“Yoga is not a religion. It is a science, science of well-being, science of youthfulness, science of integrating body, mind and soul.”
― Amit Ray,

There are almost countless ways to consider while starting a weight-loss program. Of course, proper nourishment is essential. But then there’s the whole exercise thing — because there are so many different sorts of exercise to select from. Perhaps high-intensity workouts, CrossFit, weight lifting, and jogging aren’t for you – maybe you prefer or require something milder or something that won’t bring extra stress to your life.

Why yoga?

Enter yoga, a technique that combines exercise, stress alleviation, and mindfulness into a relaxing, health-promoting practice. If you believe yoga isn’t hard enough to help you lose weight, reconsider: Like any other form of exercise, yoga may burn calories and aid in weight reduction. However, a few things to bear in mind when practicing yoga for weight reduction. Begin by reading this guide.

What Is the Best Yoga for Losing Weight?

Vinyasa yoga, which combines fluid posture with breath practice, is often regarded as the most excellent style of yoga for weight reduction. “Because vinyasa goes at a higher tempo, your heart rate will remain elevated throughout the class.” Bikram yoga, also known as hot yoga, may be beneficial for weight reduction. In a desirable area, your heart needs to work harder to give oxygen to all of your functioning muscles, causing you to burn more calories.

Hot yoga has also been linked to an “afterburn,” or a period following a workout in which your heart rate remains elevated, and you use more oxygen than you would typically do at rest. While the scientific evidence for these notions about hot yoga is sparse, many individuals believe that hot yoga forces their bodies to work harder than yoga in a non-heated environment – you’ll work up a nice sweat in any event.

Any yoga can help you lose weight, especially if you’re new to fitness or yoga. All exercise increases your overall daily calorie expenditure, which can help you build a calorie deficit (burn more than you consume), which is what matters for losing weight. For example, Harvard Health Publishing predicts that an hour of relatively easy Hatha yoga will burn slightly over 300 calories for a 160-pound individual, so you can be sure that more rigorous kinds of yoga, such as vinyasa and Bikram, will burn considerably more.

How Often Should You Practice Yoga for Weight Loss?

If you’re doing yoga to lose weight, we recommend three to four one-hour sessions each week. Because yoga is often considered low-to-moderate level exercise, this aligns with – and even exceeds – the current Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, which encourage 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of low-to-moderate intensity exercise each week.

Yoga’s Other Health Advantages

Aside from weight reduction, yoga is well-known for its numerous health advantages, notably mental health benefits that permeate all parts of your life. Yoga is in everything you do. The peaceful mentality you create on the mat may be applied elsewhere. When you’re feeling well, you’re more inclined to exercise and eat healthily, which will help you adhere to your weight-loss strategy. Here are some of the benefits of starting a yoga practice.

Stability, flexibility, and balance

According to research, a daily yoga practice can improve your balance, flexibility, and stability. A study published in the International Journal of Yoga in January-June 2016 found that ten weeks of yoga improved flexibility and balance in college athletes. A review published in Age and Ageing in January 2016 concluded that yoga could help reduce the risk of falling in seniors by improving balance and mobility.

Posture

Yoga helps enhance your posture by increasing flexibility, joint mobility, and strength. One typical cause of bad posture is weakness or stiffness in the core, shoulders, and back, which may be addressed with a regular yoga practice. A research published in the International Journal of Yoga’s May-August 2017 edition found that particular yoga positions boost core strength and muscle activation. In addition, a study published in the Journal of Yoga for Physical Therapy in June 2012 discovered that yoga could increase upper body stability and strength in women with postural difficulties.

Stress Reduction

One of the most well-known advantages of yoga is stress and anxiety alleviation. According to a February 2018 article published in the International Journal of Preventive Therapy, yoga can even be used as supplemental medicine to treat anxiety and depression.

Don’t Just Rely on Yoga

While yoga might help you lose weight, it should not be your only source of weight loss. Physical exercise is simply one component of a healthy lifestyle that helps reduce and maintain weight. You cannot out-exercise a bad diet, and if you do not establish good eating habits, you may become dissatisfied that your yoga practice is not assisting you in losing weight. According to the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, some basic things you can start with are:

• Consume plenty of colorful fruits and vegetables, healthy grains, and high-quality lean protein sources.
• Limit your consumption of salt, added sugar, and harmful saturated and trans fats.
• Avoid highly processed meals that are high in calories but lacking in nutrients.

If you’re having trouble eating correctly, don’t let that stop you from starting a yoga practice. Yoga may help you make better judgments every day.

“Practicing yoga can quiet the mind, which will help you sleep better and stay more focused in your daily life,” she says. “Being more focused and present in your daily life can help you make better lifestyle choices, such as who you surround yourself with, what you watch and read, and, most importantly, what you eat.”