Is Yoga Good For Weight Loss?
Yoga is a popular form of physical exercise that originated in India. Unlike many wellness fads, yoga has withstood the test of time and continues to grow in popularity over the years. Today, yoga is practiced by over 300 million people all over the world.
Due to its slow and relaxed nature in comparison to other types of physical exercise, there is always the question of whether yoga can result in any physical changes.
Is Yoga Good for Weight Loss?
Yes, yoga is good for weight loss, both directly and indirectly. Directly, yoga, being a physical activity, burns calories which can result in weight loss especially when combined with a healthy weight-loss meal plan. The number of calories you burn during yoga varies widely according to the type of yoga you practice.
Indirectly, yoga can help you lose weight by improving your overall sense of well-being. To learn more about how yoga can help you lose weight, directly and indirectly, keep reading.
How Yoga Can Help You Lose Weight
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Burning calories. As we said before, more active forms of yoga can burn a significant amount of calories which can result in weight loss. You can burn between 100 and 500 calories per hour during yoga. Ashtanga yoga, especially if done in a hot yoga studio is one of the best ways to do yoga if your goal is weight loss.
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Encouraging mindfulness. The less active forms of yoga can also indirectly help you lose weight by teaching to be more mindful about your habits, especially those that affect your weight. By nourishing your spiritual and mental health, yoga can help you identify the problem areas in your life causing you to gain weight. These may include habits like comfort eating which if dealt with can result in weight loss.
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Improving sleep. A good sleep schedule is a key element in maintaining a healthy weight. This is because lack of sleep can cause poor eating habits such as binge eating. Regularly practicing yoga can help you achieve a regular sleep pattern which in turn protects you from gaining unwanted weight.
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Increasing muscle mass. Strengthening poses like planks can help you build muscle mass which can increase the number of calories you burn at rest, also known as Basal Metabolic Rate. While this may actually increase your body weight, it makes you more efficient at burning fat at rest and during exercise.
How Often to do Yoga for Weight Loss
To lose weight, you should do yoga about 3 to 5 times a week. This can vary from person to person depending on your goals and the type of yoga you are doing. If you are doing a more intense type of yoga like Vinyasa yoga, you might need to do it less since it is more efficient for burning fat. Intense yoga also requires more time for recovery between sessions.
For more relaxing types of yoga like Hatha yoga, you can practice more often, even daily if you wish. This is because this type of yoga isn’t as efficient for weight loss and also requires less time for recovery between sessions.
If you are new to yoga, you should start slow and work your way up slowly. Ideally, you should start with the less intense types and slowly work your way to the more advanced forms.
FAQs
What type of Yoga is best for weight loss?
The more active and intense types of yoga such as Ashtanga, Vinyasa, and Power yoga are the best types of yoga for weight loss. This is because these types of yoga burn more calories than the relaxed types of yoga. you should however know that any type of yoga done regularly can help with your weight loss journey.
Is yoga good for losing belly fat?
Yes, yoga is good for losing belly fat. However, it is important to note that there is now way to lose fat only on the belly. yoga will help you lose belly fat by helping you lose fat everywhere else on your body.
Is 30 minutes of yoga a day enough to lose weight?
Yes, 30 minutes of yoga a day is enough to lose weight. As long as you practice consistently and regularly, about 3 to 7 times a week, you should see a change in your weight at some point. Those with higher weights are more likely to see results faster since it takes more effort to move their bodies. However, anyone, as long as they consume healthy meals, should be able to lose weight by doing a 30 minute session regularly.
Is it possible to lose weight with yoga?
Yes, it is possible to lose weight with yoga.
