Does Yoga Help You Lose Weight?

People often argue about whether yoga can help you to lose weight. Some people believe that the practice is not intense enough to burn calories, while others disagree and find it an effective tool for weight loss. While there is no clear answer, research suggests that practising yoga regularly can help you to shed pounds. With hard work, dedication, and a comfortable yoga top, losing weight through yoga is entirely possible. In this article, we explore the topic in more detail.

Detox and Burn Calories

Yoga facilitates weight loss in two different ways: physically and mentally. The practice uses hundreds of different postures to work the body, build strength, and burn calories. While each posture has its benefits, almost every pose aims to detoxify the body. As we detox our system, we encourage the purification of the body and mind. As the stagnant waste and toxins are removed from the body, we can also start to shed weight. All types of yoga can help us to lose weight; however, some are better than others for this purpose. If your goal is to burn fat, opt for a style with dynamic movement such as power yoga. This fast-paced style offers the perfect balance of cardio and strength-training. This powerful combination is ideal for burning fat and increasing lean muscle mass – helping you to look trim and toned. When used to its full potential, power yoga can help the body burn almost 600 calories per hour – this is equivalent to the number of calories burned during an intense gym workout.

Adopt a Positive Mindset

Burning fat is one thing, keeping it off is another. When you embark on your yoga journey, you’ll start to see things in a new light. A great yoga class will do more than transform your physical body, it will transform your whole being from the inside out.

If you choose to follow it, yoga will guide you down a path of connectedness, truth, and consciousness, ultimately helping you to connect with your inner self. Many people describe this as the process of becoming aware. Over time, you’ll learn how to disconnect from the ego and see the real you. As the ego holds onto unhealthy attachments, it’s responsible for any bad decisions that you make. Disconnecting from it and setting your soul free will allow you to make healthy decisions without being swayed. Consequently, destructive and unconscious habits can be picked up on and eliminated, allowing you to make good choices that please your inner self. As well as impacting your mental health, this can have a drastic effect on your weight loss as you can make positive, healthy choices instead of listening to your ego. These healthier food choices and lifestyle changes won’t just help you to lose weight, they’ll also help you to keep it off.

Yoga Poses for Weight Loss

To burn calories and shed weight, practice the yoga poses below regularly.

Plank Pose

To practice Plank Pose, begin on your stomach. Place your hands on the mat underneath your shoulders and tuck your toes under. Next, use the strength in your arms to lift yourself off the mat. Your back should be parallel to the ground and your shoulders should be over your wrists. Draw your triceps inwards and draw your belly button towards your spine. Extend your heels and draw your tailbone back. To keep the back of your neck long, softly gaze at the top of your mat. You are in Plank Pose. Hold the asana for as long as you can before lowering yourself back down to the mat.

Chair Pose

To practice Chair Pose, stand tall on your mat with your big toes touching. Taking a deep breath in, raise your arms above your head and point your fingertips toward the ceiling. Draw both your shoulders back as you lengthen your neck. As you exhale, bend your knees and begin to lower your bottom down and back, much like you would when sitting on a chair. At this stage, it’s important to not let your knees extend past your toes. Each time you inhale, lengthen your spine a little more. With each exhale, deepen the stretch by lowering your bottom further toward the floor. You are in Chair Pose. Hold the posture for 30 seconds whilst breathing deeply.

Warrior One

To practice the Warrior One, begin standing tall on your mat. Keeping your left leg in place, take a big step forward with your right leg. Next, bend your right leg and stretch your left leg out behind you. Finally, roll your shoulders back and lift your arms above your head. You are in Warrior One. Hold the asana for around 30 seconds before switching sides.

Crescent Lunge

To practice Crescent Lunge, begin standing tall. Hinge at the waist and lower your torso towards the mat until your hands make contact. Next, move your left foot forward and place it in-between your hands. Find your balance and stretch your back leg out to balance on the ball of your foot. Your front leg should be bent with your knee perpendicular to your heel. Lift your hips and reach your hands up as you lengthen your spine and stretch your shoulders. Notice your core strength and ensure that your front left knee stays at a 90-degree angle. You are in Crescent Lunge. Stay in the pose for 5-10 breaths before coming out of the pose by moving your hands down and placing them on either side of your left foot.

In Summary

Providing that you hit the yoga mat regularly, yoga can help you to lose weight. In addition to helping you shed pounds physically, bringing yoga into your life will encourage a positive mindset. In turn, this will promote healthy food choices and lifestyle changes, helping you to keep off all the weight you lose.