Some people find yoga movements quite gentle and wonder if yoga can help with weight loss. While yoga is a flexible and versatile exercise, it also connects the mind and body. As a result, people who practice yoga regularly often have a slim, flexible physique.
To answer the question, “Does yoga help with weight loss?” let’s explore the effects of yoga on health in the article below!
Does Yoga Help with Weight Loss?
The answer is YES, especially if you practice yoga regularly. People who do yoga often focus more on mindful eating, which allows them to control cravings and the total calories consumed. Moreover, yoga requires the whole body to move continuously in harmony, which stimulates fat burning and can effectively help with weight loss.
You can practice yoga regularly with a high intensity, from 3 to 5 times a week, with each session lasting at least one hour. To enhance weight loss, you can combine yoga with other activities like swimming, running, skipping rope, and cardio exercises, which are beneficial for the cardiovascular system.
In addition, here are reasons why yoga can help with weight loss, so you can better understand how yoga contributes to weight loss and its positive impact on overall health.
Benefits of Yoga
Increases Focus and Improves Mood
Yoga is a form of moving meditation that connects the body and mind. Combining yoga with mindfulness offers many health benefits, especially for mental well-being. Yoga poses require attention to breath and bodily changes, which improves focus on the present moment and reduces anxiety and stress.
According to Harvard University’s health information, researchers have found that people who practice yoga tend to be more mindful of their eating habits. Yoga helps them become more aware of bodily sensations, focusing on the taste and smell of food and drink. As a result, they learn to eat slowly, chew thoroughly, and can control their calorie intake.
Better Sleep
Studies show that practicing yoga regularly helps people fall asleep more easily and improves the quality of sleep, even for older adults. The quality of sleep is closely related to weight loss. According to the National Institute of Health, sleep deprivation or poor sleep quality leads to increased calorie intake through food.
You can try the “Legs Up the Wall” pose before bed to fall asleep more easily, or explore sleep meditation.
Step 1: Sit with your back against the wall, then gently lift your legs to rest on the wall.
Step 2: Keep your back on the floor, sitting close to the wall, and hold this position for 5-15 minutes.
Yoga Burns Calories
Researchers found that people who practiced yoga for at least 30 minutes once a week for 4 years gained less weight during middle age and lost weight more effectively. They attributed this to mindful eating practices, which helped individuals develop a positive relationship with food and control their eating habits.
Reduces Back Pain
Yoga can also help reduce back pain by improving flexibility and muscle strength. Furthermore, stretching and relieving muscle tension can support alleviating back pain.
In a 2019 study, individuals with back pain who practiced yoga twice a week for 90 minutes over 24 weeks reported a 56% reduction in back pain and used fewer painkillers. This is a good indication that yoga is truly beneficial for health.
Improves Cardiovascular Health
Other reports indicate that yoga improves lipid levels in patients with coronary artery disease and reduces blood sugar levels in individuals with diabetes. As a result, yoga is now incorporated into many cardiac rehabilitation programs due to its cardiovascular benefits.
Yoga Tips for Weight Loss
In addition to the above yoga practices, here are some tips for effective weight loss and achieving a balanced physique:
- Choose the right exercises and intensity: Depending on your health condition, choose exercises that match your ability.
- Practice regularly: Whether yoga helps with weight loss depends on frequency and consistency. Try to practice 3-5 times per week.
- Best time to practice: Yoga is best practiced in the morning or evening to strengthen muscles, burn excess calories, and improve sleep quality.
- Practice with a trainer: You can enlist the help of an expert to ensure proper technique and avoid injury during your practice.
- Nutrition: Weight loss becomes easier when you follow a healthy, balanced diet along with regular yoga practice.
We hope this article helps answer the question, “Does yoga help with weight loss?” Yoga is not just a physical exercise to reduce weight and improve body shape; it is truly a solution for enhancing mental health and helping you feel healthier every day.
