Physiology

Yoga for Weight Loss

A medium-build person doing classic yoga burns an average of just 150 calories per hour. The number runs slightly higher when it comes to dynamic styles or hot yoga, around 300 calories, but even this hardly compares to what you burn from regular brisk walking. However, it’s known for a fact that, from a weight loss perspective, exercise is only 20% of the equation – the rest is nutrition. 80/20 is the primary formula for those keen to lose weight, with yoga capable of doing most of the management thereunder.

In 2005, researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center conducted a study involving 15,500 people. Participants shared data on their weight and physical activity (including yoga) over 10 years. The study found that overweight people were supported to lose weight by practicing yoga. In 2013, the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Arizona conducted a review of the latest research on the subject, which also confirmed yoga’s benefits for weight loss.

Body and Mind

By doing yoga, you take the interrelationship between your mind and body to a whole new level, where you take a more responsible and deliberate approach to dealing with your system. “Consciousness”, a word used quite often during yoga classes, means that you come to feel your body much better and learn to operate it.

As you progress through your practice and change yourself on the inside, all of a sudden you discover that in the choice of food, smell and taste are your key guides. But your mind is silent. Your healthy hunger is much different from your consumer itch provoked by “yummy” commercials. You eat only when you’re really hungry and not on impulse. There is improvement in the function of your digestive system, as your body gets cleared of toxins and makes its own choice for healthy nutrition. You perceive the taste of simple food items in amazingly vibrant ways.

Habits and Regimen

You no longer have to combat bad habits. You just renounce them as useless, for there are quite sufficient resources inside ourselves to facilitate vigor and relaxation. You also stop overeating, since now you eat deliberately and can feel when to stop. Many stop eating meat and even become vegetarians, but that’s outside the scope of this discussion.

You also get rid of the habit of “stress eating” and stop having bad moods, since now you have better control of yourself. You get increasingly less stress, as you learn to keep stressful thoughts out of your mind.

Since you should exercise on a light stomach (3-4 hours after a meal), regular practice helps adjust your eating regimen and stop “noshing”. For instance, a relaxing evening set of asanas will automatically push your last meal a “safe distance” from sleep.

5 Tips

  1. Don’t be shy to attend classes
    Up there on the mat, yogis are always absorbed in their practice – so, they simply have no time for gazing around. Home practice could work, of course, but that’s only when you know what you’re doing. First, you need to get the hang of the major asanas under the guidance of a knowledgeable teacher. And, most certainly, you should not start practicing from scratch via DVDs or online courses. Come to class.

  2. No need to wear leggings and a top
    Loose-fitting and light clothing will do the job. The bottom line is that you feel comfortable and convenient. Although, of course, form-fitting clothing offers more visual control for proper straightening.

  3. Forget about your pounds
    Let go of thoughts about why you’re on the mat. Just give it your best effort at each session. Engage your Tapas, but keep in mind Santosa as well. A combination of these two is your key to progress.

  4. Find a style, a class, and a teacher that is right for you
    If the Vinyasa Flow class is too hard for you, try some of its gentler variants. You may like the static styles. For instance, Iyengar Yoga often makes use of props, such as belts, blocks, and blankets, as handy aids in performing asanas. If you have medical conditions related to being overweight, you may want to try Yoga Therapy.

  5. Practice on a regular and frequent basis
    2-3 times per week is the minimum required for your body to start changing. Don’t expect fast results – it’s quite a lengthy process. But you’ll like it!

When rolling out your mat for the first time, you’ll be dreaming of being able to fit into your favorite jeans. But within just a few weeks, you’ll be amazed at how much your perception of the dream has expanded. Yoga has many remarkable “side effects”, weight loss being just one of them.



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