Yoga is known for its relaxation and many other health benefits. But did you know that regularly practicing yoga can also help you lose weight? Yes, it does. Yoga offers a holistic approach to managing weight beyond the "calories in and calories out" process. Let's discover how yoga can help lose weight.
Yoga and calories
Burning calories can help you lose weight. Physical exercises like walking, jogging, cycling, and swimming can raise your heart rate and cause you to perspire, burning all those calories. But how can you burn calories when yoga does the exact opposite by calming your senses and relaxing your heart rate? Well, there are actually some types of yoga that are intense. To help you with weight loss, you can try vinyasa, ashtanga, and power yoga that burn more calories than other yoga types.
Yoga, deep breathing, and metabolism
When you do yoga, you work a lot on your breathing. Deep breathing increases your oxygen supply, which speeds up metabolism. The faster your metabolism, the more you burn calories and get rid of body fats. Deep breathing also helps turn those belly fats into muscles, toning your abdomen.
Yoga and mindfulness
One of the benefits of yoga is developing mindfulness. Mindfulness is the capacity to be present and be aware of one's surroundings and actions. If you want to manage your weight, regularly practicing yoga will help you become more mindful of your food choices. You may begin to choose healthier food over processed, sweet, and fatty foods. You may also start to perform other exercises that help you lose weight and make you feel better.
Yoga and stress
Yoga can help you with weight management by reducing stress. In case you did not know, too much stress can actually cause weight gain. How? Well, when you are under a stressful situation, your body produces cortisol, a hormone that helps you handle stress. When you are under too much or continued stress, your body will also produce cortisol in high levels. Too much of this hormone can increase your appetite. You will also be craving more fatty, salty, and sweet food. So, when you regularly practice yoga, you will be able to manage your stress, lower your cortisol levels, and eventually manage your appetite.
As you also develop mindfulness with yoga, you will begin to avoid situations that you know will bring you more stress.
If you are trying to lose some weight and stay fit, you should definitely grab your mat and try yoga. Not only will you lose those unwanted fats, but you can also take advantage of its other health benefits.