Few people associate yoga with weight loss. This can be explained by the supposedly low intensity of the exercises. The debate about whether this sport is an effective way to lose weight has been going on passionately for years. While some believe that yoga is not effective enough in burning the calories needed for weight loss, others swear that it is an extremely effective way to shed the pounds. In today's post we will answer the controversial question “Can you lose weight with yoga?” take a closer look. Find out below how yoga practice has a positive effect on our weight.
The question of whether losing weight really works can generally be answered in the affirmative. The idea that hip gold melts like a magic wand solely through regular yoga exercises would simply be unrealistic. As we know, losing weight starts in the head and yoga is the perfect method to bring body and mind into harmony. In addition to a balanced andhealthy dietAs well as getting enough exercise, this sport can support you on the way to the figure you want and improved physical condition.
How does yoga help us achieve our ideal weight?
Now let's take a closer look at the benefits of yoga practice if you are overweight.
1. Why can you lose weight with yoga?
Excess weight is an indicator that something is out of balance in a person's life.Excessive stressis a big factor that can contribute to unwanted weight gain. Yoga is an easy way to unwind and relax. Practicing it gives a deep sense of relaxation to the body and mind. And when you're relaxed, you reduce stress, which in turn leads to weight loss. As you begin your yoga journey, you will see things in a new light. Yoga transforms you from the inside out, so to speak.
2. Yoga helps to release stuck emotions
Being overweight almost always has an emotional component. In everyday life, negative feelings, such as frustration, are often numbed and suppressed with uncontrolled eating or other addictions. Yoga acts as a tool that expels such pent-up feelings to finally experience an amazing emotional release. On the yoga mat, you recognize your own feelings and discover the personal strength, courage and self-confidence to express your emotions.
3. Yoga supports detoxification
Yoga offers hundreds of asanas (positions) that can be performed in countless sequences. These postures offer a variety of physical benefits. Additionally, almost every pose addresses detoxification of the body on some level. Detoxification promotes cleansing of the body and mind. This has a direct effect on weight loss as it eliminates the accumulated toxins in the body that weigh us down. By practicing yoga, you can help the detoxification organs, the liver and kidneys, to work effectively again.
4. How to lose weight with yoga – Yoga promotes conscious eating
Researchers have proven that people who consciously focus on their food intake weigh less than people who do not pay attention to calorie intake. If you eat carefully, you absorb nutrients according to your body's needs. Therefore, eat when you are hungry and then stop when you are full. Eating food when you feel sad, bored or anxious will inevitably lead to unwanted weight gain.
Eating consciously means the following:
– Develop awareness of the taste, texture and smell of the food
– Focusing on eating instead of doing other activities at the same time
– Eating when you are hungry
In general, one can say that nutrition plays an essential role in Indian teaching. Roughly summarized, the following guidelines apply:
– Unripe, rotten and preserved food should be avoided
– Consuming coffee, sugar and white flour, as well as eating hastily, makes body and soul sick and nervous
– Raw foods provide the body with valuable nutrients and give us more energy than processed foods
Yogis crave fresh fruits and vegetables and juices much more and do not feel a craving for processed and difficult-to-digest foods. Namely, this shift in perspective makes the big difference between a restrictive diet that may fail after a few weeks and a permanent lifestyle change.
Sugar and insulin resistance are often responsible for weight gain. People with type 2 diabetes lost weight and stabilized their blood sugar levels by practicing yoga for three months, according to a study. The yoga exercises also help keep sugar cravings at bay.
5. Healthy heart through yoga exercises
When you practice yoga for weight loss, you support heart health. Some weight loss exercises even come with oneCardio-Trainingto compare and contribute to the burning of calories, which in turn reduces weight.
6. Lose weight with yoga and experience a boost of energy and joy of life
The breathing techniques learned in practice increase natural energy levels. This promotes the desire to be active in daily life and make the most of the day. Of course, the more active you are, the more calories you burn during the day.
7. Yoga and muscle building
As you have already learned, there are asanas that can make you sweat a lot. They aim to build muscle and thereby stimulate fat burning. With yoga you can also optimally complement your strength training and shape your muscles. It also increases your body awareness, which is an important factor in absolutely every sport. Through stretching, tension and relaxation, freedom of movement is increased, which in turn leads to higher performance. By training entire muscle groups, yoga allows you to build muscle gently and sustainably.
In contrast to bodybuilding, the deep muscles are trained here. The strong deep muscle layers contribute to a well-sculpted body and a wiry posture. With the support of a good teacher, yoga targets muscle groups that you may not even have known. The well-developed muscles under the fatty tissue make it possible to carry out difficult exercises despite still having a few extra kilos.
Yoga for weight loss – which styles are suitable?
Although all styles of yoga are effective when it comes to detoxification, burning calories, improving flexibility and muscle tone, calming the mind and feeling inner peace and contentment, certain practices are more effective than others in achieving your desired weight. After looking at the psychological and physical benefits of yoga for a healthy body weight, we would like to give you an overview of the different styles of yoga as well as the average calorie consumption depending on the style.
Depending on the yoga style, length and intensity of the yoga session, the amount of calories you burn varies. If you've never tried yoga before, your best bet is to take a beginner's class. You will burn the most calories in athletic Vinyasa classes. These styles typically begin with a series of poses called sun salutations, followed by a series of standing asanas that keep you moving. Once warmed up, deeper stretches and back stretches are introduced. Vinyasa includes many popular yoga styles such as Ashtanga Yoga, Power Yoga and Hot Yoga. Hatha Yoga, Integral Yoga and Kripalu Yoga burn fewer calories, yet these styles offer you the opportunity to care for and maintain your health.
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Hatha Yoga
Hatha yoga, which is also one of the common forms of yoga in Europe, offers you an optimal introduction to the world of yoga. Concentration, breathing and meditation exercises are the focus of this style. With exercise, you burn around 200 calories per hour, similar to a walk.
Ashtanga Yoga
Yogis burn 100 calories more (i.e. 300 calories in total) during an hour of Ashtanga yoga. You lose about the same amount of calories during a brisk walk. This style is a little more intense than Hatha Yoga, but also focuses more on breathing exercises and meditation.
Power Yoga
Another form of yoga that changes the individual positions with quick movements and thereby increases the pulse and heart rate is power yoga. Here, calorie consumption increases by a full 400 calories for a 30-45 minute yoga session. With a balanced diet and daily yoga practice, you will quickly notice how you are getting closer and closer to your desired weight.
Vinyasa Yoga
A very dynamic type of yoga is Vinyasa Yoga, also known as Hot Yoga. The aim of this yoga style is for the different positions to flow smoothly into one another. You'll lose 450 calories per hour, which is roughly equivalent to a slow 60-minute jog.
Embrace yoga with Bikram
Bikram yoga is undoubtedly the winner if you strive to lose weight with this sport. This effective type of yoga is practiced in a room at 40°C with 40% humidity. As you can already guess, at such a room temperature you will quickly start to sweat. Bikram Yoga consists of 26 challenging asanas. Similar to brisk swimming, Bikram yogis burn around 650 calories in an hour. A Bikram yoga session usually lasts 1.5 hours, after which you can burn around 1000 calories. The fact that this style of yoga requires a room with special conditions explains why you cannot practice Bikram Yoga in your own home. If losing weight with yoga is your main goal, you should take advantage of the courses offered by a yoga studio. Despite the misleading name, Hot Yoga is not to be confused with Bikram Yoga.
Anyone who wants to lose weight with yoga should be aware that discipline is essential for the success of their project. To lose weight effectively, it is advisable to maintain the yoga routine consistently for several months. Practicing yoga 2 or 3 times a week and expecting a dream figure would be rather unrealistic. You should perform weight loss exercises at least 10 times a month so that you can get the weight loss going and enjoy a unique and new body feeling.
In addition to discipline, patience and mindfulness are necessary for satisfactory results. Before your journey into Indian teachings begins, you should always keep in mind that yoga has to be learned. This means that you have to give yourself enough time and learn the individual asanas step by step. If you have never practiced yoga before, it is best to approach it slowly instead of starting with Bikram Yoga straight away. Don't overexert yourself or be too hard on yourself, that's not the essence of Indian teaching. If you want to lose the pounds as quickly as possible, going to the gym would be a more effective alternative for you.
If you have already learned the basics of weight loss exercises, you can practice yoga comfortably and calmly in your own home. Learn the positions carefully and complete your sessions every day. Regularity will maximize the benefits of the sport. With rest, concentration and exercises you will achieve your desired weight and find a completely new quality of life. Enjoy the journey to your dream figure and see for yourself that you can lose weight with yoga.
