight In Different Ways
When it comes to losing weight, its not surprising that most of us think that the more intense the workout, the more calories we burn.
That is true.
On the other hand, yoga is a low-intensity workout and may not burn calories as much as running. So, how does yoga help us to lose weight?
The thing is, weight gain is caused by a combination of lifestyle patterns, stress, emotional eating, and poor sleep.
Fortunately, Yoga helps to overcome all of the above issues while also activating those unused muscles and toning your body.
Yoga Instructors Are Tailoring Specific Programmes To Aid Weight Loss While Promoting Healthy Habits Amongst Young Indians
Fashion strategist Jasleen Chopra, 41, used to lead a hectic life, had made poor lifestyle choices and didnt have the best of eating habits back in 2017. That was the year when she walked up to Mumbai-based celebrity yoga instructor Abhishek Sharma with the goal of weight loss. Chopra, who now lives in Chandigarh, used to go to the gym but no matter what she did, she found it very difficult to lose weight.
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Serious About Losing Weight With Yoga
We recommend Zoey Bray-Cottons Yoga Burn program which is aimed specifically at women who are trying to lose weight!
The follow-along online yoga program is designed to help you lose weight and it explains each phase very clearly and professionally. So its very straightforward and easy to follow which makes it perfect for beginners.
It includes three phases with videos that can be downloaded on your phone or computer. Plus, you get to do this in the comfort of your own home! No more driving to yoga classes and you can create your own schedule.
All youll have to do is roll out your yoga mat in your living room and open up your laptop or cell phone!
The Yoga Burn program is the perfect solution to both losing weight and improving flexibility. Youll feel much healthier, stronger and thinner! Its definitely worth giving it a shot!
How Yin Yoga Changes Your Body
As discussed earlier, one of the biggest physical advantages of yin yoga is how it leads to strengthening of the muscles and increased flexibility.;
It is an excellent method to relieve stress, cancel out external noise, and simply be at peace with your inner self.
As you delve deeper, physical changes such as longer and stronger muscles become visible, improved blood flow, and better digestion are other beneficial side effects from this practice.;
Combined, these changes help improve a persons long-term health.;
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Results Come From Consistent Yoga Practise
If doing crazy cardio workouts have not been helping you to lose weight, then why not give yoga a try. With all the evidence above, you might even find it more effective than other workouts.
You can practice yoga poses for weight loss anywhere and everywhere. You can also easily access to any yoga routine through your phone or laptop.
It doesnt require any equipment and ten to twenty minutes a day is all you need.
Just be consistent with your yoga workouts and the results will come naturally.
Last but not least, this may be irrelevant to losing weight, but yoga is also great for reconnecting with our bodies.
Weight gain can often cause harsh self-judgment. By practicing yoga poses, you foster a renewed sense of control over your body, a quality that might have been diminished due to weight gain.
If you enjoyed this article on how yoga can help you lose weight, please share them with your friends or loved ones too!
How Often Should I Do Yoga To Lose Weight
For the best weight-loss results, Liza recommended doing yoga three times a week. Continue to stay active and get your heart rate up on the other three to four days as well, whether through cardio, weightlifting, or HIIT workouts of 45 minutes to an hour. And keep your nutrition in mind, too. “Exercise alone without dieting makes losing weight hard,” Jorianne said. “Weight loss occurs when you burn more calories than you consume.”
If you eat healthy and burn calories, though, the results will come, and yoga has a place in the process. Start with this 30-minute power flow to relax, rejuvenate, and work up a sweat.
Image Source: Getty / Thomas Barwick
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Eat Sufficient Healthy Protein Can Yoga Help You Lose Weight
Including a lot more healthy protein to your diet regimen can increase feelings of fullness, make you consume much less at your next meal and assist you lose fat (For instance, a weight-loss research compared 2 morning meals similar in calories: one including eggs, the other of bagels.
Individuals that had the egg breakfast shed 65% even more weight and also 16% more body fat over the eight-week study duration , seems enough to supply the benefits (Obtaining enough protein in your diet regimen can aid advertise fat burning, partly by lowering your hunger.
How Yoga Can Help You Lose Weight Quickly
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If youve been trying to lose weight again and again, yet the scale just wont budge. Dont even mention all the gym sessions that make you even more hungry.
Why not try out some yoga?
But can yoga really help us to lose weight?
The answer is yes! Yoga may actually be a very effective way to help you to lose weight. You may also find the awareness you gained through yoga practice helps you with better self-control.
Plenty of studies have proven that yoga works in different ways to help you achieve a healthy weight as well.
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/8trikonasana Or Triangle Pose
Step 1: Stand straight on the ground with your legs 2 feet apart.
Step 2: Inhale and lift both your hands sideways to bring them in line with your shoulders. Your hands should be parallel to the ground and your palms should face downwards.
Step 3: Exhale, bend your torso to the right, then hinge from the hips to take your right hand downwards and touch your right foot.
Step 4: Raise the left hand towards the ceiling and look upwards.
Step 5: Stay in this position for 10-20 seconds, then come back to the starting point. Repeat the same on the other side.
It Boosts Your Metabolism
This is tied in with all of the points above. Stress, fat percentage, and level of activity all directly impact your metabolism.
Yoga has a great impact on the adrenals, which are responsible for producing cortisol. When your cortisol levels are low and you arent in fight or flight mode your body isnt constantly in survival mode and doesnt think it has to conserve fat for later.
The more muscle you gain, the faster your metabolism becomes, meaning the more calories you burn, which is needed to obtain a calorie deficit to burn those stubborn pounds.
Jumping on an elliptical for an hour everyday has been shown that although it may help with weight loss initially due to calorie deficit, it is not beneficial to your metabolic rate long term. That is because of the point I explained earlier that your body adapts to the stressful motion that you are doing and it becomes less effective.
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Yoga Can Help You Burn Calories And Build Muscle
One common misconception about yoga is that it’s not a “real” workout. While yoga has a reputation for helping reduce stress and tension, certain forms of yoga can be an intense workout that helps challenge your muscles and get your heart rate up.Â;
“Yoga can be an incredible complement in a person’s quest to lose weight. From a physiological standpoint, yoga is exercise, and certain types of yoga can have an excellent cardiovascular and strength building effect in the body,” says Turner.Â;
Yoga can challenge your muscles and help you build strength.Â;
If you’re looking for yoga classes that can help you get your heart rate up to burn calories and help strengthen your muscles, look out for specific types of yoga that focus on those areas.Â;
Some examples include:
- Hot yoga:Â;Hot yoga classes are practiced in a heated room or studio. The actual temperature varies, but typically the room is heated to at least 90 degrees or more.
- Power yoga:Power yoga is a fitness-based approach to practicing yoga. These classes will focus on strength and flexibility.Â;
- Sculpt: Yoga sculpt, or any yoga class that includes “sculpt” in its description can vary in the exact technique, but will often include light handheld dumbbells or other tools to add resistance. Some yoga sculpt classes will also add bursts of intense cardio.
- Ashtanga: ThisÂ;style of yogaÂ;follows the same set of poses in the same order. The class is usually fast-paced and physically challenging.Â;
It Changed The Way I Think
Yoga transformed me from the inside outand in that order. The practice led me down the rabbit hole of truth, consciousness, and connectedness, and I became more self-aware. I was able to disconnect from the ego, also known as that incessant little voice in your mind that constantly dwells on problems.
Since the ego clings to unhealthy attachments, it is responsible for fueling bad decision-making. When my mind was tamed through a consistent yoga practice, I became liberated from identifying with the same old sad stories that the ego had been using for far too long. When I stopped living obsessively in my head, positive change followed.
Through my yoga practice, the things that used to please me just no longer cut it. I came to understand that destructive habits no longer served my ultimate goal. This awakening directly affects weight loss, because it encourages the elimination of unhealthy habits.
I quickly came to realize that detrimental behaviors did not please my soul. For example, eating until I was so full that I could barely move and had to unbutton my pants, or drinking to the point where I could barely stand up no longer felt good. In fact, it felt pretty bad!
When I got to this point of detachment in my practice, I realized that instead of identifying with the ego and allowing it to dominate my life, I begin to realize that I was the observer of the racing mind that encouraged me to overeat, get drunk, and gravitate toward unhealthy food.
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How Does Power Yoga Specifically Assist Weight Loss
Weight loss comes down to a simple equation: calories out must be greater than calories in. You need to be expending more calories than you are taking in .
Lets look at the first part of this equation calories out. In the simplest form, there are two processes to expend calories: 1) physical activity and 2) your Basal Metabolic Rate.
Thinking Of Trying Yoga For Weight Loss
If you are serious about losing weight and getting fit, you might want to implement a 60-minute power yoga and/or vinyasa flow practice at least five to six days per week. If you want to follow my example, think about coupling your practice with a whole foods diet for optimal results.
So roll out the mat. Connect with your breath. Detach from that destructive inner voice. Tune in to your spiritual nature that connects every cell of your body to the universe. Liberate the soul. And get ready to bask in the glory of all the positive changes that are coming.
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It Is Aerobic Exercise
Yoga is considered a form of aerobic fitness training, because you move the body through a series of postures for an extended period of time, rather than using short bursts of energy, says Widmann.
This form of training aids with weight loss. It taxes the cardio-respiratory system, making you use more energy to keep the body going. Basically, youre expending calories at a fast rate during a more intense yoga session.
Yoga Helps Build Muscle
Building muscle mass is another way yoga helps with weight loss and weight maintenance.
When we think of strengthening muscles, we think we have to go to the weight room and pump iron. In yoga, were using our own body weight as a form of resistance. Your whole body is working to keep you in balance so everything gets a workout, says Carol Krucoff, an instructor certified by the International Association of Yoga Therapists and Yoga Alliance and a yoga therapist at Duke Integrative Medicine in Durham, North Carolina.
Think of holding your body in place in a plank pose. Youre using the muscles of the shoulders, core, hips, and legs to hold your body up, she says. After coming out of a plank, you may flow into a Downward-Facing Dog pose, activating another set of muscles in your forearms, shoulders, and back. This muscle building burns calories, Krucoff says.
A review published in June 2016 in the journal Preventive Medicine that looked at 30 trials with more than 2,000 participants concluded that yoga can reduce waist-hip ratio in healthy adults, as well as body mass index in people who are overweight or obese.
Other research has found that even slower, restorative yoga classes improved fasting glucose levels in people who were overweight or obese a sign of improved metabolic health.
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