Yoga Lose Weight

The long, slow stretches, plus the relaxed, deep breaths, meditation and yogic philosophy that form part of yoga won’t burn calories anywhere near as well as a work out at the gym, but could be one of the best ways to prevent and reduce weight gain.
A 2005 study at the National Cancer Institute at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre in Seattle found that 15 500 people in their fifties who regularly practiced yoga lost about five pounds over a decade, compared to a similar group that didn’t do yoga who on average gained 13.5 pounds during that same time. The study also found that yoga promoted weight loss for those with a regular practice. (For the study, ‘regular’ was defined as at least 30 minutes once a week for four or more years).

The Benefits of Yoga

To name a few of the many benefits, yoga improves circulation, metabolism and our endocrine/hormone functions, eliminates toxins, and strengthens the immune system and the heart. The list goes on … it also increases lung capacity, enhances digestion and elimination and stretches and tones the muscles and ligaments. A study from Yale, presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in November 2004 found that people who practiced yoga with meditation at least three times weekly reduced their blood pressure and the risk of heart disease. However, it’s not just the body that yoga affects, but all levels of our being. While it certainly brings balance flexibility to the body, one of the most beautiful effects is that it also brings flexibility and clarity to our mind. When the mind is more still then we’re far less likely to ride the emotional rollercoaster and what develops very naturally is a sense of inner stillness. When all of this is happening then stresses simply dissolve and we begin to feel more connected with both ourselves and those around us.Yoga postures affect our level of energy (prana) in the subtle body and this, along with the way in which the cells in the body are energised and oxygenated, increases our body’s ability to burn fat. However, yoga’s ability to reduce or maintain body weight may have less to do with calorie burning and more to do with stress relief and keeping us in tune with our body. "During a very vigorous yoga practice you can burn enough calories to lose weight, but most people don't practice that kind of yoga,” says Alan R. Kristal, Dr.P.H., lead author of the study on yoga and weight loss. "From my experience, I think it’s to do with the way yoga makes you more aware of your body.”


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Credit: Nobel peace prize nominee