We all know that adopting yoga into our everyday lives has several health advantages. According to research, these health advantages can also help with weight loss and maintenance. As a result, we visited with some of India’s top health experts and yoga teachers to understand more about how yoga might aid in weight loss. Here’s some of their greatest advice.
“Practising yoga can promote weight loss by improving mindfulness, lowering stress, and boosting physical activity. “These characteristics can contribute to healthier eating habits and an increase in metabolism, resulting in more calories burned and weight loss over time,” says Dr Rohini Patil, nutritionist and CEO of Nutracy Lifestyle.
5 Ways Yoga Can Help You Lose Weight
Encourages Mindfulness
We study and practise awareness while doing yoga. This has a favourable influence on other aspects of our everyday lives as well. It also aids in the practice of mindful eating habits.
“When it comes to reducing weight, your eating habits are really important. One of the primary causes of weight gain is emotional eating. Yoga has been shown in studies to help lower stress and anxiety while also improving mindfulness. “All of these positive improvements contribute to weight loss by reducing emotional or binge eating,” says Naveen Sharma, fitness guru at Cult.fit.
Body Detoxification
Yoga and pranayama assist cleanse the body, which aids in weight management. Removing all toxins from your body is a definite strategy to increase the amount of time you spend working out.
“Although the ancient discipline of yoga has multiple tremendous advantages, many people experience weight loss as they begin their yoga journey. This is because, in addition to the calorie burn provided by asana practice, the detoxifying advantages of pranayama cannot be overlooked. I recommend including 10 minutes of pranayama and 12 surya namaskars into your everyday workout programme. Surya namaskars serve to maintain physical health by stimulating energy pathways in the body, which aids in revving up a sluggish metabolism and cleansing the body.”
Stress Reduction
Yoga can help you manage stress, which can lead to weight gain. Breathwork and meditation can also help to reduce stress. “Stress causes an increase in the cortisol hormone. Cortisol promotes a rise in abdomen fat, a loss in muscle mass, and desires for fat and sugary foods, which can lead to obesity. Yoga, according to research, may help you manage stress, enhance your mood, reduce emotional eating, and develop a network of support, all of which can assist with weight reduction and maintenance,” says Jitha Joseph, head of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Fortis Hospital in Bengaluru.
Breathing exercises induce physiological changes in the body that are beneficial. “Yoga aids with stress management. Improved stress management can aid in the regulation of sleep and hormones, both of which are necessary for long-term fat loss.”
Helps with Muscle Toning
Yoga can also help with muscle toning, which aids with weight loss and control. “Yoga practice makes one more alert, attentive, and mindful of their decisions. As you move beyond asanas and begin practising other components of yoga, such as being conscious about what you eat, making healthy choices, choosing fresh, unprocessed foods, or choosing sattvic meals, you will notice a long-term improvement in your weight loss.
Surya Namaskar, chair position, boat posture, and plank pose are a few yoga poses that assist tone the muscles. “You may achieve your weight objectives by combining yoga and good nutrition,” says Shruti Shah, yoga instructor and creator of Flowithshruti.
Improves Metabolism
Yoga can aid with weight loss. Practising a few pranayama breathing methods boosts metabolism and fat burn. “Some breathing methods also lower stress and regulate hormones, all of which help burn more calories and fat, resulting in weight loss,” Kamna Bhandari, nutritionist, creator of Eat Well With Kamna Bhandari, and Co-founder of IFML, concluded.
