Yoga for Weight Loss: Can Yoga Help You Shed Extra Kilos?

Yoga for Weight Loss: Can Yoga Help You Shed Extra Kilos?

Although yoga is frequently linked to flexibility and relaxation, it can also be a useful weight-loss aid.

Yoga offers a sustained and all-encompassing method of losing excess weight while enhancing general well-being, in contrast to intense exercise. 

This blog discusses the greatest yoga poses for burning calories, how yoga helps people lose weight, and how to get the most out of your workouts.

How Can Yoga Aid in Losing Weight?

Yoga promotes weight loss by enhancing metabolism, encouraging awareness, and encouraging physical activity. Among the main advantages are:

Enhanced Calorie Burn: Power yoga and vinyasa are dynamic forms that increase heart rate and burn calories.

Increased Metabolism: By promoting hormonal balance and digestion, some poses raise metabolic rate.

Muscle Toning: By strengthening muscles, holding yoga poses improves fat burning.

Decreased Stress and Emotional Eating: By lowering hormones that cause stress like cortisol, yogic mindfulness helps people avoid gaining weight through stress-induced eating.

Better Digestion: Long breaths and twisting positions promote digestion and detoxification.

Improved Sleep: Yoga helps control sleep patterns, which is important for weight loss.

The Greatest Yoga Pose for Losing Weight

1. Surya Namaskar, or Sun Salutations

A vigorous sequence that improves flexibility, burns calories and works the entire body.

Take a deep breath, lift your arms above your head, and stand erect.

Breathe out and stoop to touch the ground.

Lower yourself onto a plank, then turn into an upward-facing dog.

Return to standing after pushing back into downward dog.

Do 10–12 rounds again.

2. Navasana (boat pose)

Helps to improve digestion, balance, and core strength.

Raise your feet off the floor, sit with your legs out in front of you, and use your sit bones for balance.

Maintaining a straight back, extend your arms forward.

Repeat three to five times while holding for 20 to 30 seconds.

3. Utkatasana or chair pose

Increases stamina, strengthens the core, and tones the thighs.

As though you were sitting in an invisible chair, place your feet together, bend your knees, and drop your hips.

Hold your arms out in the air for 30 to 45 seconds.

4. Phalakasana, or Plank Pose

Increases overall stability and strengthens the core.

Maintaining your body in a straight line, perform a push-up.

Hold for 30 to 60 seconds after engaging the core.

5. Virabhadrasana II, or Warrior II

Strengthens the core, increases endurance, and tones the legs.

Place your feet wide apart, bend your front knee, and turn one foot outward.

Hold for 30 seconds on each side while extending your arms parallel to the floor.

6. Parairittta Utkatasana, or Twisting Chair Pose

Promotes digestion, tones abs, and speeds up metabolism.

Place your feet wide apart, bend your front knee, and turn one foot outward.

Hold for 30 seconds on each side while extending your arms parallel to the floor.

7. Setu Bandhasana, or Bridge Pose

Helps maintain hormonal balance and strengthens the lower body.

While lying on your back, raise your hips toward the ceiling and bend your knees.

Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, then let go.

8. Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)

Strengthens the back and enhances digestion.

Press your hands onto the floor, raise your chest, and lie on your stomach.

Hold for 15–30 seconds.

Research on Yoga's Effect on Weight Loss

According to several studies, yoga can help people lose weight by lowering stress, enhancing digestion, and promoting physical activity. 

According to a study that was published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, people who consistently practiced yoga for 12 weeks lost a substantial amount of weight in comparison to those who did not exercise at all.

In another Harvard study Yoga practitioners typically have healthier eating habits and a lower body mass index (BMI), according to research from medical school.

Mindful Eating and Yoga

People who practice yoga become more self-aware and mindful of their eating patterns. Yoga as a mindfulness practice can benefit:

Cut down on harmful eating desires.

Encourage portion control.

Promote the consumption of healthier foods.

Yoga Practice Every Day to Lose Weight

If you want to lose weight, do this yoga practice every day:

Warm-up: Begin with mild stretches and pranayama breathing techniques.

Main Workout: Do 10 rounds of Sun Salutations and asanas such as Plank Pose, Chair Pose, and Boat Pose.

Cool Down: To relax your muscles, end with Child's Pose and Cobra Pose.

Meditation: Spend five to ten minutes meditating to close up your session.

How Can Yoga Help You Lose Weight the Most?

Be Regular: For observable effects, do yoga at least five times a week.

Combine with Cardio: To improve fat burning, including cycling, walking, or jogging.

Maintain a Balanced Diet: Steer clear of processed foods and consume entire foods, lean proteins, and healthy fats.

Engage in Mindful Eating: Yoga promotes greater awareness of hunger signals, which helps people avoid overindulging.

Maintain Hydration: Adequate hydration facilitates digestion and increases metabolism.

Incorporate Breathing Techniques and Meditation: Pranayama and meditation can help prevent weight gain brought on by stress.

Success Stories: Actual Individuals Who Used Yoga to Reduce Weight

Yoga has been used to help many people lose weight. 

One woman, for example, shed 15 kg in six months after implementing mindful eating and regular yoga into her routine. 

Another person reported that they lost two dress sizes in a matter of months after beginning Power Yoga and Vinyasa Flow.

These actual cases show that yoga can be a useful weight loss strategy when paired with a healthy lifestyle.

In conclusion

Yoga offers mental, emotional, and physical advantages, making it an effective weight loss method.

You can lose weight and improve your general health in a sustained way by doing the proper poses, staying consistent, and leading a healthy lifestyle. 

Consider enrolling in Ekam Yoga Classes for an organized and supervised yoga experience.

Skilled instructors may assist in customizing your practice to meet your weight reduction objectives. Begin now to see the change for yourself!