Does yoga help you lose weight?

There are many benefits to yoga, but many of our Yoga Wellbeing yogi’s ask us. Will yoga help me lose weight?

From a traditional standpoint, calories need to be expended to burn fat and achieve weight loss. One of the best ways to burn calories is to raise your heart rate with cardiovascular exercise. Yoga can accomplish the same thing. As you are focusing on your stance in a posture, the correct alignment, activating the proper muscles and trying to deepen your breath, suddenly you have an elevated heart rate. Any yoga practice will also strengthen and tone your muscles, which is necessary for any weight loss program.

One example of a high calorie burning practice is vinyasa yoga. Vinyasa yoga will challenge your stamina and strength while swiftly moving from pose to pose, not to mention the specific vinyasa poses meant to stimulate the metabolism. Your metabolism is regulated by the endocrine system, more specifically the thyroid. Poses that compress the thyroid (shoulder stand, head-to-knee forward bend) act as a reset button for your thyroid, regulating hormones and emotions. Twisting poses also have the compression benefit of metabolism stimulation.

Taking a mind-body approach to journey that yoga offers will help you in reaching your goals in a unique way. Deep breathing is an essential element to a yoga practice that allows more oxygen to flow through the body, causing the systems to work effectively. When your systems are functioning efficiently, your body assimilates the nutrients it needs from your foods, causing you to crave less. Yoga raises your consciousness too, among other things, making you more aware of your eating choices.

After a yoga practice most of us don’t crave heavy, greasy, junk food, but fresh whole foods. Contrary to popular beliefs, not all yogis are vegetarian; most simply listen to what their bodies tell them they need. Simply put, the key to any successful diet is not deprivation, but moderation. A regular yoga practice has also been proven to reduce anxiety, which is a major cause of overeating. As most good decisions go, one good choice for yourself will lead you to another.

In the end, as most of us know, crash-diets, fads, and magic pills are not permanent solutions. Establishing a lifestyle of regular practice, whole foods and fun is key to attaining a healthy life. Simply start by working towards creating balance in your life.