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How Can Yoga Help You To Loose Weight?
If chalky weight-loss milkshakes and boring machine workouts aren’t your style, it might be time to try what may be one of the most ancient forms of exercise, yoga.
With its roots in ancient Eastern traditions, yoga is decidedly different than typical weight loss methods, such as dieting or aerobics. While the practice does provide calorie-burning activity, it also gives practitioners the mental tools they need to lose weight and keep it off.
Research shows that yoga is a fat-fighting exercise. One study of over 15, 000 middle-aged men and women by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center found that those who practiced yoga lost 5lbs over a ten-year timeframe. Those who did not practice, however, gained almost 14lbs during the same period—that’s a 19lb difference between the two groups. So how can holding odd-looking poses result in weight loss and weight maintenance?
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Physical weight loss benefits
One obvious way yoga helps you drop weight is by burning calories. A 2001 study of men in the Indian army found that vigorous yoga exercises increased fat-burning aerobic capacity just as well as conventional aerobic exercises.
A moderate yoga workout can use between 200 and 600 calories per hour. Burning those extra calories increases the metabolism, too, so the body will burn more even when you’re not working out.
Aside from the weight loss benefits, regular yoga practice will tone those arms and legs into firm limbs your significant other will love to touch. You may even develop muscles you didn’t know you had.
Mental weight loss benefits
Okay, so yoga burns calories, but there are some not-so-obvious weight loss benefits, too. One major cause of obesity is emotional eating. Stress from nagging co-workers, colicky babies, and plummeting retirement accounts can turn the most reasonable person into a pantry-raiding bandit. All those extra cookies take a toll on the waistline. So the next time you sense anxiety creeping up on you, a few minutes of deep yogic breaths will create the calm you need to get through the day without dipping into the chip bag.
Yoga also creates awareness about the body. Why is awareness important for losing weight? During class you’ll spend a great deal of time positioning your body and holding it in physical poses. Perhaps you’ll realize the spare tire around your middle is preventing you from reaching your toes. By making you aware of your body—and what kind of foods you’re putting into it—yoga may help you make wiser choices regarding what goes into your mouth.
One aspect of yoga that some find particularly helpful in weight loss is its use of affirmations, positive statements intended to encourage and inspire students to reach a goal. Many yoga classes will begin and/or end with statements like, 'I am filled with positive energy'. Students who want to say goodbye to cellulite might use an affirmation such as 'I will stop eating when I’m full'. Affirmations can be a powerful way to get the positive reinforcement so important to permanent weight loss.
Sweating with the yogis
While any style of yoga can help achieve your weight-loss goals, some styles burn more calories than others. These styles are your best bet for posing your way to less fat and more muscle:
A power yoga program is a great way to start melting pounds away. It offers an emphasis on fitness usually found only in a traditional gym setting or aerobics class. In addition to building muscle and increasing flexibility, power yoga practitioners also benefit from the cardiovascular workout. You’ll find yourself sweating your way to a slimmer, healthier body.
Another style that can help you lose those love handles is Bikram yoga. Sometimes called hot yoga, this style puts students through a series of muscle-building, calorie-burning poses. It’s practiced in a room heated to about 100 degrees Fahrenheit, or 40 degrees Celsius, and can burn up to 600 calories in a single session. Even though Bikram yoga can be challenging, it’s suitable for beginners looking for quicker results.
Don’t rule out other, less-intense styles either. No matter how gentle the style, you’ll find yourself developing and firming problem areas like hips and thighs. And even though you may not burn a sundae’s worth of calories, you’ll still burn more than you would vegetating in front of your favorite television rerun.
Remember, if you haven’t broken a sweat since senior year gym class, you’ll want to check with your health care professional to make sure you’re healthy enough for physical activity. Once you get the go-ahead to practice yoga, look for a class or DVD designed for beginners.
Regular yoga practice, combined with other common-sense changes, like sensible eating, can help you drop those pounds and keep them off.